When starting MP3 12 on the Vista OS I'm getting the error "Could not create a DirectSound object. Either the required device is busy, or the DirectSound subsystem is not properly installed." When I select OK and continue to load the program most of the time there is no audio even though the ststus bar at the bottom says the song is playing.
There seems to be some problem interfacing your sound driver correctly. Try the following:
First of all, make sure you have the patch installed that is available for your version of MP3 Maker. This is important, especially if you're running the application on Vista.
Secondly, what sound hardware are you using? You should make sure you have an up-to-date driver for that sound hardware installed that is suitable for Windows Vista. DirectX needs to be up-to-date and functional, too.
If you're still having problem, go into the program settings of MP3 Maker ("Y" key) and switch to the "Audio" tab. Make sure that it says the name of your audio driver in the "sound card" drop-down list, rather than just "Primary Sound Driver". Give that a go. I hope it helps.