Device configuration issue perhaps? [SOLVED]

Hello, I am using Windows 7 Pro 64 SP1 -Audacity 2.2.0 - M-Audio Revolution 5.1 for playback (internal) -Focusrite Sapphire White Face via 1394 cabled to an added 1394 PCI Interface card for recording. I use line inputs on the Focusrite fed by a vintage stereo receiver line out to record albums, tapes, etc. Motherboard sound has been disabled in BIOS.
I have been using Audacity for some time and everything played well together but then I got the bug to download and use WASAPI for improved performance. I also upgraded to 2.2.0 of Audacity about the same time. Before making these changes, I was using MME as that or Direct Sound where the only options. Again all worked as expected.

Now, here are the present issues.
If I load Windows Media Player after powering up the pc, it works fine.
If I load it after opening Audacity (and closing or leaving open), Media player will try to open, but never will. It gets hung up. However, in the “mini” player from file manager will work fine.
Also the sound card seems to have lost the SRS capability, but other feature appear ok.
Loading a previous file in Audacity appears to load and play fine, but makes no sound. I see the wave form and the cursor moves, etc.If trying to record, the meters do not move. Apparently signal not getting to software.
Everything worked great until I tried to fix it. sigh…

Under device setting I have selected WASAPI as host. Sows using: Port Audio V19.5.0-c. Focusrite as recording device and M-Audio as playback device.
I think I have gotten lost in the variables somewhere and elected some non-compatible settings in one device or the other. I have tried a few things to no effect so far.
My goal in installing WASAPI is to get the full capability of 192/24 without the resolution limitations imposed by the OS.
Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated!

I’m going to guess… [u]WASAPI Exclusive Mode[/u]?

Thanks much for the direction.
It makes sense that WASAPI is causing the issues. From your link, it looks like I need to spend some time understanding more about how and why it works. Will advise as I go along and when time permits.
Thanks again!

Please do. We see quite a few of these kinds of issues, but often they are hardware specific, so we rely on feedback from the Audacity community for information about what happens with hardware that we don’t have.

Well it seems I might have a hardware issue with the Focusrite or the 1394 card. So to eliminate possibilities, I have bypassed them both and feed the M-Audio card directly from the tape out of the receiver to the line input of the sound card. Everything now seem to function perfectly using WASAPI. I probably should have started with this configuration in the first place, but the Focusrite came highly recommended from a trusted source. The unit had been working fine using MME as the host. All defaults set to 19/32 bit float. Audacity now records and plays well so I have a solution to the problem. I think I may have actually improved the overall performance owing to fewer pieces of hardware, software and/or re-sampling taking place in the signal chain.

All’s well that ends well. Thanks again for the help!

Thanks for the update. Useful information.