Okay, I'm still learning here, having only just upgraded to Sonar X1 Expanded. I also upgraded to the full version of Rapture, because I just fancied having another tool in my soft synth arsenal. My main soft synth work horse is Absynth 5.

I am using Sonar X1 Producer Expanded (X1d build 535) - x64 (phew!) running on Windows 7 64 bit

To get me into all the new features in X1, I created a test project, and I added to it ten instances of Absynth 5, one instance of Battery 3, one instance of Z3TA+ 2, one instance of Rapture LE (before I upgraded to full Rapture) and a single audio track.

I haven't frozen any of the soft synths.

The audio track effects bin there is Guitar Rig 5 (it is a guitar recording), plus an instance of Sonitus Reverb. I have also had a play with the EQ in the Prochannel.

The Master Bus Has an instance of LP64 EQ and HF Exciter. There is also an instance of Analyst and Gonio 3, but I leave these turned off. I have also added some Prochannel EQ.

I have also created an Effects Bus, with an instance of Sonitus Reverb, but I haven't added any sends to any of the afforementioned tracks.

As it stands, the Performance Module shows that one of the eight CPU cores is running at about 40%, while the remaining cores are running at somewhat less than 10%. The SSD disk operates at about 0.1% (only one audio track and I my audio storage device is a SSD). The System Memory Commit is about 3GB (9%).

I use a Roland QUAD-CAPTURE external audio device, utilising its ASIO driver. The buffer size is set to 1.5ms/64 samples, and the ASIO reported latencies are - Input 2.5ms/112 samples, Output 5.1ms/224 samples, total Roundtrip 7.6ms/336 samples. In the QUAD-CAPTURE driver settings dialog box I also check the boxes for "Use ASIO Direct Monitor," "Reduce CPU Load," and "Match the sample rate with ASIO." I have been running Sonar with these driver settings without any problems up to now.

So, when I add an instance of Rapture (full version), I also bring up the Step Sequencer view. I've never used Step Sequencer before, and I thought that I might as well start with my new instance of Rapture. I set up Step Sequencer with 8 beats and 4 steps. I then opened Rapture and found a preset that I liked (I can't remember which, but I get the same problem pretty much with all the presets I tried). I set up a two bar loop in the middle of my existing song and then pressed space bar.

Everything seemed okay to begin with, and I was adding notes within Step Sequencer, enjoying listening to the sequence growing. Then, without any warning, Sonar crashed. Prior to that, the CPU performance was as I described above, with no clipping, and no sign of the CPU being under undue stress. I tried to start Sonar straight away but the software would not start. I went into Task Manager and noticed that there was still a process called SONARPDR.exe still running. I tried to manually stop the process but nothing happened. The only way I could get Sonar running again was to restart Windows. This happened about five times and at one point I got the BSOD.

The next day I created a new project that contained just one instance of Rapture. The sound driver settings were left as above. I opened Step Sequencer and set it up with 8 beats and 4 steps, as before. I added some "notes" but without the project playing. I then pressed space bar. The 8 beat tune played for a few bars and then Sonar crashed. This time I copied the data from the dialog box that appears when a Windows program crashes:-

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
  Application Name: SONARPDR.exe
  Application Version: 18.1.5.535
  Application Timestamp: 4f4d5612
  Fault Module Name: Rapture.dll
  Fault Module Version: 1.2.1.0
  Fault Module Timestamp: 4a282889
  Exception Code: c0000005
  Exception Offset: 00000000000f58dc
  OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.48
  Locale ID: 2057
  Additional Information 1: e86a
  Additional Information 2: e86aaba040a82ad6c91d8416db8a8b4a
  Additional Information 3: 06d0
  Additional Information 4: 06d0cfcc9c53f433fe12163c4ce0f67c

I then changed the settings in the ASIO panel. I selected the largest buffer size, 46.4ms/2048 samples, Input 47.5ms/2096 samples, Output 95.1ms/4193 samples, Total Roundtrip 142.6ms/6289 samples. I re-opened my Rapture test project and played it. I added more notes in Step Sequencer. All was fine, and I could not get Sonar to crash.

