VoiceMeeter Banana lets you route audio sources to different outputs, so you can listen through a physical device while sending a chosen mix to streaming or recording software. Its A buses feed physical audio devices; its B buses are virtual outputs that appear as Windows recording devices.
The important distinction is that a separate bus gives you a separate mix, not automatically a separate track in a recording. The streaming application must also be configured to capture and record the tracks you want. This guide explains the routing concept without claiming a tested, menu-by-menu OBS setup.
What “splitting audio” means in Banana
A stream might combine your microphone, desktop or game sound, music, and chat audio. You may want to hear all of them locally, while sending only some sources to the streaming application. Or perhaps you want one application-facing mix for the stream and a different one for another use. Banana’s source strips and bus buttons let you decide which destinations receive each source.
A bus is a destination for audio. Sending a source to a bus means that source contributes to the mix arriving at that destination. If you route the microphone and desktop audio to B1, for example, B1 carries their combined mix. If you also route them to A1, you can hear that mix through the device assigned to A1.
This is different from recording the microphone and desktop audio as independently editable tracks. A distinct bus can provide a distinct mix to another application; that application’s own recording and track settings determine whether it preserves separate tracks. Do not assume that routing sources to different buses alone creates a multitrack file.
The VoiceMeeter Banana product page describes the software as a Windows virtual audio mixer and driver. VB-Audio’s page lists a package version and compatibility claims, but those can change; check its current information before installing. Actual behaviour can also depend on the Windows version and device drivers on your computer.
Know the source strips and buses
Banana provides five inputs: three physical and two virtual, according to VB-Audio’s product information and manual. A physical input can be an available microphone or another hardware audio source. Virtual inputs can receive audio from Windows applications. You do not need to buy a new microphone or audio board to use the routing workflow; start with the devices and sources you already have.
On a source strip, the bus assignment controls determine where that strip’s signal goes. The manual uses Ax buttons for physical buses and Bx buttons for virtual buses. A1, A2 and A3 are physical output buses. B1 and B2 are virtual outputs exposed as Windows recording devices. These roles are described in the VoiceMeeter Banana User Manual.
Think of each strip as a source and each bus button as a routing decision. If the microphone should be heard locally and included in the stream mix, assign it to the physical monitoring bus and the virtual bus you intend the streaming application to capture. If a source should be audible locally but not in the stream mix, do not send it to that application-facing bus. Check your desired route one source at a time rather than selecting buttons by trial and error across the whole mixer.
| Bus type | Where it goes | Typical purpose |
|---|---|---|
| A1, A2 or A3 | A physical audio device | Listening through speakers, headphones or another connected output |
| B1 or B2 | A virtual output shown as a Windows recording device | Exposing a routed mix to streaming, recording or communication software |
This table describes the documented roles, not a recommendation to use every bus. Pick one physical output for the device you actually monitor with, and one virtual output for the mix you want another application to receive. Additional buses are useful only if you have a clear second destination or mix in mind.
Plan the mix before routing
Write down the sources you want to use and the destination each one needs. A simple stream might have a microphone and desktop audio. A more involved setup might also have a music player or voice-chat application. VB-Audio’s documentation discusses mixing voice with sources such as music, games, movies, web radio and VOIP audio, but your exact set of sources depends on your stream.
For each source, ask two questions: should you hear it through your monitoring device, and should the streaming application receive it? If the answer to both is yes, the source may need to go to both an A bus and a B bus. If you should hear it but the audience should not, route it only to the physical monitoring destination. If the audience should hear it but you do not need to monitor it locally, consider routing it to the virtual bus only, while checking that this does not make troubleshooting difficult.
A short routing plan can prevent common mix-ups:
| Source | Local monitoring | Application mix |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone | Usually yes | Usually yes |
| Desktop or game audio | Usually yes | Usually yes |
| Private chat or alerts | Your choice | Include only if intended for the audience |
| Music | Your choice | Include only if intended for the audience and appropriate to use |
These are planning prompts, not fixed settings. For instance, a creator may want private voice chat in their headphones but not in a public broadcast. A devotional channel may use a microphone for announcements but send only programme audio during a continuous music segment. Make the audience-facing decision explicitly for every source.
If your content is music-led, routing is only one part of the job. The question of whether you can use a particular recording is separate from whether Banana can send it to a bus. For a related discussion, see whether an AI-generated track belongs in a 24/7 YouTube lofi stream.
Set up a basic monitoring and stream route
Start by following VB-Audio’s current installation guidance. Its product page tells first-time users to follow the manual step by step, especially step zero. The vendor’s published instructions say to run setup as administrator and reboot after installation. Follow the current vendor instructions for your Windows setup rather than assuming that a tutorial for another version or device applies unchanged.
After installation, identify the source strips that correspond to your microphone and application audio. The precise strip receiving a source depends on how Windows and the relevant application are configured, so confirm that the meter or other available indication responds when you produce sound. Avoid changing several device and routing settings at once: if a source disappears, you will have fewer clues about which change caused it.
Choose the physical A bus associated with the output device you use for listening. Then assign the relevant strips to that bus so you can monitor the intended mix. Choose a B bus for the application-facing mix, and assign only the sources that should reach the stream or recording software. The manual’s bus diagram explains this assignment model; consult it if the labels in your installed version are unfamiliar.
