diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Bizware.DirectX/XAudio2SoundOutput.cs b/src/BizHawk.Bizware.DirectX/XAudio2SoundOutput.cs
index e142cccdcf..bf0fe176a1 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Bizware.DirectX/XAudio2SoundOutput.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Bizware.DirectX/XAudio2SoundOutput.cs
@@ -20,16 +20,19 @@ namespace BizHawk.Bizware.DirectX
 		private BufferPool _bufferPool;
 		private long _runningSamplesQueued;
 
-		public XAudio2SoundOutput(IHostAudioManager sound)
+		public XAudio2SoundOutput(IHostAudioManager sound, string chosenDeviceName)
 		{
 			_sound = sound;
 			_device = new XAudio2();
-			int? deviceIndex = Enumerable.Range(0, _device.DeviceCount)
-				.Select(n => (int?)n)
-				.FirstOrDefault(n => _device.GetDeviceDetails(n.Value).DisplayName == _sound.ConfigDevice);
-			_masteringVoice = deviceIndex == null ?
-				new MasteringVoice(_device, _sound.ChannelCount, _sound.SampleRate) :
-				new MasteringVoice(_device, _sound.ChannelCount, _sound.SampleRate, deviceIndex.Value);
+			for (int i = 0, l = _device.DeviceCount; i < l; i++)
+			{
+				if (_device.GetDeviceDetails(i).DisplayName == chosenDeviceName)
+				{
+					_masteringVoice = new MasteringVoice(_device, _sound.ChannelCount, _sound.SampleRate, i);
+					return;
+				}
+			}
+			_masteringVoice = new MasteringVoice(_device, _sound.ChannelCount, _sound.SampleRate);
 		}
 
 		public void Dispose()
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Sound/IHostAudioManager.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Sound/IHostAudioManager.cs
index 1ce93997f9..2632c8ae32 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Sound/IHostAudioManager.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Sound/IHostAudioManager.cs
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.Common
 
 		int ConfigBufferSizeMs { get; }
 
-		string ConfigDevice { get; }
-
 		int SampleRate { get; }
 
 		void HandleInitializationOrUnderrun(bool isUnderrun, ref int samplesNeeded);
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Output/OpenALSoundOutput.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Output/OpenALSoundOutput.cs
index 8b0ebcec00..8797dee6c8 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Output/OpenALSoundOutput.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Output/OpenALSoundOutput.cs
@@ -19,11 +19,13 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 		private int _currentSamplesQueued;
 		private short[] _tempSampleBuffer;
 
-		public OpenALSoundOutput(IHostAudioManager sound)
+		public OpenALSoundOutput(IHostAudioManager sound, string chosenDeviceName)
 		{
 			_sound = sound;
-			string deviceName = GetDeviceNames().FirstOrDefault(n => n == _sound.ConfigDevice);
-			_context = new AudioContext(deviceName, _sound.SampleRate);
+			_context = new AudioContext(
+				GetDeviceNames().Contains(chosenDeviceName) ? chosenDeviceName : null,
+				_sound.SampleRate
+			);
 		}
 
 		public void Dispose()
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Sound.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Sound.cs
index 0d6b97bc7f..bfa9f1e127 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Sound.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Sound/Sound.cs
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 
 		public int ConfigBufferSizeMs => GlobalWin.Config.SoundBufferSizeMs;
 
-		public string ConfigDevice => GlobalWin.Config.SoundDevice;
-
 		public Sound(IntPtr mainWindowHandle)
 		{
 			BlockAlign = BytesPerSample * ChannelCount;
@@ -38,15 +36,15 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 				// if DirectSound or XAudio is chosen, use OpenAL, otherwise comply with the user's choice
 				_outputDevice = GlobalWin.Config.SoundOutputMethod == ESoundOutputMethod.Dummy
 					? (ISoundOutput) new DummySoundOutput(this)
-					: new OpenALSoundOutput(this);
+					: new OpenALSoundOutput(this, GlobalWin.Config.SoundDevice);
 			}
 			else
 			{
 				_outputDevice = GlobalWin.Config.SoundOutputMethod switch
 				{
 					ESoundOutputMethod.DirectSound => new DirectSoundSoundOutput(this, mainWindowHandle, GlobalWin.Config.SoundDevice),
-					ESoundOutputMethod.XAudio2 => new XAudio2SoundOutput(this),
-					ESoundOutputMethod.OpenAL => new OpenALSoundOutput(this),
+					ESoundOutputMethod.XAudio2 => new XAudio2SoundOutput(this, GlobalWin.Config.SoundDevice),
+					ESoundOutputMethod.OpenAL => new OpenALSoundOutput(this, GlobalWin.Config.SoundDevice),
 					_ => new DummySoundOutput(this)
 				};
 			}