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Support - (fb2k) / Re: Foobar2000 v2.* playback sound quality lower than v1.X
Last post by Gabriel Schwartz -If you use ASIO why would you need audio drivers for?ASIO doesn't work without drivers. No matter the used API the sound device will need drivers to be usable by the operating system. Some devices use standard interfaces that are supported natively by the OS, like Intel HD Audio or USB Audio Class 1 and 2. Those will allow basic output to work with the built-in drivers. But proper ASIO always needs manufacturer provided drivers. There are also ASIO wrappers that translate ASIO calls to Microsoft's API calls, like to WASAPI or KS. But these are not quite as direct as ASIO allows with proper drivers.
You do need the ASIO driver from your manufacturer, but you don't need any Windows Audio Driver e.g. Realtek, Intel or any other.
I know since I never installed any Windows driver, so I won't hear any beeps from the OS during music playback and everything goes via USB to my amplifier (which has a DAC).