Im sure I must be missing something quite simple, but I or anyone else in my little studio has trouble hearing themselves in the phones while recording.  The headphone amp is quite cranked, I have dim soloed the backing tracks, meter on recording track is hitting around -12 and it is still difficult to hear.
Once it is recorded, it sounds big and bold, but not while recording.  Makes it hard to "get into it" when you can barely hear it.  Like I said. it must be something simple I am missing.  Any help, appreciated.

Input monitoring via the track's input echo, or direct monitoring via your interface? If the former, what's the full path of headphone signal from track to physical interface output, and what does the track meter show while rehearsing without arming for recording (i.e. metering the output level instead of the input level).

Hi. I sometimes (when working alone) turn down my master bus, to hear more of myself better. Then turn up the Audio Interface output (headphones). Might not be what you are after, but maybe worth a shot.
And as brundlefly mentioned, how are you doing this?
All the best.

I have a LiveMonitor bus on all my songs.  Whichever track I'm tracking/recording (for audio), I can add that bus via a send to it.  I sometimes also put reverb on my LiveMonitor bus.  Essentially, I can double the volume of the track I'm recording, or dial it down to the right level.
 
Works great.

When John tracks his lead guitar, I crank his track up so he can hear himself, the dry input doesn't change. There is no way I would have a mix with the lead guitar that loud, but this method works well for him.

I monitor from my interface, which has a Sound Card/Tracking button in it's software mixer. The Tracking setting delivers both SONAR's and the input's audio at equal levels, which can also be adjusted to taste in the mixer.
How are you monitoring the signals and what is your interface?

Tascam US4x4 into JBL LSR305 for guitar and bass. We use headphones for the vocal tracks, and drum loops for drums. We use input echo so the amp sim/effects is/are active.

Based on your description it sounds like a signal path issue to the headphones. Have you tried using headphones with Windows Media Player to ensure there isn't an issue with that signal path? Weird things like connectors not fully being seated also could be a culprit. Before troubleshooting SONAR, could you confirm that hardware chain is good?

Also, be sure Windows itself has any level settings at 100%.

marquettE
Im sure I must be missing something quite simple, but I or anyone else in my little studio has trouble hearing themselves in the phones while recording.  The headphone amp is quite cranked, I have dim soloed the backing tracks, meter on recording track is hitting around -12 and it is still difficult to hear.
Once it is recorded, it sounds big and bold, but not while recording.  Makes it hard to "get into it" when you can barely hear it.  Like I said. it must be something simple I am missing.  Any help, appreciated.

this could be phase cancelling issue
 
if you monitor directly via your interface and via sonar, processing latency will cause a small time delay which in turn causes a phase shift; so when listening to both signals, signals are summed, but due to phase shift, cancel out a lot ... hence it sounds thin during recording, but full and big when played back (only one signal)...
 
always monitor only via one single path - either use direct monitoring via the interface (if you record with FX from stomp boxes etc and don't need FX from Sonar) or just via Sonar (if you have low latency that allows you to do this without compromising on timing and feel of the performance) ...

I want to thank all of you for your thoughtful, helpful advice.  After reading your replies I checked my interface screen, which I had in the past set to a default position for input at -12 on all channels.  I didn't realize before your comments that I could bump the input level up significantly on the interface without affecting recording levels.  This may be what will make the difference.  Thanks again