Interesting issue re: the Click playback on one of my machines.  The very FIRST beat click's volume is very low... lower than the following 3 (in 4/4 time) which are at their normal volume. After that, click volumes are fine.   I have the 1st beat click at -0.5db and the other beats as -3.5.

  I had the issue with Cakewalk Pro 8.5 for years on my 2011 Alienware laptop using a MOTU Ultralite firewire interface.  I used this laptop only for playing live shows.  I finally installed CbB on it and the same thing happens.  But not just with the MOTU, it happens with the normal onboard 6-channel audio plus various other USB interfaces.  I also have a very high latency setting to avoid any dropouts while performing live.  I never tried to trouble shoot it before now, but my new band is not taking to it very well...   IThis issue has never happened on any of my other laptops nor my main workstation builds.   Anyone have any ideas?

TIA
Patrick

The first troubleshooting step I'd try is to see if -3.5dB / -6.5dB (1st/other) settings will work properly.  Then move each up in 1.0dB increments until you see the failure.

MIDI or audio click? MIDI may be subject to certain synth setup timing.
First beat of the song or first beat of playback from anywhere?

First beat starting at measure 01:01:000?
 
If so, insert a blank measure right at the start, so your first beat is at 02:01:000

Non-zero 'Fade on Start' setting under Preferences > Audio > Playback and Recording?

I get this too and have just gotten used to it. Because I export all my backing tracks to WAVE this does not seem to translate to the final mix, it only happens when playing the tracks in Cakelab. I always start at the 2nd measure. I'm using AD2 for my count in. 

Sorry for the delay in responding.  thanks for the responses.

It has to do with Audio Clicks, whether it is through a track that has click starting at 01:01:000, or the metronome function using audio click.  ONLY when starting from 01:01:000 does the first beat sound low.  Everywhere else is fine.

- "fade on start" at 0
- metronome volumes DO change the volume of the metronome
- I would rather not add an extra measure as I use the Playlist function for live and getting the next song started ASAP is prefered.  As it is I have a 2 measure (8-count) countoff.   (Maybe adding a 1/1 measure would work, although I would have to have the metronome as actual tracks...)

Who knows...  Thanks for all your input!

Another solution you can try is to make an audio track that is the "metronome." If straight time signature, you can even just do one bar, adjust to taste, convert to a groove clip, then roll it out to song length. On a track it is also easier to mute, automate, and modify on the fly readily. You can also save that to your browser for re-use in other songs without the need to recreate.

You mentioned using a very high buffer setting for live performance stability. Does the problem go away with a more 'normal' ASIO buffer setting (e.g. 64-256 samples)?
 
Does it affect a new project with no plugins in it (disable Stop At Project End in Track View Options to be able run the Playback metronome with no content). If not, some plugin and/or the delay compensation in affected projects may be causing a problem.
 
To help find where this is occurring, put a send on the Metronome bus to an Aux track, and record it. Then zoom in and check whether the 1:01 transient matches the 2:01 transient for amplitude and timing. If it does, invert the phase on the recorded track, and see if all clicks null with the live metronome output.
 
- If all do, then we know the attenuation is affecting all audio output at 1:01:000, not just the metronome.
- If none do, you might need to dial in your record latency compensation.
- If only the first click fails to null... I'll have to think some more.
 
P.S. Another thing to check: Does it affect a 48 kHz project the same as 44.1 kHz?
 
 

I do believe the reason you never want a midi note on the "0" is the way the audio engine works. 
I'm just hazarding a guess, but Sonar needs to look ahead and any note on zero does not give the engine time to process it 100%.