Unable to record What U Hear with Sound Blaster X3 / SB1810 [SOLVED]

At first I thought it was a case of using an outdated software: Sony Sound Forge 7.0 from 2003. But also in Audacity 2.4.2 a few months ago and now in 3.1.3 it is the same- my programs apparently cannot use this hardware - while Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro they both can


Despite setting

Settings > System > Sound > Input > What U Hear (Sound Blaster X3)
Settings > System > Sound > Input > Properties > Additional device properties > Advanced > Default Format > 2 channel, 16 bit, 48 000 Hz

in my Windows 10 Enterprise 20H2 19042.746 x64 and in Audacity 3.1.3

Edit > Preferences > Devices > Recording > Device > What U Hear (Sound Blaster X3)
Edit > Preferences > Devices > Recording > Channel 2 (Stereo)

and switching to 48 000 Hz

I get
Error opening recording device.
Error code: -9999 Unanticipated host error

[Also in Sound Forge I have parameters of file set to the sam values and its recording devices is changed to the one in question - but I get an error of unknown device]

I also updated the firmaware in that Sound Blaster X3 / SB1810 of mine to the latest, i.e. 1.9.220601.900


What can I be possibly doing wrong?

It seems that choosing for Windows these options

Settings > Privacy > Apps Permissions > Microphone > Allow access to tje microphone on this device> On
Settings > Privacy > Apps Permissions > Microphone > Allow apps to access your microphone > On
Settings > Privacy > Apps Permissions > Microphone > Allow desktop apps to access your microphone > On

unblocked me the ability to record in Sound Forge - but still not in Audacity. And that is despite me seeing under

Settings > Privacy > Apps Permissions > Microphone > Allow desktop apps to access your microphone

both Audacity and Sound Forge on the list. Also turning on

Settings > Privacy > Apps Permissions > Microphone > Choose which Microsoft Store apps can access your microphone > Voice Recorder

did not help- as it should not, right? But then again: what is wrong with my Audacity [now that I cannot do in it what I can in a 20 year old software]?

Try all 3 [u]Audio Hosts[/u], MME, DirectSound, and WASAPI. MME is the oldest and WASAPI is the newest and MAYBE What-U-Hear works better with an older standard.

You can also try [u]WASAPI Loopback[/u] which works similarly to What-U-Hear, capturing whatever is coming out of your soundcard.

1 Like

It seems that changing in Audacity

Edit > Preferences > Devices > Interface > MME

to

Edit > Preferences > Devices > Interface > Windows DirectSound

made the issue go away


So thank you

To sum up:

ā— check if Windows 10 is set to

Settings > Privacy > Apps Permissions > Microphone > Allow desktop apps to access your microphone > On

ā— check if pograms are set to e.g.

Audacity [3.1.4] > Edit > Preferences > Devices > Interface > Windows DirectSound

Sound Forge [7.0] > Options > Preferences > Wave > Record > What U Hear (Sound Blaster X3)

ā— check [with e.g. free SoundVolumeView by NirSoft] if What-U-Hear element of a given device is turned on

ā— do not check if recorder file has the same kHz and bitrate settings as your device [unless you have some much older Sound Blaster card like X-Fi Surround 5.1 Proand / or are runnning on Windows 7]