I loaded my Sonar 8.5.3 onto my Windows 8.1 computer the other day. I do not have an audio interface on that computer yet as I do not want to spend the money until I see that it will work. The audio drivers are standard with what Dell installs. I loaded a project in Sonar yesterday to try and test if it played, and it did, but fizzy, slower, and an octave lower than the original project did. I am hoping the realtec audio drivers were not sufficient to play the 32 bit files correctly as Sonar requires higher quality interface/drivers (fingers crossed).
 
My question is; Do any of you think it is the lack of an audio interface and drivers that is hampering the correct playback of my Cakewalk projects. I even opened a new project in Sonar and imported a MP3 file and it played distorted fizzy and slower than it did in Windows Media Player. Although that MP3 played fine in Sound Forge. Should I pull the trigger on a new audio interface? Is that the answer? Or should I have loaded Sonar 8.5.3 in 32 bit mode?
 
Thanks.

There is no difference between a project created in 32bit SONAR and 64bit SONAR. The project files are identical. SONAR is not configured properly, the buffer setting is too small or the wrong driver mode is selected. If WDM does not work try MME and try different settings on the Mix Latency Buffer size slider in Driver Settings. ASIO4All may be an option too.

scook
There is no difference between a project created in 32bit SONAR and 64bit SONAR. The project files are identical. SONAR is not configured properly, the buffer setting is too small or the wrong driver mode is selected. If WDM does not work try MME and try different settings on the Mix Latency Buffer size slider in Driver Settings. ASIO4All may be an option too.

Thank you for your reply. I am guessing it is because I do not have the proper drivers or audio interface on the computer.

The internal sound chip is not the best audio solution for a DAW but you should be able to get SONAR to sound OK with it as long as the buffers are set large enough.

Try WDM and MME. It is better to test with new projects, where you are free to set the sample rate. Try both, 44100 and 48000.
 
If (and only if) all that fails, install ASIO4ALL and use ASIO mode in Sonar. I had cases when that was the only working option.
 

Although I have a proper interface and drivers on my desktop DAW, I have found that my laptop plays back Sonar projects just fine with the internal audio device (Realtek) and the ASIO4ALL driver.
 
Just don't try to run ASIO4ALL with a real audio interface.  Use the supported drivers from the manufacturer.

Thanks all.

+1 to using asio4all on a extra computer you don't have an interface kicking around for. That or if you have W10 try WASAPI exclusive mode. 
Projects will play just fine it's only if you try and record any audio stuff that it will be lunched out. 
I use an old laptop to work on midi files running asio4all for a few years now. I just installed that free version of Home Studio and it works too. 

+1 to getting an external interface if you want to record.  Even Behringer has a couple USB interfaces in the $30-40 range with their U-Phoria line that seem to get decent reviews for entry level use.  That would be way better than trying to use the mic input on your laptop.
 
https://www.amazon.com/s/...ehringer+u-phoria++usb

Harvey Cedars
I loaded my Sonar 8.5.3 onto my Windows 8.1 computer the other day. I do not have an audio interface on that computer yet as I do not want to spend the money until I see that it will work. The audio drivers are standard with what Dell installs. I loaded a project in Sonar yesterday to try and test if it played, and it did, but fizzy, slower, and an octave lower than the original project did. I am hoping the realtec audio drivers were not sufficient to play the 32 bit files correctly as Sonar requires higher quality interface/drivers (fingers crossed).
 
My question is; Do any of you think it is the lack of an audio interface and drivers that is hampering the correct playback of my Cakewalk projects. I even opened a new project in Sonar and imported a MP3 file and it played distorted fizzy and slower than it did in Windows Media Player. Although that MP3 played fine in Sound Forge. 

I am struggling with how a project can be playing back an octave lower. An audio sampling rate mismatch of 96 K sps played back at 48 K could presumably do that, but the speed would also be reduced to one half speed. Is that the case? An octave lower could also result if all of the audio is being generated by synths that set middle C to a lower MIDI note than expected. Many synths allow for an octave offset in MIDI response, mainly to allow for expanded range on a short keyboard, but this would not result in any change in tempo. In any event, aside from the possibility that using a different sampling rate for a different interface/audio driver, I do not see how the audio interface could produce that result.