Audacity audio preferences on Windows 64 bit | AIO @ 290SR
October 16, 2021
1:05 PM
Interface
Selects the particular host interface with which Audacity communicates with your chosen playback and recording devices.
Windows: on Windows the choice is between the following host audio interfaces:

MME: This is the Audacity default and the most compatible with all audio devices.
Windows DirectSound: This is more recent than MME with potentially less latency.
Windows WASAPI: This host is the most recent Windows interface between applications (such as Audacity) and the audio interface driver. WASAPI was first officially released in 2007. WASAPI is particularly useful for "loopback" recording of computer playback. 24-bit recording devices are supported using this host. Playback is usually emulated. As a result, the playback slider in Mixer Toolbar will only scale the system playback slider's current level up or down rather than directly manipulating that system slider.
On Windows:
Windows DirectSound may by default have only slightly lower latency than MME.
Selecting Windows DirectSound or Windows WASAPI and enabling both "Exclusive Mode" boxes in Windows Sound allows Audacity to request audio direct from the device without resampling.