What latency setting would you suggest? I just got this new laptop. I haven't had to configure anything for the past few years. I coming over for Sonar 8.

Here are my driver settings: My playback and recording time master is set to the Scarlett 2i2. Audio bit driver depth: 16 64 bit double precision engine is checked. Dim solo gain -12dB Sampling rate 44100 Buffers in playback queue: 2 Buffer size: 70.2

Here is a quick guide from Focusrite that covers a few things you may want to try to optimise your system for audio:
http://www.focusrite.com/answerbase/en/article.php?id=1071

Also, make sure you have the latest drivers for your 2i2:
http://www.focusrite.com/products/audio_interfaces/scarlett_2i2/downloads/

I have my Focusrite 2i2 set to 1ms in the Focusrite control panel. ASIO mode set in Sonar. I've put it through the paces from 44.1khz up to 96khz without dropouts.

A couple things about my system, I have disabled my onboard sound, I have my 2i2 plugged into a dedicated PCI USB 2.0 card. I've had trouble in the past with usb interfaces plugged into various onboard usb ports.

I would set it as low as you can go while tracking. I don't use a laptop either, but i typically keep mine at 1.5 to 5.6 ms or so depending on what's going on in the song. When mixing you can turn this up higher as you need to add more fx. Basically the lower the latency settings, the harder your CPU will have to work. But that's it's job :) As you add more fx/processing to your mix you may have to bump up the latency. This may be putting the cart before the horse tho - move the thing around and experiment and see if you start to get a clean track recorded.

Cool, hopefully audiyo's links can help you out. i am really out of my depth with laptops and USB devices. Hope you get it working!

Thanks for taking the time to help me out, it's very much appreciated! Okay, I went through the Focusrite optimization steps and lowered the latency down to 20.msec, and 883 samples.... recorded a tracks and it's completely clipped out, not dropping/chopping like it was, it's consistent clipped. Another small step?

Also, lowered the Focusrite to 1ms. Can't get any audio now, it's back to Audio Dropout Error. What do you have your track in & out set to?

Ok that's good - now it sounds like a level issue? if your waveform looks clipped you need to lower your input level.

At the moment I have the Focusrite driver set to 1ms

For reference, here is my configuration in Sonar:

*Viewing preferences menu in advanced mode*

Preferences-->Playback and Recording: 
  Driver Mode = ASIO


Preferences-->Audio Data:
  Record Bit Depth = 24


Preferences-->Driver Settings:  

  Playback Timing Master: 1: Focusrite USB 2.0 Audio Driver Output 1
  Record Timing Master: 1: Focusrite USB 2.0 Audio Driver Input 1
 
  Sampling Rate = 44100
  ASIO Reported Latencies:
    Input: 5.0ms, 222 samples
    Output: 6.1ms, 267 samples
    Total Roundtrip: 11.1ms, 489 samples 


If you are having drop outs/crackling and such, try quitting out of Sonar and upping the latency in the Focusrite panel from 1ms to 2ms and so forth until you reach a setting that works ok for you.

As far as the clipping sound is concerned. You may be clipping your inputs. Are the led indicators on the 2i2 turning an amber/red color a lot? They should stay in the green.

One thing to note about the 2i2 is that if you're recording an electric guitar or bass with active pickups (and even some with passive) with the 2i2 channel set to inst, even if you have the gain all the way down on the 2i2 you'll still get a pretty hot signal. So be careful of that. It's easy to clip this thing. There are some who complain of this on various forums. For me personally, with the gain set as low as possible, it's pretty much a perfect level for recording with my particular guitar.

Anyway, Good luck. Let me know how things go.

I'm pretty sure he's using wdm ..not asio .....