I got caught out with this today. (If you haven't configured this you should....!)

I have a nice set of stereo monitors, I don't own a subwoofer...

Start -> Control Panel -> Sound -> Click playback device -> Configure (bottom left)... Now select your settings.

I forgot to select that the front left and right as being "full range speakers".

Yikes. I don't see many people talking about this so I thought I'd post it.

Typically, DAW users have their monitors connected to their pro level audio interface and use that audio interface only with SONAR, but not as the default Windows playback device. It 's also more of a trend now-a-days to use the onboard sound as the default Windows playback device, and that's usually a 1/8 inch connector, on the back of the computer. So, good studio monitors aren't, typically, connected to the onboard sound output jack, (being that good monitors are preferably connected via XLR connectors.) So, a good number of users may not run into the problem of missing the step/s to setup those default Windows playback options.
 
However, if your setup includes using good monitors and your good audio interface as the default Windows playback device, and you don't have a subwoofer, selecting "Full Range Speakers," is the way to go.

I don't think SONAR is going to pay any attention to how Windows is configured to use the interface (assuming you let it; I don't). SONAR's accessing the driver directly and using outputs however you have them configured in Peferences > Project > Surround.
 
 

NB there is a setting for each sound device listed, not just the windows default device.
 
I have disabled the motherboard soundchip in the BIOS (as I believe this will improve performance) and everything goes through my Saffire Pro.
So for my system there is only one audio interface.... ho hum....
 
 
 

brundlefly
I don't think SONAR is going to pay any attention to how Windows is configured to use the interface (assuming you let it; I don't). SONAR's accessing the driver directly and using outputs however you have them configured in Peferences > Project > Surround.

 
That's a point.. I will double check but I think I'm saved by the bell :) Cheers :)

I misunderstood your post. I thought you wanted to use your audio interface and monitors as the default Windows playback device.
 
As Brundlefly says, SONAR will access the driver directly. Although your Saffire Pro is listed in the Windows audio control panel, you don't have to set up anything from the Windows control panel to affect how your audio interface sounds in SONAR. Select the Saffire Pro driver (in ASIO driver mode, I hope) in SONAR and use your audio interface's control panel to do any other needed tweaking (input level adjusting etc.)
 
Cya around.

 For the LONGEST time, I had all sound going through my audio interface, but due to some current projects, I have rethought that, and now have the audio interface only used by Sonar, and Windows is set to use the on-board audio chip for all other applications.
 
The reason I have it set this way now is so that I can run songs through a program called The Amazing Slow Downer, while also having Sonar up and running, using the audio interface in ASIO mode.
 
By having both ASIO drivers (using the audio interface) set for Sonar, I get the horsepower of the audio interface for Sonar, and for the Amazing Slow Downer, it uses the on-board audio/
 
The above allows me to listen to song files with the on-board audio, where the Amazing Slow Downer lets me set loop points and also slow the playback WAY down without losing pitch, so that I can figure out really technically challenging lead parts for tunes.
 
The reason I do all of this is because I have a number of really cool progressive tunes I always wanted to play out, and I need to be able to figure them out.
 
Because ASIO allows only one application to have control, the above allows me to have two audio applications up and running concurrently.
 
Ta Da :)
 
Bob Bone
 

CakeAlexS
NB there is a setting for each sound device listed, not just the windows default device.
 
I have disabled the motherboard soundchip in the BIOS (as I believe this will improve performance) and everything goes through my Saffire Pro.
So for my system there is only one audio interface.... ho hum....
 
 
 

I also use my interface for All Sounds!

Cool.. Hey Bob so this could apply to your internal sound card (see original post).

Hi - not sure what you meant - perhaps you could clarify.
 
I am currently using my audio interface with ASIO drivers for Sonar, and the on-board sound chip on the motherboard as the standard Windows default audio device.
 
I then use a y-cord with a mini-jack to take the output from the computer's speaker port, then run 2 1/4" cables into 2 open ports of the audio interface.
 
What this does is allow Sonar to have exclusive control over the audio interface, but I also can have things like Windows Media Player up and running at the same time, and the computer speaker output is fed also through the audio interface, so I only need one set of speakers (my nice studio monitors), to be able to hear both the output from Sonar and the output from other Windows audio applications.
 
Pretty simple to do, but gives me great flexibility.
 
Bob Bone