# Core or Studio API for use in a Custom Engine

**URL:** <https://qa.fmod.com/t/core-or-studio-api-for-use-in-a-custom-engine/23000>\
**Category:** FMOD Engine\
**Tags:** cpp\
**Created:** [June 2, 2025, 6:28am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/core-or-studio-api-for-use-in-a-custom-engine/23000 "2025-06-02T06:28:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kat2201](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/919ad9/32.png) [@kat2201](https://qa.fmod.com/u/kat2201)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2025, 6:28am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/core-or-studio-api-for-use-in-a-custom-engine/23000/1 "2025-06-02T06:28:02Z")

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Hi,

I’m new to FMOD and to audio programming, so please forgive the basic question.

I am working on an update/port project for an existing game, and I am replacing the old audio engine with FMOD. All of the sound assets exist as .wav already, and we plan to add very little additional audio content.

The existing audio engine is quite low level, as such I’m inclined towards only using the FMOD Core API. Is this reasonable? Should I be using the Studio API instead?

Thank you

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**Author:** ![mca2](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/mca2/32/3177_2.png) [@mca2](https://qa.fmod.com/u/mca2)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/core-or-studio-api-for-use-in-a-custom-engine/23000/2 "2025-06-02T20:22:29Z")

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If you just want to play .wav then the core API is sufficient. But it be will more or less a a 1on1 replacement. Unless you’re bored or have something broken, not really useful.

Using the Studio API will allow you to use FMOD Studio which will give the sound designers a lot of options. So if you’re looking for upgrading the sound engine, that’s the way to go