Hi all,
 
Earlier this year I custom built I new studio computer and immediately ran into some repeated crashing issues with it after setting it up. At the time one of the main culprits for causing the crashes seemed to be ST3.
 
With the amazing help of some of the good folks on these forums I worked through most of my issues and discovered things I had forgotten to deal with when setting up my system and all was well, or so I thought.
 
Despite the fact I solved many of the problems I was having with my new system, I now realise that because of the repeated ST3 issues I was having I simply began to stop using it in my productions as I had time critical work to complete so I deferred to my proven stable plug-ins. Recently I reached for ST3 again as I knew it had a particular sound I needed and boom - we are on the first train straight back to crash-ville again.
 
My system is a core i7 7700 with 32Gb of ram and SSD's for both system and sample drives - plenty of grunt to run all I need. However even an empty project with a single instance of ST3 called up - play a good bunch of notes in fast succession and Sonar crashes and the report window points to ST3 as the cause.
 
I wondered if it was because I had the ST3 plugin on the system drive and the sample data on the sample drive - but tonight I tried moving all the sample data on the standard installation path on the system drive but to no avail - 1 instance, handful of notes and boom.
 
Strangely ST3 runs absolutely fine on my older, slower laptop with only 8Gb and a mech HDD - Go figure?
 
Anybody got any wisdom to impart on this problem I would be glad to hear it!!
 
Thanks in advance
 
Chris - SquareSpiral 
 
 

Are you using the VST3 Sampletank 3 plugin?  Sampletank's VST3 plugin has always had issues, and not just with SONAR.  The VST2 versions seem to avoid some of these problems. 
 
Note: just disabling the VST3 version in the plugin manager isn't quite enough to stop it from being used.  If you have a old SONAR project file that had the VST3 plugin inserted, even if you disable the VST3 Sampletank in the plugin manager, if the .vst3 file is still on the computer and you load that project, SONAR will use the VST3 version.
 
The only way to be sure is to delete/rename/move the VST3 plugin from your path.  And yes, I've learnt this the hard way.
 
Sampletank 3 is also very, very sensitive to your audio cards buffer settings.  I have some Sampletank 3 projects (using multiple tracks and multiple instruments) that will crash SONAR if my interface's sample size is too low.  For me (perhaps it is only me?) there are three levels of ASIO buffer size settings.  Below a certain point big Sampletank 3 projects will just flat out crash.  Above that, but still in a reasonable zone, I get some pops and clicks during playback.  In order to get good playback and no crashes I generally have to set the buffer much larger than I'd like.

SampleTank 3 was updated to v3.7 around the time that Syntronik was released this year.

msorrels
Are you using the VST3 Sampletank 3 plugin?  Sampletank's VST3 plugin has always had issues, and not just with SONAR.  The VST2 versions seem to avoid some of these problems. 
 
Note: just disabling the VST3 version in the plugin manager isn't quite enough to stop it from being used.  If you have a old SONAR project file that had the VST3 plugin inserted, even if you disable the VST3 Sampletank in the plugin manager, if the .vst3 file is still on the computer and you load that project, SONAR will use the VST3 version.
 
The only way to be sure is to delete/rename/move the VST3 plugin from your path.  And yes, I've learnt this the hard way.
 
Sampletank 3 is also very, very sensitive to your audio cards buffer settings.  I have some Sampletank 3 projects (using multiple tracks and multiple instruments) that will crash SONAR if my interface's sample size is too low.  For me (perhaps it is only me?) there are three levels of ASIO buffer size settings.  Below a certain point big Sampletank 3 projects will just flat out crash.  Above that, but still in a reasonable zone, I get some pops and clicks during playback.  In order to get good playback and no crashes I generally have to set the buffer much larger than I'd like.

I think this is your solution.  I had the exact same problem, did the above steps and now ST3 is happy with SONAR.
 
Good luck.

jude77
 
I think this is your solution.  I had the exact same problem, did the above steps and now ST3 is happy with SONAR.
 
Good luck.

Was it buffer settings or VST3?

One handy tip at getting rid of the VST3 Sampletank 3.  Before removing the VST3 plugin first load any old projects that are using the VST3 Sampletank 3.  Then inside Sampletank save out a multi (select Multi then the hamburger menu and Save As) of your settings.  Then exit SONAR and remove the VST3 plugin from your plugin paths.  Now when you load the project you'll get an error and Sampletank 3 will be marked offline.  Do a Replace Synth in the Synth Rack to replace it with the VST2 version of Sampletank (so the inputs and outputs are kept) then inside Sampletank load the multi you saved.  Then re-save your project (use a new filename, just in case you need to go back).  Yes it's painful but it is doable.

VST3 SampleTank NOT crashing Sonar here.

Thanks for the replies everyone - just getting a chance to catch up on them now and intend to do some more digging tonight. For the record my ST3 is fully up to date at ver 3.7
I'm not intentionally using the VST3 but I do know that Sonar has a setting to preference it's use over the VST2.
 
It's strange that I never have this problem with my laptop setup with either the VST2 or 3 versions.
 
I will report back on any findings
 
Thanks
 
Chris - SquareSpiral

Well that was quick!
 
Removed the VST3 - loaded a single instance of the VST2, played some notes and instant crash!!!
 
The fault reporter talked about the sampletank3.vpa file if that gives anyone any clues?
 
Chris

Increase your ASIO buffer.  Go big and see if it makes a difference.  1024 samples at least.