this prevents me from using multiple USB audio recording sources at once

What is it you are using, with the pops, that allows for multiple USB recording sources at once? I know of two major (no cost) solutions for Windows - so I'm wondering what you're using here.

That MODX's driver stack by itself doesn't pop seems to point the finger towards non-Yamaha layers. From reading your message, I understand that other equipment doesn't have similar issues. I'm not ignoring that.

Two answers:

1. Currently I am using a USB audio mic, shure pg27usb, but I am planning to buy a digital interface and better microphone (likely a rode nt1) for voice, and I want to have popping/distortion free streaming in that situation. I want to have shared simultaneous audio output on my stream and elsewhere, without audio issues.

2. Playing two USB audio out keyboards at once. I have a Casio px-870 Which does Midi out via USB (no popping) but I have been considering selling it and getting a Yamaha p515 to have a high quality digital piano for practice and playing simultaneously with my MODX ( accompanying myself by playing one piano with each hand) that also connects USB audio out, for good realistic piano tones and feeling built-in. I've tried some sampled Midi vst piano sources, but I don't know if I can approximate a real piano via Midi vsts, and I am very skeptical about investing in the expensive pianoteq 7 product to make my current Casio Midi keyboard sound realistic. I just don't know if Midi is capable of that.

2.5. Playing two pianos at once, I am making the ambient and other tones with the MODX with the melody line/etc. on the other piano. Since there are timing and position interactions impossible with a single synth, I have to use two.

In theory, I can use the midi-out piano, simultaneously with the ASIO driver set in cakewalk for regular audio, without popping...but I am not able to monitor it through the system when the ASIO drivers are set. It does relay back to the phones plug in the MODX, and when adapters arrive I am going to try connecting certain speakers and using the modx for the audio out interface...

But this would not work if I try to use a digital interface for microphone connection, or using a second keyboard (Yamaha p515) to record simultaneously.

I tried uninstalling the Steinberg driver to try to get it exclusively on wasapi shared through cakewalk (suspecting conflicting driver clock/etc. as the problem), but the MODX isn't recognized at all.

My issue comes down to suspecting there's an issue between wasapi shared in DAWs and the Steinberg USB audio drivers...and the expected need of multiple USB audio sources at the same time. I'd like to solve this.

But...If I can circumvent this entirely by going through a single digital USB interface, e.g. a Scarlett with 8 preamps, then connecting all pianos and mics to it via 1/4" or xlr jacks...without perceptible loss of quality...then I would consider going that route. It's more expensive and fails my original goal of keeping the piano audio fully digital by using usb audio, but if it doesn't affect sound quality then I'm ok with it.

Have exactly this same problem. Hugely noticeable with the pianos.

Have resorted to recording at very low levels and sending to an audio engineer to do his thing to bring it up to something useful.

FM-X engine has almost none of these issues, interestingly, for me. I can go right up to the limits and even exploit over saturation a little for distortion I want.

So you do not have multiple audio devices available in your DAW at all? I'm asking because I'm looking for the software that allows for that. Like VoiceMeeter or ASIO4ALL and have not seen anything mentioned.

I think he needs to start looking at the limitations of the DAC to realise that the signal is heavily hitting the ceiling (if permitted to be this loud) on the MODX.

The type of recording used is said to be in the digital domain. DAC would be used for the analog side. I think the goal here is to remain in the digital domain.

I have reached out on another forum and the suggestion there was to go through the 1/4" audio out from MODX and send everything (including future xlr mics and other pianos) through a digital USB interface (e.g. Scarlett 18i20) since that would eliminate the ASIO conflict and everything would be coming through a single device, with little or no quality loss. I'm seriously considering this, even though it's not staying digital.

When you say DAC is hitting a ceiling, what do you mean? Volume? Data? And in the MODX or on the PC side? With Midi out via USB on the second piano and USB audio out on the MODX, the popping only occurred when the MODX was being played, never when the second piano was the only one being played.

Also, since the MODX was providing ambient synth only, I lowered the MODX output volume to below the other piano volume so the melody notes would stand out. The MODX was popping at lower volume that the other piano, but again the other piano was just sending midi data.

It's worth noting that the popping noise typically happens shortly after pressing keys down, as if there's an overload of some kind occurring.

Again though, these popping issues did not occur when ASIO driver was selected in cakewalk, or when using without a DAW just in twitch studio. But I can't record two usb audio sources like this because of the ASIO exclusivity.

Analog out will involve the DAC. Although I don't know if that will be an issue or not. Just saying the negative comments voiced about DAC would only possibly apply in this mode.

The DAC is the non-usb audio out? I haven't used that pathway for recording yet, it's a option I am considering as a workaround. My current issue seems related to the ASIO driver and connecting only via USB for audio, and it doesn't seem to play well with other sources or drivers.

I haven't seen your "aggregating" driver stated.

DAC stands for digital to analog converter and is therefore employed in your analog 1/4 inch unbalanced outputs.

I am not sure what an aggregating driver is. The ASIO Steinberg for Yamaha, as it is exclusive in the DAW, does not allow me to connect other USB audio sources that are not midi, but it does give me popping free recording for one non-midi device if I select ASIO in cakewalk. If I use wasapi shared in cakewalk, I get random popping not apparently related to latency, but I can use multiple USB audio sources.

The DAC is the other direction I am considering to bypass the USB audio ASIO driver apparent conflict. I would send all audio through a single digital USB interface, using 1/4" and xlr connectors as appropriate.

Also, I will be trying out a montage in a week or so to see if there is any difference.

[quotePost id=115921]I haven't seen your "aggregating" driver stated.

DAC stands for digital to analog converter and is therefore employed in your analog 1/4 inch unbalanced outputs.[/quotePost]

I understand what the analog path entails and do not share the same concern for the DAC causing issues for you. That said, I don't have a MODX to form a very informed opinion on that front so I yield.

I guess what you're saying is that somehow Cakewalk has a built-in way of sharing ASIO drivers -- that's a new one on me.

I was/am a registered boxed-copy owner of Cakewalk Sonar -- but the world has moved on from those days and your Cakewalk is probably not what I have. I still have it shrink wrapped in the box so I have no experience with using it.

Some discussion ...

https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/topic/8801-crackling-noise-in-audio-playback-and-while-playing-virtual-instruments-after-update/

There are numerous other threads about general pop/click problems with Cakewalk with other specific products mentioned.

Sometimes updating Cakewalk is suggested - sometimes downgrading.