Hi,
 
I am using Sonar X3 and I have been having an issue when I get a pop when I begin playback of a track and sometimes when I stop playback. I am using MIDI and VST in my current project. I do not have any problems after I begin the playback. I am not sure whether it is a sound card issue or something else on in my computer and I do not have an alternate sound card to test my current one. I have tried opening some stock sound files in Sonar and I still get the popping when I begin playback.
My sound card: M-Audio Delta 1010LT
 
Thanks

"Pops" often indicate that a cut has been made at a high point in the waveform, and can often be avoided by making cuts at zero crossings or using a fade. Zoom in on the waveform to the point where you can see individual samples and have a look at the places where it is popping.

I have tried checking to see whether the sound was clipping but that's not the issue. The sound is similar but only happens when I start or stop playback, from any point in time, and does not happen at all during the playback.
But thanks for checking

We are not talking about clipping here. Clipping is when the waveform exceeds 0 dB. What is being discussed here is that if you make an edit/cut when the digital amplitude is not zero (0) either above or below the zero line, you will start or end the clip with an abrupt change from some non-zero value to zero at the cut. Sound does not behave that way--it tapers off--even a very transient sound. Your analog transducer gear suddenly goes from signal to no signal or vice versa, and the result is an audible pop. 
 
http://www.ohdratdigital.com/tutorials-2/zero-crossing-points-what-are-they/
 
Sonar has the option to "Snap to Nearest Audio Zero Crossings" for a reason.
 

Ooohhhh, I see. That makes sense. However, is there something I can do to change that while just working rather than for the final product? Or is that just a limitation that I have to deal with?

Hi. You could just fade in / out the clips that pop (small fade in / out). Or adjust each clip (while zoomed in), to make sure everything is at zero crossing.
Best of luck.

Deere101
I have tried checking to see whether the sound was clipping but that's not the issue. The sound is similar but only happens when I start or stop playback, from any point in time, and does not happen at all during the playback.
But thanks for checking

This doesn't sound like a "zero crossing" issue due to the OP saying that it doesn't matter where the now time is when he starts and stops.
 
t
 

The OP is saying that the pops happen when the transport is started and stopped regardless of what is recorded. It has nothing to do with clips or zero crossing. I get the same thing too even with only instrument tracks. I think it's an artifact of processing start and stop. I usually ignore it, it hasn't blown my speakers yet and it doesn't show up in the final mix.
 

TomHelvey
The OP is saying that the pops happen when the transport is started and stopped regardless of what is recorded. It has nothing to do with clips or zero crossing. I get the same thing too even with only instrument tracks. I think it's an artifact of processing start and stop. I usually ignore it, it hasn't blown my speakers yet and it doesn't show up in the final mix.
 

Electrons charging and discharging Check your audio drive thru.
If not your hardware DA/AD converters, the sound-card driver, the settings within Sonar (try altered values to test).
Those mischievous electrons hanging around the entrance and exit of Sonar need to be tamed

Would this be relevant for your playback issue:
Auto fade when starting/stopping playback (search for this in the manual)
Edit > Preferences -> Audio - Playback and Recording.
Fade On Start (milliseconds)
Fade On Stop (milliseconds).