Audio Card issue with Keylab 88 Essential

[polino]

Good evening everyone, my name is Giovanni and I am an absolute newbe of midi keyboards. I bought an Arturia Keylab Essential 88 keys and I have a problem with my desktop pc: when I run Analog Lab, the keyboard sends commands (I see the controls respond on the screen), but no sound is emitted. In some cases I have only heard a very distorted sound. Analog Lab's setup is "Windows Audio". If I try to change "device" and use "Direct Sound" I find a latency of about 2 seconds, obviously not tolerable. The sound card is an integrated Realtek (on Asus Mobo). I know this is not a keyboard issue, because I have tested it with my notebook (Microsoft Surface Pro) and it works quite well (even if there is a slight, annoying, latency). I am wondering if anyone has encountered the same problem with this type of sound card and can suggest me a way around the problem. Tnx a lot!

[LBH]

Hi,

If you are on windows before Windows 10, then you can try ASIO4ALL as audio driver for you sound sources. It can be downloaded for free here: https://www.asio4all.org/
Otherwise  choosing "Windows Audio " should work. Keep in mind that you (perhaps) can set buffer for this.  You can still try ASIO4 ALL also.

[polino]

Hi LBH, tnx a lot for your reply. Unfortunately the pc runs with win 11. I'm not sure I understand your next suggestion: the problem I find is using "windows audio".

[LBH]

Your welcome Polino.

Perhaps Windows 11 is your issue. Check this: https://www.arturia.com/faq/utilization/compatibility-with-windows-11
I can't tell if running things in Windows 10 compatibility mode can help, if Windows 11 is the problem.

Is it ASIO4ALL you don't understand? if so, then your audio card is driven by a driver. In your case you use Windows driver. ASIO4ALL is a driver you can use instead to run your audio card.

I use a external USB audio card instead of Windows internal audio card. This external audio card has it's own driver. Using external ausio card can sometimes help on latency issue. That depends. But still it has to be able to run on Windows 11 somehow, when you use that.

If you use Windows 11 on your other PC, and it works there, then you can still try using another driver and/ or an external audio card.

[polino]

Hi LBH and tnx a lot. I made a little evolution, but I still haven't been able to completely solve the problem. I downloaded an Asio driver for the Realtek card and now I have finally managed to get sound out of the computer. The problem is that I can't adjust the volume in any way: if I turn up the volume of Analogue Lab all the way, I get a distorted but still low sound. The windows volume has no effect.

Your welcome Polino.

Perhaps Windows 11 is your issue. Check this: https://www.arturia.com/faq/utilization/compatibility-with-windows-11
I can't tell if running things in Windows 10 compatibility mode can help, if Windows 11 is the problem.

Is it ASIO4ALL you don't understand? if so, then your audio card is driven by a driver. In your case you use Windows driver. ASIO4ALL is a driver you can use instead to run your audio card.

I use a external USB audio card instead of Windows internal audio card. This external audio card has it's own driver. Using external ausio card can sometimes help on latency issue. That depends. But still it has to be able to run on Windows 11 somehow, when you use that.

If you use Windows 11 on your other PC, and it works there, then you can still try using another driver and/ or an external audio card.

[LBH]

Hi,

You can't just turn up Analog Labs volume. If the volume gets to high, then things will be overdriven/ distort.

Windows volume should control the output of windows soundcard.
Are you sure you use the correct output on your soundcard? Some PCs can be rather annoying about this. Eg you may have to use a speciel output to use the headphone output. Perhaps this also was the issue using the Windows Audio driver setting.
In Windows settings you can select outputs for Windows audio. That may be easier than in ASIO4ALL, where you need to open ASIO4ALLs control panel and learn how to use this. So if the output is the issue, then i suggest you try with Windows Audio first.

For Windows audio on windows 11 this video might help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-UUuR-Dm0M

For ASIO4ALL this article might be helpful to get a understanding: https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000204630-Setting-up-ASIO4ALL-Windows-

Also still keep my notes about Windows 11 and external soundcard in mind. But perhaps your issue also is about learning.

[polino]

hello and thanks again for the help. I was able to adjust the volume better, now I can play quite well. The only problem is that if I run Analogue Pro with the Asio driver I can't listen to any other source at the same time. I am thinking of buying an external card, hope this will solve the problem. What do you think about it? I saw that Arturia also produces some and I was thinking about the cheap Mini Fuse 1.

Hi,

You can't just turn up Analog Labs volume. If the volume gets to high, then things will be overdriven/ distort.

Windows volume should control the output of windows soundcard.
Are you sure you use the correct output on your soundcard? Some PCs can be rather annoying about this. Eg you may have to use a speciel output to use the headphone output. Perhaps this also was the issue using the Windows Audio driver setting.
In Windows settings you can select outputs for Windows audio. That may be easier than in ASIO4ALL, where you need to open ASIO4ALLs control panel and learn how to use this. So if the output is the issue, then i suggest you try with Windows Audio first.

For Windows audio on windows 11 this video might help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-UUuR-Dm0M

For ASIO4ALL this article might be helpful to get a understanding: https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000204630-Setting-up-ASIO4ALL-Windows-

Also still keep my notes about Windows 11 and external soundcard in mind. But perhaps your issue also is about learning.

[LBH]

Good.

Yes i don't think ASIO4ALL is multiclient.
To be able to use and hear multiple sources at once, then you need to make sure the driver for your soundcard is a multiclient. You'll have to study the product pages, and perhaps ask the manufactors sale support, to make sure.
Sometimes it also require the software applications like a DAW to be able to - and set to - be used with other sound sources at once.

In case you still exsperience some issues, then you allways also can try to reinstall applications like Analog Lab. That can often help solving different issues.

EDIT: If you buy new things, then also be sure it's verified to run without issues on Windows 11. EDIT END