Sonar Platinum - Audio Dropping Constantly with just 10 unprocessed audio tracks

Hey all,
 
So everything seemed hunky dory with Sonar until I overhauled my computer etc (new SSD for Win 10 etc).  Old projects run just fine but new projects the audio drops constantly.  If have more than seemingly 10... yes 10... audio tracks I get audio drops.
 
I've boosted latency up over 1000 and I finally did the I/0 latency to 512... but my computer runs a quad core processor and 16gb ram.  I have a Focusrite Pro 24 sound interface that should be handling the computing power of the sound too.  It's all very confusing, especially as the computer doesn't seem to be being taxed at all.  Both Sonar Platinum are Win 10 are most up to date too as is the firmware on my Focusrite.  I could be running a mere 10 audio tracks, NO processing and there's constant audio drops... I just don't get it.
 
Boosting i/o to 512 seemed to do the trick... but that seems like an EXTREME solution to this.  Especially with a computer this powerful. 
 
Oh and Cakewalk Customer Support is worthless it seems now that they releases Sonar X "OS" or something.  Thanks for really being here for your loyal customers all these years.  I have one day in my studio and this random things happens and no one can help me through it... lovely.
 
Hopefully someone here has an answer.

Maybe checking dpc latency would give you an idea what is wrong with the current config. There is a free tool available here http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon

The default buffer size for playback used to BE 512 - until one release back in the X1-X2-X3 days when it was changed to 256.  Some folks found that 256 was just too small, and found success at fixing some audio issues by bumping it back up to 500 or 512, or even 750.
 
So that is one thing you could quickly try.
 
Another is to try to quickly determine if your issues are related to any of your project's loaded plugins, as some of them are NOT meant to be used during the recording phase of a project, but rather, meant to be used in mixing/mastering instead.  These kinds of effects include things that use look-ahead processing, such as convoluted reverb effects, or linear phase, or are just CPU hogs.
 
So - to check that one way or to rule it out - you can try hitting the letter 'E' on your computer keyboard, which will toggle the bypassing of all effects.  So, hit 'E', THEN playback, and see if the audio issues go away.  IF they do, that is a good indicator that one or more of the loaded plugins are causing the issue - not because they are loaded in the project - but that they are loaded into the project too soon.  Lots of folks either bypass effects while recording, OR, temporarily swap out more buffer/cpu hungry effects for 'leaner' ones - just until finished tracking/recording, and THEN after you change the ASIO Buffer Size to something like 1024 or 2048 and start the mixing phase, THEN put those more heavy duty effects back in.  (by the way - you can hit 'E' again to toggle the effects back ON, after you test out having them bypassed).
 
Lastly - IF you have a wireless WiFi adapter - these are notorious for causing DPC Latency spikes through the roof, and for folks that have THAT issue - they usually either hit the switch/function-key to turn off the WiFi on their computer, or go into Windows Device Manager and Disable it (not uninstall), THEN launch Sonar, then turn WiFi back on after they finish the Sonar session.
 
The general approach to using recording software like Sonar, or any of them really, is to use a pretty small ASIO Buffer Size when recording (I normally use 128 could go lower but that seems to give a good balance), and not loading effects that shouldn't be present while recording, and then when finished tracking - set the ASIO Buffer Size way high (1024 or 2048) for mixing/mastering.  You pretty much will be switching the ASIO Buffer Size between low and high in all of your projects - as you move from Recording to Mixing, and then on to another project and set it low again for recording, etc...
 
I HOPE something in the above helps you with this set of issues.
 
Bob Bone
 

Hi Les - my earlier post comments were meant for the Original Poster of the thread - Vorteque, to give him some things to look for.  HOPEFULLY, he will have some success with some of that, like YOU did way back when Alex and I worked with you on some of those kinds of issues.
 
If you are having current issues - I would urge you to open a separate thread, to avoid confusing you and Vorteque both from intermingled comments on multiple issues from multiple folks.
 
I would also suggest that my system, and many other folk's systems, are avoiding trying to apply many of the older tips and such from sites like Black Viper, as the underlying Windows processing has negated the need for much of that.  In some cases, it is my recollection that some of the tweaks would actually worsen performance in some circumstances.
 
I have been SUPER stable running Windows 10, updates and all, and the only modifications/tweaks I have made thus far are:
 
1) Hard Drive Configuration: 1 SSD for primary drive - with only Windows and applications on it.  All User folders relocated to a different hard drive, as well as things like Cakewalk Projects, Cakewalk Content (including Command Center downloads), also relocated to that 2nd drive (7,200 SATA III HDD).  I have 3 additional 7,200 SATA III HDD's that contain nothing but sample libraries (one drive for Native Instruments Komplete 8 Ultimate content and massive additional Kontakt libraries and Reaktor ensembles, and the other drive contains the full download of the entire EastWest Composer Cloud sample libraries).
 
2) Windows Power Management - Set to High Performance, USB Selective Suspend is Disabled, Minimum Processor State is 100%, both monitor and hard drives set to never turn off.
 
3) Core Parking is Disabled.
 
