kevjazz
 
2. The problems I'm having are not with audio, but MIDI lag between pressing a key and hearing a sound in SONAR X3.

The problem is still audio related. There is no appreciable delay between issuing a MIDI instruction and SONAR or the plug-ins response. The delay is still caused by the audio playback.  Running ASIO4All is not the same as running a true ASIO driver. Roland does make a driver for the device. This driver should be used instead of the ASIO4All wrapper. In SONAR what recording mode is being used and what are the reported latency?

I recommend the following:
 
1.  Uninstall ASIO4ALL completely off your computer.  It's presence will interfere with Roland's drivers.  Do this with Sonar NOT running.  You may also want a fresh boot of the computer.
2.  Make sure you have latest production-released drivers for your Roland interface installed.
3.  Set audio interface to: Sample Rate of either 44.1 k or 48 k, ASIO Buffer Size to 128
5.  Power cycle the audio interface (if USB connected and no power switch, disconnect USB and plug back in)
5.  Disable Wi-Fi-adapter
6.  Start Sonar, don't go into a project yet, as you are just for now changing settings
7.  Change your Driver Mode in Sonar to ASIO, and click Apply. This should now auto-populate the Record and Playback Timing Master data, and should also auto-select your Roland as the audio device in Sonar.
8.  Set Sonar Sample Rate to exactly match the Sample Rate set on audio interface.  Click Apply.
9.  Note the Sonar-reported Total Roundtrip Latency value and post back to this thread with that info
10. Open a project and give the above a test drive in Sonar, and then post back to this thread your results and findings.
 
Thanks - please try ALL of the above.
 
I look forward to reading the results of your applying and testing the above changes.  :)
 
Bob Bone
 

In addition, do you have any audio effects loaded in the project that has the midi track giving you these problems?
 
If so, please list exactly which ones are loaded, as some plugins can cause quite a bit of latency and are meant for mixing/mastering, and not for tracking(recording).
 
Bob Bone
 
 

To the best of my knowledge, I did uninstall ASIO4ALL and install the Roland driver. While I have not disabled the network Wi-Fi adapter, I think I've done everything else. I still have the Mity delay problem.

No audio effects, period.

Please go into Preferences>Audio>Driver Settings and post back the reported Total Roundtrip Latency.
 
In addition, disabling the Wi-Fi adapter is super simple to both do and to undo.  Simply go to Device Manager, find the Wi-Fi adapter in the listed devices, right-click on it and then click on Disable.  Then, try out Sonar again.  When finished with Sonar, go back to Device Manager, find the Wi-Fi-adapter again, right-click and then click on Enable.  Done.  Super simple.
 
Please please please do the above and post back, AND please DO post your current Total Roundtrip Latency.
 
Thanks, 
 
Bob Bone

After doing the above and posting back, I would suggest you also look at running either DPC Latency Checker or LatencyMon for a few minutes (with Sonar NOT running), to measure your system's basic ability to handle the kind of audio streaming that Sonar does.
 
Both programs are freeware.  Please note that DPC Latency Checker does not report proper times on Windows 8, but does work fine on Windows 7.  LatencyMon works fine for either Win 7 or 8.
 
DPC Latency Checker is here: http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml
 
 
LatencyMon is here: http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml
 
 
Either one should be run for a few minutes, then the results reviewed and posted back here.
 
Please DO first test the disabling of the Wi-Fi-adapter, and post the current Total Rountrip Latency time in Sonar, because the Wi-Fi adapters are a COMMON cause of bad latency and quite the likely suspect.
 
Bob Bone
 
 

Bob,
I'm not sure where the total round trip latency is in the ASIO camp. I am only blind person. My vision is very poor. It would be helpful if you could tell me that it is located above this and below that. As soon as I find it, I will do the experiment set forth.

Sure - inside of Sonar, go to: Edit>Preferences>Audio>Driver Settings, and you will see at the bottom, a series of reported latency values.  One of these is Total Roundtrip Latency.
 
Bob Bone
 

Bob and all,
Here is the best I can do.  thanks for all the help.  Still stuck.
 
 
Input latency: 10.5 msc, 463 samples
Output latency 13.5 msc 597 samples
total rorund trip latency 24.0 msc 1060 samples
After moving the slider down to 22, I got the following values:
Input latency 7.2 msc, 313 samples
Output platency 6.3 msc 276 samples
Total round trip latency 13.5 msc 595 samples
this was with the checkbox for Use Smaller ASIO buffer size not checked. with that box checked, I dropped down to 96 buffers from 144. 128 was not available. the original value was 288. You can see that 128 is not available because it is not in the even divisions.
I did not disable the wi-fi because it wasn't clear exactly what I should disable. There's an INtel Wireless N7260. It sounds like a wireless adapter. but thre's also two Microsoft Virtual Wifi Miniport Adapters. I've no idea what they miht be.
So, that's where I am now.
thanks again.