I think a Big Deal about Home Studio for consumers is the low-latency WASAPI interface. Of course it's coming to the next SONAR update as well, so it's not just a Home Studio thing. But I think consumers tend to be the ones who want to have SONAR open while surfing the net or checking out something on YouTube, or running on a laptop and don't have an ASIO interface. Compared to the horror that is MME, latencies of 10 ms or less in shared mode (and 3 ms in exclusive mode) is quite cool.

Well that explains something. Both the computers I installed HS on are not hooked up to audio interfaces at this time. I was surprised , and happy, to see the driver was WASAPI. I had never seen that before and I assumed it was the on board Audio drivers that were involved. Both machines are 2012 so the newest of any off the self PC I'd been in possession of.  I build my own and never install on board audio as a rule.  
 
WASAPI seems very stable and so far so good. Haven't recorded anything yet.. This machine, an Acer laptop I brought to work and will be using it to tweak midi files  for my music programming here.  I'm just firing up some Christmas midi files as we speak..  It's all just editing, I don't have a mike or a controller here ( yet)   I will try a few tests like the loop back and report in.. 

Hmmm, I realize that I haven't paid attention to WASAPI. I think I assumed I had to use ASIO with mine I/O's
Can I use it with my Scarlett 18i20 and Tascam us1641(separate machines/rooms).
"yes, I'd like some lower latency! Thanks".... LOL
I believe my wife plans to use her usb mic straight into Sonar HS. She does have a small  Tascam iru something...
Michael

WASAPI with SONAR (I don't know of any other program ATM that works with the low-latency Windows drivers) can give results that are similar to Thunderbolt...I'm measuring 3 ms with a Realtek chipset. This also means there will be no reason to use ASIO4ALL with SONAR running on a laptop.

This also means there will be no reason to use ASIO4ALL with SONAR running on a laptop.
 
THAT, is good news. Hey, there might be hope for Soundblasters too!!! :) 
 
From what I've read, WASAPI is to the PC what Mac owners have had with Core Audio. 
So we can add that there's no reason to own a Mac now unless you like spending money... 
 
I've been messing around with HS today, only negative,, and I say only, is the SI drums.. Hard to go back from AD to this. All else is very perky and I hate to say it, for me an improvement in work flow over the Big guy. 

the asio4all-bashing is tiresome

pwalpwal
the asio4all-bashing is tiresome

I need to invest in a lighter stick or aluminum bat. Good cardio and aerobic benefits though.

Well WASAPI turns out to be just as iffy as MME on some machines.. On my Acer 2012 Laptop it seems to be fine for playback and working with midi. I haven't tried recording yet but seems stable so far with MIDI only and VST
. 
On my Sony 2008 Laptop I managed no problem to perform the loopback test in 4 different driver modes. WASAPI came in late, It was no better than MME on that test. Only ASIO ( using my Tascam) was right on. 
On my 2012 HP Paviion i7 I could not record any audio at all, Audio engine would drop out after 1/2 second. Lots of warnings about this and that.  I tried every possible setting and each of the drivers,, gave up. Weird that the Sony worked and this one didn't. 
I waiting for Photobucket to upload my screenshot and I post a new tread regarding the loopback test and my experience so far with working in HS. 
 
All three test machines running Windows 7 64 bit.  

Hi,
 
I'd like to know how many busses are allowed per project in Home Studio version.
 
I have Music Creator 7 and it has a limit of 8 busses per project.
 
And how many VST slots per track? MC has 4.
 
 

Cactus Music
Well WASAPI turns out to be just as iffy as MME on some machines.. On my Acer 2012 Laptop it seems to be fine for playback and working with midi. I haven't tried recording yet but seems stable so far with MIDI only and VST
. 
On my Sony 2008 Laptop I managed no problem to perform the loopback test in 4 different driver modes. WASAPI came in late, It was no better than MME on that test. Only ASIO ( using my Tascam) was right on. 
On my 2012 HP Paviion i7 I could not record any audio at all, Audio engine would drop out after 1/2 second. Lots of warnings about this and that.  I tried every possible setting and each of the drivers,, gave up. Weird that the Sony worked and this one didn't. 
I waiting for Photobucket to upload my screenshot and I post a new tread regarding the loopback test and my experience so far with working in HS. 
 
All three test machines running Windows 7 64 bit.  

Noel mentioned this in another thread, but M$ didn't enhance the WASAPI core audio functionality until Win 10.  Your Win 7 machines may not see (as you noted) a benefit.