I then changed the ASIO settings to the next buffer size down - 23.2ms/1024 samples, Input 24.3ms/1072 samples, Output 48.6ms/2142 samples, Roundtrip = 72.9ms/3214 samples. Sonar crashed. And that was with only one instance of Rapture.

I then created another test project with a view to testing more soft synths with Step Sequencer. I reset my ASIO driver settings buffer size is set to 1.5ms/64 samples, Input 2.5ms/112 samples, Output 5.1ms/224 samples, total Roundtrip 7.6ms/336 samples. I added two instances of Absynth 5, one instance of Battery 3, one instance of Z3TA+ 2, one instance of Dimension Pro, one instance of Square I and one instance of PSYN II. I used Step Sequencer to add notes to each track, and played the tune as I added those notes. Although each track was relatively simple, the whole song was quite busy, and each individual track was still more complex than what I created in my Rapture test project. It never crashed Sonar. I had to reset the audio engine once or twice, but that was it really.

Here is the specification of my laptop:-

CLEVO Model = P150EM 
Chassis & Display = 15.6" Matte 95% Gamut LED Widescreen (1920x1080) 
Processor (CPU) = Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-3820QM (2.70GHz) 8MB cache 
Memory (RAM) = 16GB SAMSUNG 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (2 x 8GB) 
Graphics Card = NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 675M - 2.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 11 
1st Hard Disk = 120GB Intel® 520 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 550MB/sR | 520MB/sW) 
2nd Hard Disk = 240GB INTEL® 520 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 550MB/sR | 520MB/sW) 
Internal Sound Card = Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack (REALTEK) 
Network Facilities = GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N130 802.11N (150Mbps) + BLUETOOTH 
USB Options = 3 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT AS STANDARD 
Firewire = 1 X 1394a FIREWIRE PORT 

Some more chipset info:- 
ACPI x64 based PC 
3rd Gen Intel® Core™ CPUs 
Intel® HM77 Express Chipset 
Intel® Xeon® processor E3-1200 v2 

External Sound Card = Roland QUAD-CAPTURE UA-55

There is still probably a load more information to add to this, but it is way past my bed time so I need to get this posted before I fall asleep at the keyboard. If there is anything you think I have missed could someone please give me a heads up?


cheers

andy :^)

Hmmm... I thought I had better raise a support ticket for this. Unfortunately, due to Independence Day, I can't even send an e-mail. I can't understand that to be honest. I mean, I know that there is nobody there to answer my query, but that doesn't usually stop you from sending an e-mail, in readiness for their return. We know that there is no one available to answer technical queries over the weekend, for instance, but you can still normally raise a ticket...

Ah well... must get on with something else then, and drop Rapture for the moment.

Mate..

This post is huge!  But I'm going to try and help you out.   Hopefully, living in the UK, you can call Cakewalk on the phone.  They used to answer emails, nowadays they seem way too busy or something.  They've told me before... "Actually, we like it when you call us."  So :-)  If you have a bug problem, thats the way to do it.

Now about Rapture!  The best way to describe Rapture is probably as, "the hottest, most annoying person you have ever met."   Seriously, when it comes to Rapture..  You've got to patient.  Gentle..  And try and change its behavior a little, so it can work for you.

There is way too much going on in the example above to know, "what happened."  But I do know..  Rapture likes its pitch sequenced by simple midi clips, and its own internal sequencer.  Take my word for it!  Cause I've tried to sequence Rapture with Arpegiators, and Trackers, and Step Step sequencers, and all!  But Rapture really only wants it pitched sequenced by sending it straight midi from a piano roll...  or using its internal step sequencer.

Its a bug.  It probably has to do with the Expression Engine.  The way Rapture resamples a single cycle and spreads it accoss all frequencies.  I think that causes some weird interaction with sequencers.   And its just related to pitch!  So weird.


Btw..  I've been having an odd crash or two, with Rapture in Producer Expanded.  I'm sure we will see a Rapture 1.3, and a 1.4.


I know its not much, but I sure hope it helps.


Cheers

Thanks Linear :^)

As it happens, I was doing more experimenting today. I created a "sequence" the old fashioned way using Piano Roll. When I played it back, Sonar still crashed, and I had to re-boot my PC. So, I know why you are saying what you did about the Step Sequencer, and, yesterday, I was convinced that it was something to do with that. But today's experiment has kind of put paid to that theory. That's one of the reasons why I tried to raise a ticket today.

