VoiceMeeter is a software mixer that installs on Windows and adds virtual sound devices to the system. Instead of sending all audio to a single output device, the user directs different sources into the mixer and decides there what goes where. The name itself appears in various spellings: Voicemeeter, Voice Meeter. There are also extended versions of the program that players refer to by name — Banana and Potato; they differ in the number of inputs, outputs, and available features.
What it is used for
The mixer's main job is to separate audio streams that a standard system merges into one. Typical scenarios:
- send game audio and voice chat to headphones, and music or notifications to speakers;
- adjust the volume of the game, the people in voice chat, and the microphone separately;
- feed a dedicated track to streaming software: for example, so that viewers hear the game and the streamer's commentary but not private conversations;
- connect several microphones or several pairs of headphones to one computer.
This is why the program is especially popular with streamers and content creators who need to assemble stream audio from several sources.
How it works
The principle is simple. VoiceMeeter creates virtual audio devices that Windows sees as ordinary ones. A game, a browser, or a communication program can be assigned to one of them. The sound then enters the mixer window, where each input has a volume control, output switches, and, in the higher versions, an equalizer and effects. From the mixer's outputs, the sound goes to real devices: headphones, speakers, or recording and streaming software.
Audio latency
Any intermediate program on the path of sound from the game to your ears is an extra link in the processing chain. A virtual mixer is no exception: it adds its own latency, and compared with sending audio straight to headphones it is more noticeable than with simple system utilities. How much exactly depends on the settings: buffer size, the selected driver mode, and the type of connected devices.
For an ordinary game or watching a stream this is not a problem. In competitive shooters, where hearing footsteps or a reload a fraction of a second earlier matters, many players prefer a short chain without unnecessary intermediaries: game, sound card or motherboard, headphones. If splitting audio across tracks is necessary for streaming, latency can be reduced by tuning the buffer and disabling unneeded inputs.
How it differs from an equalizer
A system equalizer such as Equalizer APO changes only the tone of the sound and works as a filter inside the regular output chain. VoiceMeeter solves a different problem: it manages routing — where the sound comes from and where it is sent. That is why these programs are often used together, but they cannot replace each other.