Hey, guys - I rarely post, but my DAW/system has developed a fault, and I wondered if anyone had seen it?
 
I'm Windows 10 on the latest and greatest patch level, soundcard is Focusrite Saffire 24 DSP (current driver), into a Firewire card.  Sonar Professional is fully up to date.
 
When I exit Sonar (which works perfectly, by the way), Windows audio never transfers back to the Saffire soundcard.  In fact, when I try to dive into the properties of the soundcard in Windows systems settings, the configure button doesn't respond.
 
Anyone seen that?
 
Mark.

Hi Mark,
 
Check the list of processes to see that Sonar has actually stopped running.
If it's still running, that might explain the behavior you're experiencing.

Thanks, Jim - yeah, there are no Sonar process I can see locking it.  I suspect a Windows issue more than Sonar, to be honest. 

Some USB MIDI drivers (Korg in particular) would not let go when closing Sonar.
Sonar would thus appear to close... but couldn't completely shut down.
This may not be your situation... but it can cause similar symptoms.   

Does your Windows sound work with your soundcard after a reboot, and before you start Sonar?

OK, so here's the behaviour, as best as I can describe.
 

• Run Sonar, everything works fine, regardless of whether another sound application is running (browser with YouTube was my test case).
• Run browser with YouTube, everything works fine.
• Run browser with YouTube after closing Sonar, no sound.
  • In this scenario, Control Panel | Sound | Saffire Speakers - the config button is in active.
  • Disable Saffire Speakers then re-enable, YouTube works.  
• If I open both Sonar and YouTube at the same time, only Sonar produces sound.  However, if I then disable/re-enable the Saffire Speakes under Sound, both play fine.  I can even then open up new browser tabs and new browser sessions, and get sound from both.

It does seem to be how Sonar is holding the Saffire Speaker device.  I've run Process Explorer though, and I can't see any hanging threads when I close Sonar...

A few things to play around with.  My settings are listed below.  I am using a FireWire audio interface that functions both as my Windows and Sonar sound source.  No conflicts here.  
 
Check you settings in Sonar preferences > Audio > Playback and recording.
 
There is an option "Suspend audio engine when Sonar is not in focus".  Try toggling that one.  I have mine not checked.  I think that used to say something about sharing the audio driver, but it seems to have been changed in a recent update.
 
Also in Windows audio, there is an option in playback properties for exclusive mode. Playback devices (select your line out, or whatever you are using) > Properties > Advanced
 
I have both items checked:

• Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device
• Give exclusive mode applications priority

Thanks - my Windows settings are as yours, but I've no option under Audio | Playback and Recording for suspend audio engine when Sonar is not in focus.  I've got "share drivers with other programs", which is ticked.

I'm using ASIO drivers, by the way.
 

Most windows programs do not use ASIO.
One thing not mentioned so far is sample rate. Windows and SONAR should be set to the same sample rate. The interface can only run at one sample rate at a time and may have trouble switching back to the Windows sample rate (assuming it is different than SONAR) after running SONAR.