Voicemeeter Banana

A free advanced audio mixer

Voicemeeter Banana is a free audio editor software that enables you to mix and manage any audio sources. Developed by VB-AUDIO Software, this multimedia software is an advanced virtual audio device mixer that can support nearly any audio source you may have. It’s one of the three versions of Voicemeeter available for both personal use and premium professional use. It also has two downloadable versions that both install this and the original Voicemeeter program.

What does Voicemeeter Banana do?

Voicemeeter is a virtual audio mixer software that’s also an audio player. With a virtual I/O, it can manage and edit any sound or music coming from any audio device or program you may have on your PC. It can mix 3 inputs and 3 outputs through the use of two buses. Thus, devices like microphones and audio sources like media player apps can be mixed and sent to different audio outputs—even through VoIP software (Voice over Internet Protocol), recorders, and DAWs (digital audio workstations). Moreover, it is also Windows 11 compatible.

Voicemeeter has three main versions: Standard, Voicemeeter Banana, and Voicemeeter Potato. Voicemeeter Banana includes the Standard version in its package and offers 5 inputs and outputs instead of just 3 each. It’s mostly the same as the original version but includes other features, such as an 8-channel recorder and advanced tools. Some of these are the modulation function, 3D binaural effect, 3-band EQ, and strip limiter.

What is the difference between Voicemeeter Banana and Potato?

If you’re used to how Voicemeeter works, then operating Voicemeeter Banana wouldn’t be too much of a hassle as they are essentially the same product just with little differences that cater to specific types of users. However, if you’re new to this brand of audio mixers in general, then expect to find the interface a little bit daunting. Voicemeeter is known to have a steep learning curve in general, and that doesn’t really change in the Banana version.

Fortunately, its official site has extensive documentation on these programs. The collection of tutorials includes a highly-detailed user manual that you can download, as well as dozens of YouTube tutorials by different people. For first-time use, however, it's highly recommended to follow the user manual step by step—most especially Step Zero and the warnings labeled red to make sure the software works properly.

Compared to the Standard version, the main differences between Banana and Potato are the features available. Voicemeeter Potato is the one designed for audio-mixing pros, supporting up to 8 inputs and outputs each and having more advanced features. The downside to it is that it doesn’t have its own user manual. However, both include the Standard version and encourage people to donate and purchase commercial licenses for any professional use.

Willing to learn

All in all, Voicemeeter Banana is a great option to try out if you ever need a versatile audio mixer. Not only does it include the original Voicemeeter program, but it also offers advanced functions that improve the performance of the Standard version. The only major issue to this is its tricky controls that even the original had. However, you can always consult its tutorials and downloadable manual if you’re having a hard time.