Recording multiple applications (on different VAC lines) to multiple tracks

Question

I have set up a PC (Windows 7x64) with 3 Lines in Virtual Audio Cable. Each line has one program using it as it's output device (total of 3 programs running) the physical device is just on-board RealTek audio.

What I'm wondering is if I am able to record each line simultaneously, to different tracks in any kind of multi-track recording software? I.e. all audio from Line1 to Track1, Line2 to Track2... as I would like the ability to edit each track individually after recording or export to individual files.

After downloading the trail version of Reaper, and later ASIO4ALL, to see if that could accomplish what I was looking for however I can still only record one line at a time.

I am aware there are limits with WDM/KS/ASIO and using one device at a time but I can somewhat achieve my goal by running more than one recording software at the same time (Reaper recording one Line, Audacity recording another) but that seems a little unnecessary to me?

Or am I going about this in completely the wrong way? Is there a better method to record different applications to different tracks? Maybe an internal sound card with this ability?

Thank you in advance, Hopefully this will help me make an informed decision before I spend any money on software or (if neeeded) hardware.

Answer 1

Recording software like Reaper can generally record as many channels of audio as the device they're using supports. If the device defined in Reaper's audio preferences only has stereo inputs, then that's all you're getting. If the device has eight inputs, then Reaper can record eight channels.

You need to give Reaper (for example, could be any recording program) a single device that has as many inputs as you want recorded. Since your lines are already virtual, it might be possible to make a single virtual device that exposes each of those lines as an input. Maybe Virtual Audio Cable has a feature like this? (I've never used it).