Built-in laptop audio for SONAR X1

My two favorite sequencers right now are SONAR X1 on a PC, and Logic Pro on a MacBook. On the MacBook, I can compose with virtual instruments (even big ones like Omnisphere) using only a pair of headphones and the built-in headphone port. Logic reports built-in roundtrip latency of just 7.8 ms with buffers set at 128. It seems lots of people do this on the Mac side.

On the PC side, though, it seems every thread about laptops and built-in audio ends with "get an interface, because you have to." And that seems to be born out by the evidence. I've tried several laptops, including a Core i7 model. They all either crash X1 repeatedly, or have no audio at all, or have very glitchy audio that drops in and out with terrible latency, even when using just Dimension Pro. I've fiddled with the drivers (WDM, ASIO, other settings, etc.) to no avail.

Is there anyone out there composing with just a laptop, headphones, and SONAR X1? Or do I have to always bring along an audio interface? (I already have two that I use at home, but one is bulky and the other is Mac-only.)

wierd, i just posted a thread about this, mme32 is the best I've found, checkout my post "SONAR on a laptop....surprising" i this forum right next to yours....syncronicity

You know....you're right.  I stand corrected.  Good catch. 

I can vouch for ASIO4All. Works well with my cr*ppy onboard laptop sound card.

I know the sound quality coming out of and into the laptop audio card is probably bad but the INTERNAL processing is the same so use an external interface for audio ins and do internal digital mixdowns for mastering. I actually believe that laptops are the way to go for speed and usability except for the analog audio inputs. I get very low latency with mme32, 10ms.  I'm posting this pic again, I think it's funny.

daveny5


With MME mode you will have high latency. 

ASIO4ALL is ok if its the only thing that will work on your notebook.

On a notebook computer you're using a soundchip that cost about 50 cents to produce so don't expect it to work as well as an external audio interface that has its own power supply, preamps, software, driver, etc.

With MME mode you will have high latency. ASIO4ALL is ok if its the only thing that will work on your notebook. On a notebook computer you're using a soundchip that cost about 50 cents to produce so don't expect it to work as well as an external audio interface that has its own power supply, preamps, software, driver, etc.

I'm a little curious about asio4all, maybe that would solve my 64bit problem...
 

shawn@trustmedia.tv


Big By the Way:

I had to switch back to 32bit SONAR X1 for everything to work right, even though my laptop is 64bit, otherwise I got THE CRACKLES.

shawn..no reason you cant run 64x..what setting are you using for your drivers??asio???mme???wmd???..you might be surprised with asio4all..it did me fine till i wanted to stepp up and get a focusrite saffire so i could use xlr..even if you use mme you should be able to run half decent...except latency is gonna have you for lunch..thats where asio4all comes in..it will take you a few to get used to it but once set up right..its a hell of a bandaid!!!

soundforgames


Thanks everyone for the responses! Looks like my two best options are ASIO4ALL and, if the latency works out low enough, MME 32. I'll give them both a shot and see what happens.

Do you make muic for games, I've done very little but want to do more...

soundforgames


Is there anyone out there composing with just a laptop, headphones, and SONAR X1? Or do I have to always bring along an audio interface? 

Over the years I had several laptops. The only one with a built in soundcard that I was able to use for SONAR (version 4 back then) was an IBM Thinkpad.
 
You can try asio4all, like suggested, or a Cardbus/ Express Card.