4) I also exclude all paths to content that will be used in Sonar from my Avast antivirus software.  It is all scanned monthly, or anything else that gets added during a given month (any new content).
 
5) In Sonar, I altered the paths in Preferences to match the actual locations of things, like Projects and Content.  I also have altered a parameter in Preferences>Audio>Configuration File called ThreadSchedulingModel to a value of 2, as I have multiple cores (AMD A10 7850), which helps processor task loading.  I also have Preferences>MIDI>Playback and Recording - Prepare using NNN Millisecond Buffers set to 500.
 
That is about IT for me for modifications to my system and to Sonar.  I use NO 32-bit plugins anymore.  With the above changes, I cannot tell you how long it has been since I crashed - more than a year, and maybe more than 2 years.
 
So - again, Les, - please open a separate thread to work out whatever current issues you are having, and I will do my best to assist you, along with whoever else is willing to jump in to help.
 
Bob Bone
 

Hay ..Just to say, leaving things default or not.\Not me saying...:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVzc5wK2-pc
 
 
this one proves MS resets some settings users put on...when updates occur.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1kGMCfb2xw
 
and the nasty truth...spooling info, being writen, or made new...is always sought to send out.\using cpu, and resources to do so..running behind the vale....takes resources away from the tasks at hand wanting to be done without any interruptions.....Because interrupting cpu and or hardware, liken HDD or SSD to spool and send or save to same or other drives to keep for sending...may be causing issues with streaming audio to and from same devices....and could be behind other file management issues some people are witnessing in oddly un reproducible conditions....but happens loss of data due to a unknown management glitch in managing that date.
 
That is now proven is happening to some people.
 
Is my only point trying to make known.
 
Again no ill will Bob or OP or others, only trying to solve for...." sometimes buffer changes" do nothing to solve for that sort of...was my point.
 
 
Best cheers to all who try to help, with what they know....might.

Again not to take the post from..But to answer You Bob...sometime tweaks told to do, and stop the issues, might bring into play if not solving for the issue ..cause more cost to update os, which causes more problems, and no solutions found yet for legacy issues or devices...So updating to new apps and os...only make more redundant the driver for a legacy device, or may cause more conflicts to arise, if said device no longer is being supported, or are not addressing as the manufacturer's most important thing to do asap, if changes are not settled in standards..(they take time to address the older gear drivers).....It is a guessing game of futility sometimes...Not saying I am tweaking anything that should or is not needed to be running, and causes no harm to turn off or defeat to gain more performance out of a systems devices attached...Less processes and services running in background, means less possibility of interference, and or interupts...is all i am saying...and interruptions ""cause hick ups""", and or crashes or corruption of data...sometimes...And some are saying oddity is occurring with file management ...with such behavior not seeing why or what causes the unknowns of oddity occurring ...Mystery a foot Watson...?.
 
I have also noted, when windows 10 is getting updates downloaded automatically...as it does do regardless of setting made to stop it (witnessed by ME and others when set in services to disabled)....Some will show slow or sluggish performance of mouse, or app clicks on or overlays...the system slows downs, and or button clicking to play or stop or rewind ....I noted that also...\\
 
You say because you have settings that seeming work for you with no problems, and say or deploy your thoughts, and your tweaks or solution you find to work for you and others..but not all.......Just like me, finding some not solving for my understanding of what I have ...So, we can agree, something is amuck...and if we watch those link videos on window 10....some reasoning of my own on interrupts a plausible variable of unknown reasoning out...gains wind and merit......depending on systems specs, and or tweaks, and or devices being used.
 
Remember, I did a complete wipe out of my tweaks, and windows 7 with you and Alex, because You and Alex said to do it...and I did do...no tweaks,...and just installing my audio Drivers with internet caused crashing....and that caused another burnt out system, trying to find bliss?.......Not your fault...not mine...Just a problem with windows and Firewire legacy audio devices which have plagued me since their conception...I had kind of tweaked the snot out of windows os 7 to work with knowing internet was in conflict with, Yet told to update to the latest bios, firmware, and drivers, and start all over again from scratch......some what, was futile circles of mayhem....But the effort of you both, brought me to new reasons, and new mind over matters....The good out of it all, was I found Good people who did try and cared enough to address my problems...which are now working with Thunderbolt 2...and my allen and heath boards are now on the Mac Pro working without too much hair loss...Raid aray is buggy though since updated to el capitan...Working on that right now.
 
So some solutions are...of course not wanted because it means changing platforms....But sometimes that is what is necessary to find what has never been with me and PCs...still trying...but not so hard, as I see MS windows causing part of the problems with the spyware they instill into their OSes....
And services they employ to spool and take info...and send when connected...regardless of what you or others or any user sets to not allow to be done...if connected to internet.
 
That said...if you feel, this is not a issue because you have nothing to hide...and it is not causing you any issues...Glad for you I am.
But if it is causing issues...and I believe it can...and reasons for it are showing others are posting issues that cannot be reproduced, yet are being said are occurring....\\I will not say it is always pilot error.
 
I did try your way Bob...and I have hope..one day...We will prevail over, and solve for much...together!\....wink!