Blog

Headset Not Working in VoiceMeeter Banana? Fix It Now

October 30, 2025 No comments yet

You’re all set to record or join a call with your favorite headset, but suddenly realize there’s no sound coming from your mic or headphones. You glance at VoiceMeeter Banana, the popular virtual audio mixer, and everything seems fine — or so it looks. The frustration of seeing devices configured yet not functioning is all too common. If your headset isn’t working properly in VoiceMeeter Banana, don’t worry. This comprehensive guide will help you diagnose and fix the issue quickly and efficiently.

Understanding VoiceMeeter Banana

VoiceMeeter Banana is a powerful virtual audio mixer used by streamers, podcasters, and audio enthusiasts to route and control audio signals between physical hardware and software. It can be a game changer for managing multiple input/output devices, but with that power comes complexity. One slight misconfiguration, and your headset stops working.

Below, you’ll find a breakdown of all the steps necessary to troubleshoot and fix headset issues in VoiceMeeter Banana.

Common Symptoms of a Headset Problem

Before diving into solutions, it’s helpful to identify the symptoms that typically accompany headset malfunctions in VoiceMeeter Banana:

  • No sound in headphones
  • Microphone does not register any input
  • Distorted or robotic audio
  • Intermittent dropping of audio
  • Windows detects the headset, but VoiceMeeter Banana doesn’t

If any of these ring true, the following solutions should help you resolve your problem quickly.

1. Check Your Default Playback and Recording Devices

This is perhaps the most overlooked but critical step. Even if VoiceMeeter Banana is open and running, Windows might still be prioritizing the wrong audio devices.

Here’s what you should do:

  1. Right-click the audio icon in the System Tray and select Open Sound settings.
  2. Under Output, select VoiceMeeter Input (VB-Audio VoiceMeeter VAIO).
  3. Under Input, select VoiceMeeter Output (VB-Audio VoiceMeeter VAIO).
  4. Then, go to Sound Control Panel > Playback and Recording tabs to set your headset as the default communication device if it’s not used as the primary one.

These settings allow Windows to route all audio through VoiceMeeter, which then sends the signal to your headset.

2. Ensure Your Headset is Properly Setup in VoiceMeeter

Within the VoiceMeeter Banana interface, your headset must be configured as either an input (for mics) or output (for headphones). If not, system audio might still be routed incorrectly.

To configure your headset:

  • Click on A1 in the upper right corner of VoiceMeeter. From the dropdown list, choose your physical headset device. Look out for WDM drivers first, as they offer better performance and lower latency.
  • If your microphone is connected via the headset, ensure Hardware Input 1 (or 2/3 as appropriate) is set to your headset mic.

If you’re unsure which device in the list is your headset, unplug it and plug it back in. Check which device disappears and reappears — that’s your headset.

3. Choose the Right Driver: WDM vs MME

VoiceMeeter gives you a choice between several drivers: WDM, MME, KS, and sometimes ASIO. The most common are WDM and MME. Choosing the wrong driver can lead to incompatibility or audio lag.

Use this guide to select the right one:

  • WDM (Windows Driver Model): Best for low latency. Preferred in most cases.
  • MME (Multimedia Extensions): Higher latency but more stable with older hardware.

If you’re having issues with WDM, try switching to MME for troubleshooting purposes.

4. Restart The Audio Engine

Sometimes, VoiceMeeter simply needs a fresh start. Audio drivers may fail to initialize correctly upon system boot or after plugging in a new device.

Try this:

  1. Close all programs using VoiceMeeter.
  2. Exit VoiceMeeter Banana.
  3. Right-click on VoiceMeeter and select Run as Administrator to relaunch it.
  4. If the headset still doesn’t work, restart your computer to fully reload the audio services.

This simple reset fixes most minor bugs and hang-ups with audio routing.

5. Update or Reinstall Audio Drivers

Drivers are often the culprit behind unexpected device failures. An outdated or corrupted driver can prevent proper communication between your PC, VoiceMeeter, and your headset.

Here’s how to update your drivers:

  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section.
  3. Right-click your audio device and select Update driver.
  4. Select Search automatically for drivers.

If Windows reports that the best drivers are already installed, consider going to the headset manufacturer’s website to download the latest version manually.

6. Use the Correct Cables and Ports

It might sound surprising, but using the wrong cable or even the wrong port on your PC can result in the microphone or audio not being detected. Headsets with combo jacks (mic + audio) often require a TRRS adapter when plugged into a PC.

Make sure:

  • You are using the correct 3.5mm jacks (usually pink for mic, green for headphones).
  • If your headset uses USB, don’t use a USB hub — plug it directly into the motherboard’s USB port.

7. Check Virtual Cable Routing

VoiceMeeter Banana uses virtual cables (VB-Audio Cables) to route audio between devices. Incorrect routing or volume muting can lead to a silent headset.

What to verify:

  • Ensure that B1 or B2 outputs are enabled for the track sending audio to your headset.
  • Make sure appropriate output monitoring (A1/A2) is toggled if you want real-time audio feed.
  • Check that volume faders and gain knobs are not set too low or muted entirely.

8. Use Windows Sound Settings for Final Check

Finally, use the built-in sound tester in Windows:

  1. Go to Sound Settings > Sound Control Panel.
  2. Under Playback, select your headset, then click Configure and Test.
  3. Under Recording, speak into your mic and look for signal bars.

If you can see activity in these test panels but not in VoiceMeeter, you’ll know the routing inside VoiceMeeter is where the problem lies.

Still Not Working? Try a Fresh Configuration

If all else fails, reset your VoiceMeeter Banana configuration. To do this:

  1. Close VoiceMeeter Banana.
  2. Navigate to: C:\Users\YourUser\AppData\Roaming\Voicemeeter
  3. Back up and delete the configuration files.
  4. Restart VoiceMeeter; it will create a new config file from scratch.

This is especially helpful if an old or corrupted layout is interfering with device detection.

Conclusion: Say Hello to Clear Audio

While dealing with headset issues in VoiceMeeter Banana can be frustrating, most cases boil down to simple configuration errors. By following this guide step-by-step, you should have your setup fixed in no time. Whether it’s selecting the right audio device, picking proper drivers, or understanding correct routing, you now have all the tools to diagnose and resolve problems confidently.

Don’t let audio issues hold back your productivity or creativity. Now that