RishiS
Kind of late to respond back on this thread. I did try the beta drivers, and it started giving constant clicks while playing any audio on the PC, not just from Sonar. I reverted back to 2.5.2 and still living with the lag while recording vocals.  I'm preparing to get the RME UCX but wanted to make sure I tried all possible tricks to get this one working, but no luck so far !
I really dont know what the direct monitoring won't work unless I turn the mic gain too high ! Just too low gain on the mic inputs I guess ! ? This is scarlett 2i2 first gen btw.

Hey, RishiS...just happened to land on your post.
FYI, I must have tried every possible driver version out there (1st gen and 2nd gen).... with my (former) 2i4 and I gave up. Just grabbed a Babyface Pro before Xmas and OMG....what a difference in stability, performance and sound.
If you can afford an RME, don't waste anymore time.
Cheers!

I use that card (1st gen) as well. No issues with latency when recording:

• make sure you use the Focurite ASIO driver. I can record easily with latency below 10ms at 16/44.1K
• use the direct monitoring on the interface. This allow you to hear what you record before it even hit the DAW. However that is a dry signal
• I always disable the Wi-Fi in Device Manager when I use Sonar ...

 

I think the OP's issue is if he turns the mike gain up so He can hear in the phones, the pre amp goes red and clips. This is my experience too. 
I have found the workaround was to use a small mixer to drive my headphones from the 3/4 output on the 6i6. 
My mike is split from the extra output on the back of the Joe Meek pre amp so problem solved. 
Certain headphones have more output than others so using a set of loud phones might also solve the issue. 

Cactus Music
I think the OP's issue is if he turns the mike gain up so He can hear in the phones, the pre amp goes red and clips. This is my experience too. 
I have found the workaround was to use a small mixer to drive my headphones from the 3/4 output on the 6i6. 
My mike is split from the extra output on the back of the Joe Meek pre amp so problem solved. 
Certain headphones have more output than others so using a set of loud phones might also solve the issue. 

When I had a Gen 1 version of the Scarletts I found I had great success using a small mixer (I have a $125 Yamaha mixer that includes effects like reverb) and a microphone splitter. I could record with absolutely zero latency and add reverb to suit the ears while recording actual dry tracks.

I recently posted this on a related topic. This technique might help the OP as another approach to consider (via Device Manager).

http://forum.cakewalk.com...-Hazards-m3535408.aspx

slyman
Hey, RishiS...just happened to land on your post.
FYI, I must have tried every possible driver version out there (1st gen and 2nd gen).... with my (former) 2i4 and I gave up. Just grabbed a Babyface Pro before Xmas and OMG....what a difference in stability, performance and sound.
If you can afford an RME, don't waste anymore time.
Cheers!

Yes, all set to go for the UCX , not just for the latency issue but also need more I/O. Just wanted to give one last best shot at the scarlett.
 
Thanks to others who suggested the mixer technique. I will try that one as well !

Cactus Music
I think the OP's issue is if he turns the mike gain up so He can hear in the phones, the pre amp goes red and clips. This is my experience too. 
I have found the workaround was to use a small mixer to drive my headphones from the 3/4 output on the 6i6. 
My mike is split from the extra output on the back of the Joe Meek pre amp so problem solved. 
Certain headphones have more output than others so using a set of loud phones might also solve the issue. 

So can I continue to connect my mic to the scarlett and just connect the headphone out to a mixer and be able to solve the issue ? The point is I don't want to connect my mic to the mixer coz the mixer preamps are not as good as the scarlett.
Would this be equivalent to connecting the headphone out from the scarlett to  an headphone amp?

lawajava

When I had a Gen 1 version of the Scarletts I found I had great success using a small mixer (I have a $125 Yamaha mixer that includes effects like reverb) and a microphone splitter. I could record with absolutely zero latency and add reverb to suit the ears while recording actual dry tracks.

I don't want to be using the preamps on the mixer.If im not wrong, this technique requires the mic to be plugged into the mixer?

RishiS
I don't want to be using the preamps on the mixer.If im not wrong, this technique requires the mic to be plugged into the mixer?

RishiS - for the recording you've been mentioning, the technique of the mixer addition allows you to stop using input monitor from Sonar. This instantly alleviates the lag you've been fighting with in your set up.

The answer is no, the mic is plugged into the Focusrite Scarlett, and through its pre-amps, your mic performance records dry and straight and pristinely into Sonar.

But with some improvements.

Here's the routing again - as mentioned in the Hardware thread you also have presently:

$122 for a small mixer with effects (such as reverb and delay). I use this.
https://www.amazon.com/Ya...Yamaha+6+channel+mixer

$35 mic splitter:
https://www.amazon.com/AR...ds=Microphone+splitter

Maybe another $20 for an additional short mic cable or two if you don 't have them.

Plug your mic into the splitter. One cable from the splitter goes in one of the 2i2 inputs, the other into one of the mixer channel inputs. Headphone jack out from the 2i2, use a simple headphone cable from the 2i2 headphone jack into one of the mixer channel inputs.

Your headphones plug in to the mixer.

The Scarlett gets one mic input, and this flows directly into Sonar.

The mixer gets two inputs: a) the second mic line coming from the splitter (has no effect on the pure signal going into the Scarlett). b) the headphone out from the Scarlett (that is playing back the music from Sonar (with no input monitor in Sonar, so it's just the music).

The splitter is just a pass through for the mic signal to the Scarlett - without affecting the signal whatsoever. But it allows a separate line of your mic to additionally get routed into the mixer.

Your headphones (or multiple headphones if you use a Y adapter) plug in to the mixer, you monitor from the mixer only.

With the mixer you can balance the Sonar music playback with your live mic volume to a desired balance, and add effects to your mic that you hear on your headphones. (These effects do not record to Sonar since this is on a split wire that doesn't even route to Sonar). So you can add a touch of reverb for example to make it sound friendlier for your recording ear. Even though the straight signal is going in dry to Sonar.

You can then record into Sonar at any latency you like - even bloat it to a 1024 buffer (if you want to be that ridiculous) and monitor your live singing with absolutely zero latency. It's perfect. It's really perfect.

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 records clearly into Sonar without a trace of color.

You can achieve this bliss for about $160.

I know this works.

Thanks lawajava ! This makes sense !