Sonar Audio Dropouts (have searched the forum & pressed F1, still...) [FIXED]

Did you try downloading dpclat meter? Try it and see if you still have some processes running that you might be unaware of, otherwise seems like you should not be having any issues. Your computer is 5 x faster than mine and it should run fine.

This is really strange because, as I mentioned, these crazy dropouts only started happening recently in this simplistic project and when I reopened old projects.

 
If you have wireless on the laptop, try turning that off when using Sonar or any other host/app like it.
 
 

I never heard of the "dpclat meter" and I don't see anything in google either. Where do I download it?

dpclat is the name of the executable. The tool is more commonly known as DPC Latency Checker.


http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml


As CJay mentioned, there should be an "ASIO Panel" button below the grayed out buffer size slider that will take you to the ASIO buffer setting for your interface.

Hmmm....have you installed any new vst's lately?
Often a dodgey plugin can cause mayhem!

OK, so yes the updates are turned off.

I DID install Ampitube 3 not too long ago (over Amplitube 2). I unintalled 3, rebooted the box, & still running into these dropouts. And I went into the Device manager, turned off WIFI, networking & modem, but to no avail.

Beginning to feel like I'm beating a dead horse.

Hey guys, I really appreciate all the help and feedback you've given. However, I'm unfortunately still having trouble. This is strange because as I mentioned a couple months ago, Sonar worked flawlessly without dropouts. I had to take a couple-month break because work increased, but now I'm back to making demos and can't get the DAW to work properly.

I tried to think of what was different between then-and-now:
1) I use an external monitor now (using my laptop's internal card). I tried disconnecting the monitor to use the laptop screen only but this had no effect.
2) I had installed Amplitube 3, but uninstalled it the other day - the dropouts are the same.
3 (now) I even uninstalled by Antivirus, but this had no effect
4 (now) In Device Mgr, I disable Bluetooth and wireless controllers. This has no effect.
5 DPCLAT meter registers 700-1100ms
6 I've adjusted latency to the highest to use the least CPU but this has no effect.
7 Use Multiprocessor is clicked, the MMC option is clicked as well (although when unchecked it has no effect)

The simple project I'm working on right now has 1 rhythm WAV loop with 3 guitars running amplitube VSTi. It works fine with 2 guitars, but as soon as that 3rd one is added, the dropouts occur, I'm unable to record. Freezing 1 of the prexisting tracks helps, but this is only a temporary solution and I've never used this historically.

So what are my solutions for software? Are there any other tweaks I can do that I have overlooked? Would disabling the USB hosts (in device manager) work (but my MIDI keyboard and my Tascam US122 are both connected through USB)?

Are there any hardware solutions? I cannot afford a new computer, but a new USB-powered Soundcard to replace the Tascam? Is there even a guarantee that this would work? 

I'm at my wits end here, folks. Thank you!

And I went into the Device manager, turned off WIFI, networking & modem, but to no avail.

That may not be good enough. You may have to go into the Bios to turn it off. Try it.
Cj
 

Turning off networking isn't enough if you have tens of thousands of pages in the browsing history. Do you remember to delete the browsing history regularily or do you have the settings to remove it automatically?

One guy had 34 000 pages in the memory. He sais his laptop was like new after deleting those.

Well...the guy I refer to (it was here in one of the Sonar forums) was strugling to get Sonar working properly. I don't remember if it was dropouts or latency or what, but deleting the huge browsing history solved his problem.

Latency check numbers that high sound like a misbehaving driver. Unfortunately you have to go through and disable them one at a time to find the culprit.

on my system the network drivers are problematic as well as the built in USB hub (don't ask me why).

With them disabled, my system will hover between 30 - 55 microseconds on a latency check. Otherwise it sits up in the hundreds.

I damn near disabled every driver, including USB hosts & networking, internal sound card, etc, and still am getting latencies in the 1000 microsec range. I might get a cheap box and use it exclusively for music production.

You don't list any external or internal "audio only" drives. Do you have/use an audio drive in your setup?

I remember seeing someone mention that the power settings affected their DPC latency.  I don't remember where the thread is, but if you search you might find it.   Seems setting things to maximum was the fix, if I remember correctly. 

You tricky devil you!

That fixed it. I went into Control Panel -> Power Settings and it was on Power Saver. Changed it to Maximum Performance. Also, for safe measure as per the 1st link in brundlefly's post above and disabled in Device Manager Microsoft-ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery. (I always thought those Power Modes applied to Battery-Power only, not to AC-Power as well). 

Latency shot down the 45 microseconds!!!!!!!!!!! I am able to run Sonar without dropouts, with plugins, etc.

Thank you everyone for your patience and helping me solve this problem. Kudos to you all!


     

Duke_of_boom

I remember seeing someone mention that the power settings affected their DPC latency.  I don't remember where the thread is, but if you search you might find it.   Seems setting things to maximum was the fix, if I remember correctly. 

You tricky devil you!

That fixed it. I went into Control Panel -> Power Settings and it was on Power Saver. Changed it to Maximum Performance. Also, for safe measure as per the 1st link in brundlefly's post above and disabled in Device Manager Microsoft-ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery. (I always thought those Power Modes applied to Battery-Power only, not to AC-Power as well). 

Latency shot down the 45 microseconds!!!!!!!!!!! I am able to run Sonar without dropouts, with plugins, etc.

Thank you everyone for your patience and helping me solve this problem. Kudos to you all!


     

Woo hoo!  Another mystery solved hehe
 
Make some gooooood music now :)
 
 

Your right, it was!!! I take everything I said about Brundlefty and then some!!!!