As a side note, I opened Rapture in its microhost, and I sent the bugger a pile of MIDI messages by playing my keyboard with my arms... Rapture didn't falter once, and there was no latency, whereas in Sonar, even at my lowest buffer size, you can still hear a very small delay between playing a key and hearing a note, but that's another issue for another day.

At the end of the day I am still massively pleased with my recent purchases and all I need to do now is get composing, or, in my case, decomposing........

I have raised a support ticket for this problem...

I thought I would have a go at re-installing Rapture last night. At first, I thought I had fixed my crashing problem, because Step-Sequencer ran for about ten minutes without crashing, and I even opened up the soft-synth interface while the sequence was playing.

But then it crashed... Gutted.

Hmmm... ten days have passed since I raised my support ticket, and still no reply...

synkrotron


Hmmm... ten days have passed since I raised my support ticket, and still no reply...

synkroton, might want to call on the phone.  Hopefully you can do that from the UK, cause they sure don't answer emails in the Boston office!  :-)


Probably busy with the secretary or something...




Meanwhile, here is what I suggest, and you are going to love it!  If you haven't done so yet..  Un-install and re-install Rapture.  If that doesn't work, un-install and completely re-install Sonar and Rapture...


You have to get the install right, or you wont get any stability.  Sometimes 1 install sucks, and another install is great.  I know that sounds crazy, but last week, "or something," I screwed up my registry with a reg cleaner, and I had to completely re-install Sonar..   While I was at it, I took the liberty to re-install Rapture...  Things are pretty stable..  But I still can't get that 1.2.2 Rapture to install properly, so for 1.2.2 Rapture is 32 bit, and for 1.2.1 I can get 64 bit.  That is totally a bug!  Needs to be fixed.


Least to say though, I did have to call Cakewalk and get my Expanded Download, cause my Store Account never recovered properly from the Amazon Crash..  But somebody at Cakewalk emailed me the file within five minutes!   


My biggest problem still is, "audio dropouts," but I have an idea that it has to do with wi-fi, and norton antivirus...  and an absolutely crap audio card...


Meanwhile, since I've re-installed Rapture and Sonar this time around, I think I've had 1 crash, maybe two!  but I can tell you what they are from...   "Apparently you can not delete a midi clip, if you have an effect on the clip, and that effect is midi delay."  Obviously, that is a bug, but you know... You learn these things, and the great news is..  "Sonar is now stable enough, that I can pin-point the bugs."   It wasn't like that on my first install.

Make sure you use regedit and delete the folders...   Cakewalk has Rapture and Sonar folders in these reg locations

HKEY_CURRENT_USER

----> Software

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

-----> Software   -----> Wow6432Node

Thanks for your input there Linear Phase  Much appreciated.


As it happens, I am seriously considering a fresh install anyway, and I'm probably going to get another, but bigger (480gb) SSD. Main reason for that is I've mixed installs across my two current SSDs and I'm thinking I want to start afresh. I'm dual booting with Ubuntu as well, and as much as I love Ubuntu, I think I am going to have to drop it in favour for a dual boot of Windows 7 instead. I dunno... I'm still thinking about it, but it is a possibility.


I've been reading some of the other topics over on the X1 board, and there's discussion about how to install X1 and where to put the OS and programs, and where to place your project folders etc.


I'm not far off the so called "ideal" install, but I feel I want another go at it and see how it goes.


In the meantime, I'm going to e-mail a person on the Cakewalk staff who contacted me about another issue a month ago. I wasn't going to bother them at first, but now that ten days has passed, I'm going to see if this person can give tech support a nudge.


So, a couple of things to think about there... 


thanks again.


andy

this is a rapture only issue right?.. (bit early for me..well not early but early in a realtive sense since i only just poured the coffee)..
I had read (so call it conjecture) that
a) rapture is not exactly bulletproof in stability
b) doesnt like being used by step sequencer (prefers its own...but thats wicked inconvenient)
c) the leade developer has left, so improvements/fixes are not a given

I had played with rapture a bit (an odd crash) and was going to upgrade at the $20 sale price but these things put me off and so i just dont bother with it anymore... so many synths so little time :)