07-23-2025, 09:07 AM
Experiment Builder supports audio playback and recording. Whether you need a specialized ASIO sound card depends on your operating system (Windows or macOS) and the timing precision your experiment requires.
Windows (10 or 11)
On a Windows PC, you have two audio driver options: the default DirectX drivers or a dedicated ASIO sound card. The best choice depends on your research needs.
To find a list of supported ASIO devices and installation instructions, please see the Experiment Builder User Manual (Help > Contents > Installation > Windows PC System Requirements > ASIO Card Installation).
macOS
On macOS, Experiment Builder uses the operating system's default audio drivers. No ASIO hardware is needed.
⚠️ Important Recommendation
Recent macOS versions (>10.12) can introduce timing variability for both audio and visual stimuli. While macOS is excellent for developing and debugging experiments, we strongly recommend using a Windows PC with a supported ASIO sound card for data collection where timing accuracy is critical.
Windows (10 or 11)
On a Windows PC, you have two audio driver options: the default DirectX drivers or a dedicated ASIO sound card. The best choice depends on your research needs.
| Feature | DirectX (Built-in Audio) | ASIO (Dedicated Sound Card) |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware Requirement | No extra hardware needed. | Requires a supported ASIO-compatible sound card. |
| Timing Precision | Poor. Not suitable for time-critical tasks. | High-precision playback and event marking. |
| Synchronization | No precise sync between audio and visual stimuli. | Precise sync with visual stimuli via the Synchronise Audio property. |
| Audio Recording | Not supported. | Supported via the RECORD_SOUND node (requires a microphone). |
| How to Enable | Edit > Preferences > AUDIO > Audio Driver: DirectX | Edit > Preferences > AUDIO > Audio Driver: ASIO |
To find a list of supported ASIO devices and installation instructions, please see the Experiment Builder User Manual (Help > Contents > Installation > Windows PC System Requirements > ASIO Card Installation).
macOS
On macOS, Experiment Builder uses the operating system's default audio drivers. No ASIO hardware is needed.
⚠️ Important Recommendation
Recent macOS versions (>10.12) can introduce timing variability for both audio and visual stimuli. While macOS is excellent for developing and debugging experiments, we strongly recommend using a Windows PC with a supported ASIO sound card for data collection where timing accuracy is critical.