ASIO two devices - Best way to configure in Windows.

I have a Saffire Pro 40 and a Traktor Kontrol Z1, both with ASIO drivers.
I am using the Saffire Pro 40 for Sonar X3D, the Traktor for the rest (i.e. Windows sounds).

Under Windows control panel -> Sound, I have the Saffire audio speakers disabled (right on device then click Disable).
The Traktor thus is the default device and communications device, all windows sounds go through this.
For all enabled devices (irrelevant for disabled devices) Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device and Give exclusive mode application priority is ticked.
 
Oh and the internal sound card is disabled in the BIOS.

What do people think - is this optimal?
 
Thanks
 
Alex 

Well there is a perceived benefit in redirecting system sounds and other sound apps etc away from Sonar, least of all avoiding conflicts.
 
I've seen people here with two ASIO cards who may configure their ASIO devices differently, I want to know what it is and why in case I'm missing a trick. For example I notice there are differences of opinion when it comes to exclusive mode etc, some want it off, some might not be actually disabling the ASIO device they use in Sonar in the sound control panel in windows, so that's why I'm constructing this debate.
 
 

I doubt windows is using ASIO drivers for windows sounds. As for the way you have things set up I see nothing wrong with it except the place you want to make sure that only the Saffire is the only audio device selected in Sonar. 

Yes indeed ASIO is the only interface on Sonar John thanks.
 
Points taken on board, I think the main point is not getting anything near the main interface that is being used with Sonar (forget about ASIO).
 
The main curiosity is why people untick in Windows:
Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device and Give exclusive mode application priority .
 
Esp in these scenarios.
Cheers..

I deliberately have on-board sounds for Windows, as the default audio device, and only my music applications have my Presonus AudioBox1818 VSL and it ASIO drivers.
 
I do not allow other applications to share the engine.
 
I also never have audio issues.
 
There are lots of ways to do things and reasons for each.  The above is what I like to use - others like things to be different.  It's a big planet.
 
Bob Bone
 

I have always kept my main interface for the exclusive use of my DAW and video editing software. In the early days this was essential as sound cards could not handle multiple sample rates and any system  sounds would reset the sample rate of entire projects - the 'not so goid' old days that I don' t miss at all (anyone remember Cubase 1.0 and the Audiomedia 3 card before Cakewalk had audio capabilities? OMG!).
 
Now days I find it doesnt matter at all what settings  I have in control panel for multiple sound cards - I simply choose only the drivers I wish to use in Sonar preferences. On my live rig I use a VST DMX controller called DMXIS. Interestingly, it will only take its timing from the internal sound card, so I must have  both it and the Yamaha 01x  active within Sonar. Even this causes  no issues whatsoever.
 
I'm sure I  carry many habits such as disabling particular drivers and features from a time when both windows and DAW's were far less stable. I guess it is someting to do with old dogs and new tricks:)

CakeAlexS
> I deliberately have on-board sounds for Windows.  as the default audio device
 
You mean you assign your motherboard's sound chip for this?
 
Cheers Bob..

Yup - I feed the speaker output from the computer audio jack into a couple of inputs on my interface.  This allows me to run multiple audio applications with Sonar having exclusive control of the audio interface in ASIO driver mode.  
 
I run a lot of audio separately, as I frequently am analyzing and transcribing various progressive/fusion tunes and sequencing them up.  The above arrangement works well for those needs.
 
Bob Bone
 

The only thing "required" is to be sure the device used for SONAR is not set as default in Windows. However, I am not sure if this is even required with the Saffire as it has ASIO aggregation. I use the onboard audio to drive a near-field 5.1 system and the Saffire to drive far-field amps. My Saffire (24) accepts ASIO input from everything at the same time (even in exclusive modes), so I would assume the 40 is the same.

rule of thumb normally with asio.. 1 device is supported.. BUT there are a few exceptions
 
yamaha sw1000/dsp factory... delta 1010 etc can be chained.. but in both their cases the drivers support multiple devices of the same maker at least. I'm sure there are more, but you lot never bought me em :)
 
wdm , or chaining 1 device into another . but in the past that has caused me issue with the spdif clock going out of sync..
 

mudgel
Windows can't use ASIO drivers.
Windows sounds are restricted to 16bit 44.1 kHz so I if you do share another driver between your DAW and windows it will always be changing your sample rates if you use different settings for your DAW.

Mike hit the nail on the head here!! The "issue" is really keeping Windows' "grubby paws" off any interface that you want to use ASIO drivers with. The only way I have found to do this is power everything on, and specifically tell Windows "use X as default." If X already is default, I found that I need to set something else as default first, and then set X as default explicitly. Without that being done, Windows can errantly nab whatever interface it "happens to choose" and if it does nab your preferred ASIO interface, it just wreaks havoc.

Same here.  I use onboard card for windows et al, and my interface solely for Sonar and other audio programs. 

I use my Mackie Onyx 1220i mixer as my main audio card for Windows and my MOTU Track 16 for Sonar exclusively. I route the main outs of the Track 16 to an input on the Onyx so everything runs through the mixer but the drivers are kept separate. Works very well. I don't let apps take exclusive control.