Audio driver issues with PreSonus AudioBox

Sonar 8 Studio Edition, Windows 7
 
I just purchased a PreSonus AudioBox 22VSL USB interface, and am having some issues with the audio drivers when I try to use it with Sonar.
 
When using the WDM drivers, I can only record at 16 bits.  When I switch to 24 bits the meter pegs in the red and I get a bunch of hiss and noise.
 
PreSonus recommends using the ASIO drivers, but when I switch to ASIO I get no input whatsoever.  Also, the the bit-depth selection and the buffer-size slider are grayed out after I apply the ASIO drivers.
 
I think I solved the problem by using the WASAPI drivers.  When using these, the wave profiler runs fine, all bit-rate and sample-rate options are selectable, and the few test tracks I recorded came out fine.
 
So my (hopefully academic) question is:  What's the difference between ASIO and WASAPI?  Should I be using the ASIO drivers as recommended by the manufacturer?  And if so, why isn't ASIO working in Sonar on my machine?
 
Hopefully I can just use the WASAPI drivers since they seem to be working fine, but I guess I want to know if there might be some problems I haven't encountered yet.  I'm also just curious about these issues with the other drivers...
 
Many thanks,
G.S.

Thanks for the help everyone.  Yes I have disabled all other audio devices, but have not uninstalled them.
 
The PreSonus has a "mixer" interface with some setup options.  Those include sampling rate and buffer size, but NOT bit depth.  However, I discovered there are more setup options you can access under the device properties in the Device Manager.  This DOES include bit depth as well as sampling rate. 
 
So, I made sure that EVERYTHING was set to the same bit depth and sampling rate (24-bit/48 kHz) -- in the device's graphic interface, under device properties, and under the Audio and Global options in Sonar.  Still no dice, no signal at all.
 
I'm perfectly happy using the WASAPI drivers instead.  These seem to have the added advantage of allowing me to adjust all of the parameters from within the DAW without having to open both the device interface and/or the device manager.
 
Still, this kind of stuff just BUGS me.  I will definitely contact PreSonus and see what they have to say.
 
Thanks again for all your help.   

Nothing useful to add.
Dan, good to see you around.
I saw your name, and had to go to your soundclick page.
Voyager Leaves Sol is a long time favorite, and still gives me chills.
The others are pretty tasty as well.
Do you have anything in the works?

The PreSonus has a "mixer" interface with some setup options.  Those include sampling rate and buffer size, but NOT bit depth.  However, I discovered there are more setup options you can access under the device properties in the Device Manager.  This DOES include bit depth as well as sampling rate. 

I just installed my 22vsl and having the same issues so after reading this I went to device manager and can find no way to change the bit depth (crazy as hell this isn't in the software...seems much more important than the onboard fx and stuff).
Also in a 24/44.1 project, Sonar X2 is showing 16/48...if I close the project and select 44.1 in the 22vsl software and then open the project back up, X2 switches the 22vsl back to 48K.
Any suggestions would be very much appreciated,
Randy

Thanks Charlie but that's not my issue and I knew before buying that I would have to have a DI box if I wanted to insert a line level signal.
I want to keep it because the mic pres have gotten great reviews (and Jim Roseberry recommended it).
I feel sure it's just a matter of finding out how to configure...I'll call support today and see what they have to say and report back.
Thanks again bud,
Randy

If you have already recorded any audio in Sonar at 16/48, Sonar will always reset the rate/depth to match the project's audio. 


Yessir, I learned that one the hard way long ago.
I get 16/48 opening any old project that was recorded in 24 bit (some 44.1 some 48 depending on what the delivery calls for).
If I start a new project it opens in 16/44.1
If I go to prefs 24 bit is greyed out regardless of which driver mode I choose.
Presonus support opens in 45 minutes...I'll give them a call then and report back.
Thanks Dan,
Randy

g_randybrown


Presonus support stated there is no bit depth selection in the software, that it's controlled by the DAW...he didn't know why X2 shows 16 bit in the transport area and 24 bit (greyed out) in audio prefs.
Jim Roseberry suggested I buy it so I PMed him and will hopefully get a reply...not a big deal as it seems to be working fine just really curious as to why X2 would show 16 bit in the transport area.

Have you tried switching driver modes? I think I had better luck using WDM/KS than ASIO. Presonus' driver isn't the greatest, but once you have it working, it is rock solid (so far). I've had some big projects using the 44VSL and haven't even had a single dropout, and I'm using lots of in-the-box stuff. But I nearly pulled my last hair out getting it to work properly with my machine.
 
IIRC, once I changed to WDM/KS, ran the Sonar audio profiler, changed to 24bit, then switched to ASIO, everything worked. BTW, I am also running Presonus' beta driver. I never installed the one that shipped on the CD, and the download (non-beta) driver never worked.
 
Regards,
Dan
 

Old thread but I'm having exactly the same problem. I just bought a AudioBox 1818VSL and I cannot set bit depth to 24. It does work properly at 44.1kHz/16bit
 
With no project open:
 
In ASIO the bit depth is grayed out and as mentioned the Presonus driver does not allow bit depth setting.
 
With WASAPI I get the error message "The default format is not compatible with one or more sounds cards. It has been reset to 44100 Hz (16bit) as suggested by the driver." (there are no other sound cards enabled)
 
WDM/KS accepts 24 bit but creating a new project and recording creates 16 bit audio files.


Brett