So I was perusing the Cakewalk "Knowledge Base" for an unrelated topic (activating mp3 capability in Pyro) and saw this link/entry about optimizing your system for Sonar.
 
https://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2007013376/Windows-Optimization-Guide
 
Surprisingly I had never come across it before (because I mostly just peruse the Sonar Ref Guide or google search the forum). I also used the Sweetwater Optimization guide on my rig and generally don't have too many issues (since X2). I didn't even realize Cake had their own optimization guide. It of course has the usual stuff (set Windows to "Performance", don't let you USB ports fall asleep, disable startup programs, etc) but there are a few things I hadn't seen before.
 
Anyway, I just figured with all the newcomers lately who are bound to be running into the usual problems we all have slogged through at one point or another it was worth pointing out for them AND maybe the old timers attempting to help out (without being aware of the article) could save some time by just posting the link to cover the basics and then taking the troubleshooting from there.
 
Lame/obvious post? Perhaps but it might help get some of the new kids over their growing pains and if I had never seen the article in all my spazzwadery mayhaps other "helpers" have overlooked it as well.
 
Hope everyone has been well. I've been busily working on my album, doing some work for some of the contributors to my little begging session a while back and conjuring up plans for some of the tuts/vids I intend to create hopefully over the winter.
 
Cheers!!

I'm glad to see that they update it from time to time. I think last time I looked at it it was focused on W7. I didn't read it but I would assume they now have instructions for W10 which is certainly different. 
 
But your right that it should be more obvious and required reading for newbies. The first post of today would have been answered by the second paragraph
 
It’s recommended to use an audio interface that works with the ASIO driver mode. Interfaces that are class-compliant or use the generic ASIO4All driver are subject to high latency.
 
I would add to that- It probably will suck! 

Cactus Music
I'm glad to see that they update it from time to time. I think last time I looked at it it was focused on W7. I didn't read it but I would assume they now have instructions for W10 which is certainly different. 
 
But your right that it should be more obvious and required reading for newbies. The first post of today would have been answered by the second paragraph
 
It’s recommended to use an audio interface that works with the ASIO driver mode. Interfaces that are class-compliant or use the generic ASIO4All driver are subject to high latency.
 
I would add to that- It probably will suck! 

The optimization thing is so convoluted, especially when you're not a computer person and just want to make music, that it can be extremely confusing and overwhelming when starting out. The only way I got through it was with the help of this forum and stumbling across the Sweetwater guide (which actually had a few things that are NOT recommended for Sonar and I think is completely outdated at this point).
 
I figure maybe if we splash this link around it could save everyone (newbs and those helping them) some serious time. I know I've personally typed up lengthy replies describing the "Performance" mode and "USB" stuff and have seen countless others repeat the same info over and over and over again. Since the first few suggestions in the article pretty much cover MOST people's performance problems (or at least lessens them to the point of being able to work) having this link to whip out would be great.
 
When I got here there were FAR less new users than there seems to be now so it wasn't a big deal typing things up like that every now and again but it's obvious whatever Cake's marketing department is doing is working because I don't recognize half the handles here (with join dates from 2014-2016).
 
And yes... I was pleased to see the article wasn't like (entirely) a decade old. lol...
 
I think I said this before but it would be AWESOME if Cake hired Jim Roseberry to write (or co-write) their official optimization guide.
 
Make it nice and thorough so it covers Win7, Win8, Win10, and so on. He could confer with the programmers or Noel to really dig into it. Since both Win10 and Sonar are turning into "perpetual" platforms maybe make it an annual article/update.
 
Give Mr. Roseberry a big ole advertisement/endorsement for his DAW building/consulting company in return (and a big paycheck).
 
;-)

There was a thread going a few months back mentioning this would make a great sticky.

chuckebaby
There was a thread going a few months back mentioning this would make a great sticky.

Didn't see that one but indeed it would. Honestly I completely found it by accident.
 
Good, solid documentation like this about system setup for audio recording "baked" right into psyche's of new (and old) users alike could likely wipe out the whole support issue thing that was going on. That seems to have calmed down now thoug. Cool.
 
Cheers, bud.

TBH (and I was one who did serious tweaking in previous Windows models) Windows 10 is pretty damn good straight out of the box. About the only thing is the exclusive audio mode and defeating that

I got a link to this in a Cakewalk e-mail.

Cheers
Jerry

joakes
I got a link to this in a Cakewalk e-mail.

Cheers
Jerry

Me too. Dated September 28, 2016.
 
I haven't been through the whole thing, but some good stuff in there.

Most of the stuff on the nest is outdated.  Most hardware is powerful that less or no tweaking is needed.