In VoiceMeeter Banana, route each source strip to the buses that should receive it: use an A bus (A1, A2 or A3) for local playback through a physical device, and a B bus (B1 or B2) to expose a mix to another Windows application, such as streaming or recording software. Assigning sources to separate buses creates separate outputs; it does not, by itself, create separate tracks in a recording.
How the inputs and buses work
VoiceMeeter Banana is a Windows virtual audio mixer and driver. VB-Audio describes Banana as having five inputs—three physical and two virtual—and five outputs—three physical and two virtual. Its source strips let you decide which buses receive each source.
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The bus names indicate their roles. According to the VoiceMeeter Banana User Manual, version 2.1.2.2 (December 2025), “BUS A1, A2, A3 are connected to physical audio device while BUS B1, B2 are connected to related virtual audio output (appearing as recording device in Windows system).” The manual explains that Ax buttons route a strip to physical buses and Bx buttons route it to virtual buses.
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| Bus group | Destination | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| A1, A2, A3 | Physical audio devices | Listening locally through headphones, speakers or another connected device |
| B1, B2 | Virtual outputs that appear as Windows recording devices | Making a routed mix available to streaming, recording or voice-chat software |
These are different routing destinations, not competing audio tracks. A strip can be assigned to more than one bus, so the same source may be heard locally and included in an application-facing mix.
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Set up Banana and choose your sources
- Download the current VoiceMeeter Banana package from VB-Audio’s Banana product page. The page lists package version 2.1.3.0, dated September 2026, and says the setup package installs Voicemeeter and Banana.
- Follow the vendor’s installation directions. VB-Audio says to run setup as administrator and reboot after installing. Its product page specifically advises first-time users: “First use! Follow user manual step by step, especially step ZERO of the documentation.”
- Open Banana and identify the sources you want in the stream mix—for example, a microphone, game or desktop audio, and chat or music. The vendor’s documentation describes mixing voice with sources such as games, movies, web radio and VOIP audio. You can route devices you already have; a new microphone or audio board is not a prerequisite for the virtual-bus workflow.
- Choose a physical monitoring destination for an A bus and an application-facing B bus for the mix you want streaming software to receive. Consult the current manual for setup details and the controls in your installed version.
The manual extract available for reference is version 2.1.2.2 from December 2025, while the product page lists a newer package. The bus concepts are documented, but interface details may differ in the newer release.
Route each source to the desired output
- For each source strip, use its Ax buttons to select the physical bus or buses that should play that source through your connected monitoring device.
- Use the strip’s Bx buttons to include that source in the virtual output mix intended for another application. The manual identifies B1 and B2 as virtual outputs exposed as Windows recording devices.
- Repeat for every source, deciding separately whether it belongs in local monitoring, the application-facing mix, or both. For example, you might send microphone and game audio to a B bus while also sending them to the A bus you listen through.
- In your streaming or recording application, select the relevant VoiceMeeter virtual output as an audio input or capture device. The B-bus behavior documented by VB-Audio supports this general workflow; exact application menus and track controls depend on the software and were not verified here.
- Check that the mix contains the sources you intend before going live or recording. If you need multiple independently editable recording tracks, configure the recording application to capture and assign tracks separately; a Banana bus alone is only a distinct mix output.
Separate bus outputs versus separate recorded tracks
A B bus gives another application a routed mix. It does not guarantee that the application will save each source as its own isolated track. To make multitrack recordings, the capture application must support separate audio tracks and be configured to assign the desired inputs to them. Choose the routing and recording configuration for the result you actually need: one combined stream mix, or independently editable sources in a recording.
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Version and compatibility notes
VB-Audio’s product page lists support for MME, DX, KS, WDM and ASIO interfaces and publishes compatibility claims covering Windows XP through Windows 11 plus ARM64. The vendor’s store listing also describes Banana as Windows software and gives XP-to-Windows-11 and ARM64 compatibility. These are vendor-published claims; actual operation can depend on device drivers and the particular Windows setup. Check the current manual and product page for your version rather than assuming every interface detail in the December 2025 manual extract applies to package 2.1.3.0.
Licensing and optional equipment
VB-Audio describes VoiceMeeter Banana as donationware. Its official store describes a permanent license for a given PC configuration and different contribution levels. Physical microphones, audio boards and headsets are examples of possible sources or monitoring equipment, not required purchases for routing audio through Banana’s virtual buses.
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