diff --git a/voicemeeterlib/base.py b/voicemeeterlib/base.py
index 75cbe86..199e9c3 100644
--- a/voicemeeterlib/base.py
+++ b/voicemeeterlib/base.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from .cbindings import CBindings
 from .error import CAPIError, VMError
 from .inst import bits
 from .kinds import KindId
-from .misc import Midi
+from .misc import Event, Midi
 from .subject import Subject
 from .util import comp, grouper, polling, script
 
@@ -20,15 +20,18 @@ class Remote(CBindings):
     DELAY = 0.001
 
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+        self.strip_mode = 0
         self.cache = {}
+        self.cache["strip_level"], self.cache["bus_level"] = self._get_levels()
         self.midi = Midi()
         self.subject = Subject()
-        self.strip_mode = 0
         self.running = None
 
         for attr, val in kwargs.items():
             setattr(self, attr, val)
 
+        self.event = Event(self.subs)
+
     def __enter__(self) -> Self:
         """setup procedures"""
         self.login()
@@ -43,6 +46,7 @@ class Remote(CBindings):
     def init_thread(self):
         """Starts updates thread."""
         self.running = True
+        print(f"Listening for {', '.join(self.event.get())} events")
         t = Thread(target=self._updates, daemon=True)
         t.start()
 
@@ -54,14 +58,14 @@ class Remote(CBindings):
 
         Runs updates at a rate of self.ratelimit.
         """
-        self.cache["strip_level"], self.cache["bus_level"] = self._get_levels()
-
         while self.running:
-            if self.pdirty:
+            if self.event.pdirty and self.pdirty:
                 self.subject.notify("pdirty")
-            if self.mdirty:
+            if self.event.mdirty and self.mdirty:
                 self.subject.notify("mdirty")
-            if self.ldirty:
+            if self.event.midi and self.get_midi_message():
+                self.subject.notify("midi")
+            if self.event.ldirty and self.ldirty:
                 self._strip_comp, self._bus_comp = (
                     tuple(
                         not x for x in comp(self.cache["strip_level"], self._strip_buf)
@@ -71,10 +75,8 @@ class Remote(CBindings):
                 self.cache["strip_level"] = self._strip_buf
                 self.cache["bus_level"] = self._bus_buf
                 self.subject.notify("ldirty")
-            if self.get_midi_message():
-                self.subject.notify("midi")
 
-            time.sleep(self.ratelimit)
+            time.sleep(self.ratelimit if self.event.any() else 0.5)
 
     def login(self) -> NoReturn:
         """Login to the API, initialize dirty parameters"""
diff --git a/voicemeeterlib/bus.py b/voicemeeterlib/bus.py
index 51a8447..14b2891 100644
--- a/voicemeeterlib/bus.py
+++ b/voicemeeterlib/bus.py
@@ -161,13 +161,15 @@ class BusLevel(IRemote):
         """
         Returns a tuple of level values for the channel.
 
-        If observables thread running fetch values from cache otherwise call CAPI func.
+        If observables thread running and level updates are subscribed to, fetch values from cache
+
+        Otherwise call CAPI func.
         """
 
         def fget(x):
             return round(20 * log(x, 10), 1) if x > 0 else -200.0
 
-        if self._remote.running and "bus_level" in self._remote.cache:
+        if self._remote.running and self._remote.event.ldirty:
             vals = self._remote.cache["bus_level"][self.range[0] : self.range[-1]]
         else:
             vals = [self._remote.get_level(mode, i) for i in range(*self.range)]
diff --git a/voicemeeterlib/factory.py b/voicemeeterlib/factory.py
index 403faba..7e1eb90 100644
--- a/voicemeeterlib/factory.py
+++ b/voicemeeterlib/factory.py
@@ -102,7 +102,10 @@ class FactoryBase(Remote):
     """Base class for factories, subclasses Remote."""
 
     def __init__(self, kind_id: str, **kwargs):
-        defaultkwargs = {"sync": False, "ratelimit": 0.033}
+        defaultevents = {"pdirty": True, "mdirty": True, "midi": True, "ldirty": False}
+        if "subs" in kwargs:
+            defaultevents = defaultevents | kwargs.pop("subs")
+        defaultkwargs = {"sync": False, "ratelimit": 0.033, "subs": defaultevents}
         kwargs = defaultkwargs | kwargs
         self.kind = kindmap(kind_id)
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
diff --git a/voicemeeterlib/misc.py b/voicemeeterlib/misc.py
index a63c0d2..1ae1bcc 100644
--- a/voicemeeterlib/misc.py
+++ b/voicemeeterlib/misc.py
@@ -250,3 +250,45 @@ class Midi:
 
     def _set(self, key: int, velocity: int):
         self.cache[key] = velocity
+
+
+class Event:
+    def __init__(self, subs: dict):
+        self.subs = subs
+
+    def info(self, msg):
+        info = (
+            f"{msg} events",
+            f"Now listening for {', '.join(self.get())} events",
+        )
+        print("\n".join(info))
+
+    @property
+    def pdirty(self):
+        return self.subs["pdirty"]
+
+    @property
+    def mdirty(self):
+        return self.subs["mdirty"]
+
+    @property
+    def midi(self):
+        return self.subs["midi"]
+
+    @property
+    def ldirty(self):
+        return self.subs["ldirty"]
+
+    def get(self) -> list:
+        return [k for k, v in self.subs.items() if v]
+
+    def any(self) -> bool:
+        return any(self.subs.values())
+
+    def add(self, event):
+        self.subs[event] = True
+        self.info(f"{event} added to")
+
+    def remove(self, event):
+        self.subs[event] = False
+        self.info(f"{event} removed from")
diff --git a/voicemeeterlib/strip.py b/voicemeeterlib/strip.py
index 4b407d2..689a966 100644
--- a/voicemeeterlib/strip.py
+++ b/voicemeeterlib/strip.py
@@ -193,13 +193,15 @@ class StripLevel(IRemote):
         """
         Returns a tuple of level values for the channel.
 
-        If observables thread running fetch values from cache otherwise call CAPI func.
+        If observables thread running and level updates are subscribed to, fetch values from cache
+
+        Otherwise call CAPI func.
         """
 
         def fget(x):
             return round(20 * log(x, 10), 1) if x > 0 else -200.0
 
-        if self._remote.running and "strip_level" in self._remote.cache:
+        if self._remote.running and self._remote.event.ldirty:
             vals = self._remote.cache["strip_level"][self.range[0] : self.range[-1]]
         else:
             vals = [self._remote.get_level(mode, i) for i in range(*self.range)]