Hi all, I've trying to sort out my latency problems with Sonar and a Line 6 UX2 guitar interface with some great help from this forum, but without success. I've ended up running Microsoft's RATTV3 tool to try and pinpoint the problems. The large time it comes up with are as follows: RktHDAudio.sys 20.0ms USBPort.sys 2.7ms atapi.sys 30.0 I've just installed a new Realtek driver.... any thoughts on how to proceed? Thanks.

Realtek will never have low latency because it does not have low latency drivers nor is it designed with that in mind. It is a general purpose audio device for playing MP songs and windows sounds.  If you want low latency you will need an audio device meant for that purpose. 

Why do think there are so many add on cards for this?

Perhaps I am confused, isn't the Line 6 UX2 an audio interface with ASIO drivers?

So, to the original poster, what settings are specified for the interface, and what settings are set in Sonar?

I am speaking of Sample Rate and ASIO Buffer Size, and am assuming your Sonar Driver Mode is set to ASIO and using the Line 6 UX2 as its interface.

I am still confused in any case, because the specs for the original poster list both an M-Audio 2496 AND the Line 6 Pod Studio UX2, both of which seem to me to be audio interfaces, and it is my understanding that only a single set of ASIO drivers can be used at a time.  So, if the specs are correct, and if my understanding is correct, then how would that work?

Bob Bone

Right, I appreciate the Realtek onboard card is not suitable. I don't use it for making music, I mention it only because RATTV3 said that it (along with USBPort.sys and atapi.sys) were causing latency problems, and have BIG numbers (micro seconds?) associated with them. If I'm just trying to generate some music within Sonar I use the M-Audio card, I just use the UX2 when I want to add my own guitar playing. But that's when the problems start. Its all set to ASIO, I have tried various buffer sizes and sample rates, but the sound dropouts remain. If I use the DPC Latency tool, I can see the graph frequently going into the red when I use Sonar via the UX2. :(

I don't know either. The latency seems in line with using a Realtek driver. And the OP talks about installing a new version of the Realtek driver. 

I agree with your points. 

The guy is not clear about what he is doing.

To the original poster, you have MULTIPLE drivers specified, and it is not at all clear WHICH one you use.

Please pick ONE interface, and get everything set to that interface, and THEN talk about what issues you are having.

You CANNOT use 2 devices and ASIO at the same time, so unless your driver mode in Sonar is changing to something other than ASIO, you cannot have both the M-Audio and the Line 6 interface connected AND using ASIO.

So, please make it easy on yourself, and on us, by picking ONE and then let's get that working.

Since the Line 6 has ASIO drivers AND 1/4" inputs, why not take the M-Audio completely out of the equation by removing it altogether from your system for the moment?  (leaving the Line 6 interface using ASIO mode and the ONLY interface specified in Sonar and the default device in Windows).

THEN tell us what problems that causes you.

Thanks - just too many things going on at the same time for no understandable reason, 

Bob Bone

Angus,

It sounds like you're trying to use 3 audio devices at the same time.  With the UX2 you don't need to use your on-board sound card or the M-Audio card.  Unplug the M-Audio (if it's a usb device), disable your on-board card in the device manager, and then only use the UX2.  You shouldn't have any latency at all since the UX2 provides direct monitoring.  Make sure you have the latest drivers.  And perhaps, you need to do a little more reading of your manuals and become more familiar with your equipment.  Good luck.

I have noticed my laptop has been a PITA since turning it on for music again the other week. it used to be fine.. so I can only put it down to software updates.

I noticed once I did update a few drivers (including a realtek HD one) it improved a fair bit..

*BUT* here is something I saw from focusrites site.. it might be to do with you usb ports.. and if it's using a generic hub

 http://www.focusrite.com/...en/article.php?id=1127

So you've got 3 soundcards:

Line6 UX2 (USB)
M-Audio 2496 (PCI)
Realtek whatever (onboard)

Questions:
1. Which one are the speakers currently connected to?
2. Is there anything that you ever run that wouldn't work just fine with the UX2 alone?

Guys, apologies - I seem to have confused everyone with my ramblings. The facts:

My problem is when I configure Sonar to use the UX2 (for my guitar parts) it becomes unuseable because of dropouts. I've been using the tools DPC latency checker and RATTV3 to try and track down the problem. RATTV3 generates a report that points to RtkHDAudio sys, USBPort.sys and atapi.sys as the drivers that are causing the biggest delays in my system - BUT I'm not using the realtek at the time, just the UX2.  


Sorry for the confusion, I'm pulling my hair out over this, (and I can't even format my text with carriage returns!)  :)

Thanks.