thank you silvertones, the audio input is working in Cubase fine. I am getting input on the VU meter in BIAB so presumably sound is getting in to BIAB.
The windows sound applet - presumably you mean control panel/ sound/recording

this shows saffire asudio as the default and only device as a 'microphone' its not a microhpone its a 56 channel audio interface, but whose quibbling. If I right click and go to properties then the Listen tab the box Listen to this device is unticked, if I tick it I get a hiss, but no change in BIAB.
I am running in Asio, not MME if this helps

I can record in other apps such as Cubase.

still no joy


Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k