The Windows operating system, by default, utilizes driver models such as MME (Multimedia Extensions), DirectSound, or WASAPI (Windows Audio Session API). While sufficient for general computing and media playback, these standard drivers incur high latency (typically 30–200ms) due to extensive buffering and processing via the system kernel mixer.
| Metric | Windows Generic USB Audio (WASAPI) | Thesycon ASIO Driver | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Minimum Stable Buffer (44.1kHz) | 256 samples (~5.8ms) | 32 samples (~0.7ms) | | Round-trip Latency (In+Out) | ~15-30 ms | ~2-4 ms (on USB 3.0/PCIe) | | CPU Overhead (interrupts) | High (due to DPC coalescing) | Low (optimized ISR) | | Multi-client support | No (exclusive mode required) | Yes (hardware-mixed) |
It is most commonly found as the "OEM" driver provided by manufacturers like Denafrips , Weiss Engineering , and others who use XMOS or similar USB receivers in their hardware.
: Many budget devices use an older, free version of the XMOS/Thesycon driver (like version 4.13), which lacks features like native DSD or adjustable clocking. Premium brands pay for full licenses to offer the latest stability and feature updates (e.g., version 5.50+). Performance vs. Alternatives USB Audio 2.0 Class Driver for Windows 10 and 11
Unlike simpler drivers that drop packets on USB retry failures, Thesycon implements a algorithm:
"ASIO driver stopped working" Error Message - Source Elements
🔹 Thesycon is a German software company that develops ASIO (Audio Stream Input/Output) drivers for many hardware manufacturers (RME, Focusrite, Topping, SMSL, etc.). Their drivers provide low-latency, high-performance audio paths between your hardware and DAW.