In the streaming or recording application, select the relevant VoiceMeeter virtual output as an audio input or capture device. This follows from the documented behaviour of B buses appearing as Windows recording devices. It is a conceptual workflow, not a verified set of OBS menu names or version-specific instructions. Check the current documentation for the application you use, then test the signal in that application before relying on the route in a live broadcast.
A practical test is to speak into the microphone, play desktop audio, and mute or stop each source in turn. Confirm which sources reach your headphones and which arrive in the application. If a source reaches the application when it should not, revisit that strip’s B-bus assignment. If you hear a source locally but it is absent from the application, check both the strip’s virtual-bus assignment and the input selected by the application.
Separate application mixes from recording tracks
People often use “split audio” to mean two different things. The first is sending different combinations of sources to separate outputs. Banana can do that by assigning strips to A and B buses. The second is recording each source to its own independently editable track. That requires suitable capture and track configuration in the streaming or recording application as well as a signal route for each track.
For example, a B bus carrying microphone plus desktop audio is one combined mix from the perspective of the receiving application. If you need the microphone and desktop sound separately in post-production, check whether your application can capture them as separate sources or tracks, and how it assigns those sources to its recording tracks. Do not infer that separate Banana bus labels equal separate audio tracks in a saved file.
Make a test recording of the format and application you plan to use. Check the saved file, not only the live meters: verify that the audio is present and that any intended isolated tracks can actually be selected or edited. The application’s own instructions are the right place to confirm exact track controls. If you are streaming a continuous programme, also decide what you need from a recording before adding complexity to the live mix.
If an always-on stream is part of your plan, audio routing on a Windows computer and keeping a YouTube broadcast running are separate operational questions. A guide to making a bhajan stream resume after an OBS crash addresses recovery planning rather than Banana’s audio buses. Similarly, a piano study stream with animated visuals illustrates a different kind of continuous-channel setup; neither changes what A and B buses do.
Troubleshoot by following the signal
If the application receives no sound, trace the route in order. First confirm that the source is producing audio and reaches the expected strip. Next check whether that strip is assigned to the intended B bus. Finally check that the streaming application is listening to the corresponding VoiceMeeter virtual output. This sequence separates a source problem from a bus assignment or application input selection problem.
If you hear audio locally but not in the stream application, that usually points to a difference between the physical monitoring route and the virtual application route. A bus assignment to A1 does not itself send the signal to B1. Check the intended B assignment rather than changing the physical device that already works.
If the application receives audio that you did not mean to include, inspect every source assigned to its B bus. A chat application, notification or music source can be part of the mix even when you are not thinking of it as stream audio. Mute or remove the route for the unwanted source, then test again. Make a small written map of sources and buses once the mix is correct, so you can restore it after a change.
Audio problems can also arise from Windows devices, drivers, or the particular combination of software in use. The research for this guide supports the routing concept, but does not establish exact sample-rate fixes, monitoring edge cases or version-specific OBS controls. If a fault appears after installation, use the current manual and the relevant application’s official help rather than treating an unverified setting as a universal fix.
For a 24/7 channel, a successful short test does not prove that every part of the wider broadcast will remain trouble-free overnight. Keep a recovery plan for the streaming application and the programme itself. Where your channel uses an encoded stream, the audio bitrate guide for a 24/7 YouTube stream covers a separate configuration topic; bitrate does not decide which Banana bus receives a source.
Version, compatibility and cost considerations
VB-Audio’s product page lists Banana package version 2.1.3.0 in September 2026 and describes support for several audio interface types and Windows versions, including ARM64. Treat those as the vendor’s published compatibility claims, not a guarantee that every device and driver combination will behave identically. Check the current product page and test your own equipment before making a production change.
The manual material informing the bus descriptions is version 2.1.2.2, dated December 2025, while the product page lists a newer package. The basic distinction between physical A buses and virtual B buses is documented, but the manual extract should not be mistaken for a screenshot-by-screenshot guide to every detail of the newer package. If labels or behaviour differ, follow the current vendor documentation.
VB-Audio describes VoiceMeeter Banana as donationware, and its store lists a permanent licence for a given PC configuration with contribution levels. Those are vendor licensing details, not a claim that a payment earns an affiliate commission or is required for the audio routing workflow. Consult the VB-Audio store listing for current terms. No additional hardware purchase is inherent in using virtual buses; consider a microphone, interface or monitoring headset only if your existing equipment does not meet your needs.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Does Banana create separate audio tracks automatically?
No. Assigning sources to different buses creates different output mixes, but a recording application must also be set up to capture and record tracks separately. Confirm the application’s current instructions and inspect a test recording before depending on isolated tracks.
Which bus should I use for headphones?
A1, A2 and A3 are the physical output buses, so choose the one routed to your actual listening device. B1 and B2 are virtual outputs intended to appear as Windows recording devices for applications to receive. Check the installed device and application configuration rather than assuming a bus number always maps to a particular headset.
Do I need to buy an audio interface or microphone?
No additional hardware is required for the virtual-bus concept. Banana can route sources from devices you already have; an interface or microphone is optional and only relevant if you need different input hardware or capabilities.
Are the setup and compatibility details guaranteed for my computer?
No. The vendor publishes compatibility information, but individual results can depend on Windows, drivers and connected devices. Follow the current VB-Audio manual and test your complete routing and recording workflow before using it for a live broadcast.