yea i reas this, but I don't know much about it.   I will be recording acoustic guitar and also playing VST Softsynths, so maybe this isn't the audio interface for me?   

Acoustic guitar wouldn't be a problem as you can use direct monitoring from the interface (bypassing Sonar) and get near-zero latency. But playing softsynths with that kind of latency would bother me. It's not huge exactly but everything would feel sloppy and sluggish. I'm a keyboard player by profession though so it may be more of an issue for me than it would be for you.

Might want to consider an interface that has midi in/out too.

OK so you won't believe this....
 
new cable and new audio interface (Steinberg UR22) - SAME PROBLEM!!!   I guess it was the mic all along.

I am returning EVERYTHING... honestly, everything i get from guitar center seems to be an open box and NOT new.   I think they are selling faulty equipment.  So, I am going to start over.   I am returning everything to this store and going to buy everything NEW on Amazon, where I expect SEALED boxes.
 
Thanks for sticking in with me everyone, I will update next week most likely once I get all new equipment :)
 
Stay away from Guitar Center!!

If you have everything installed on a laptop I would bring it and demonstrate the issue. I guess you've tried a different power outlet and a different USB port by now? Sorry to hear that it's taking so much effort to get up and running. Kudos to you for keeping your energy up, keep us posted!

I've had pretty good experiences with GC and the convenience is hard to beat. Unfortunately it seems that there are some pretty drastic differences between stores with that company.

May be an issue with GC--don't know--but it seems unlikely that both units were defective and presenting the same issue.
 
Crazy, maybe, but do you have a laptop (or friend's laptop) you can plug the interface into to make a simple recording?  That would narrow it down to interface and mic.  And if you can borrow a second mic, maybe you can figure out where the problem originates.
 
On the temp machine, you wouldn't need a full DAW: just any free or cheap program that records audio.

OK everybody, I am pretty sure the problem is resolved!  New interface (Steinberg UR22), new mic (AKG C214), and new cable (mogami gold xlr) and things are sounding and looking pretty damn good.
 
Here is the new vocal clip:
 

 
 
and here is a sample of what it sounds like:
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6r3cdww3r321dj5/Record%203%20%2822%29.wav?dl=0
 
I am going to purchase the presonus tube preamp v2 and replace the tube for even a better sound, but this seems correct, right?
 
Thanks to EVERYONE for trying to help me out here!
 
Adam

Looking at that waveform, the C214 is putting out plenty output.
Save the preamp, you don't need it.

jpetersen
Looking at that waveform, the C214 is putting out plenty output.
Save the preamp, you don't need it.

but the tonal quality - I've A/B'ed the difference at a friend's place using the same mic.   the Tube pre really adds a warmth and richness to the vocal.   It is very apparent too.  Once I get the tube pre I can do an A/B here.