Steinberg Media Technologies has released a new, fully 64-bit-capable version of its ASIO technology. The ASIO 2.2 SDK provides software engineers with a complete set of tools for creating ASIO-ready host applications and drivers for 64-bit versions of Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

“ASIO 2.2 and its ASIO 2/64 component will form the backbone of a new generation of 64-bit host applications and audio devices for Windows,” summarizes Markus Stehlik, Steinberg’s Director of Engineering. “The new version of this open standard will also ensure both 32-bit and 64-bit driver versions are available to customers of audio software and hardware, easing the transition to the new 64-bit Windows versions. And because ASIO 2.2 was specified in close cooperation with other companies from the audio industry, we expect that the new standard will see wide adoption in the foreseeable future,” Stehlik continues.

The Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) architecture forms the backbone of VST. ASIO addresses any needs a professional audio recording solution might have, supporting variable bit depths and sample rates, multi-channel operation and synchronization. As a result, users can enjoy low latency, high performance, easy set up and stable audio recording within VST. The entire system becomes controllable and offers complete and immediate access to the audio system’s capabilities. Since its introduction, ASIO has become a supported standard by many leading audio hardware manufacturers.

The SDK is available for download now at http://www.steinberg.net.