I've been learning to use Ableton Live to make music, not professionally but just for enjoyment. I have a question for the experts in this forum, about ASIO vs. MME/DirectX audio drivers.

When using my Windows 10 computer for anything other than Ableton, I have to use the MME/DirectX drivers, and when using Ableton, I have to use ASIO. It's a mild inconvenience that I have to change that setting in Ableton's Preferences multiple times per day. I assume this is a problem that's not unique to Ableton Live.

In my research about ways to remove this mild inconvenience, I've found a bunch of advice given to others who've asked this (on the Ableton forums mainly):

• - Download an Advanced Audio Mixer Application with a loopback function
• - Get a multi-client driver
• - Download the latest drivers from my motherboard manufacturer's website
• - Edit the Registry
• - Educate myself on the principles causing this audio driver conflict

I'm new to all this, and I'd appreciate this forum's advice for a good solution, and perhaps pros/cons of the above (I do not play to edit the registry, I'm fully aware of the cons of that one). I found a recommendation for one audio mixer app (probably from the app's maker) but before I install a new app, I just want confirmation that that's the best way to go.

If the solution is as simple as "buy an audio card," well, okay - but then I suppose I'll have to plug in headphones on the back of the computer instead of the front (a mild inconvenience if I don't have to reach around to the back of the computer every time I want to plug in headphones - a major inconvenience if I do, because that would require a major reorganization of my workstation setup).