SilkTone
Yes I was also talking about the WinRT API (for all hardware), not Windows RT (Windows build for ARM only) which is a dead horse. The WinRT API is supposed to be the feature for both desktop and "modern" apps. However I'm pointing out that it has a very music-unfriendly foundation as MS ripped out things that are required for low latency audio. We no longer have the ability to change thread priorities. All low-latency audio APIs have been removed, leaving only WASAPI shared mode.
 
Also, the async/await pattern permeates the WinRT API. It doesn't work with traditional thread locking primitives (due to that it now results in a compiler error if you mix the two). Async/await also causes thread priority inversion, which is most likely why they removed all ability to change thread priorities, and hence had to remove WASAPI exclusive mode also [read: It isn't going to be easy to fix it after the fact].
 
I while ago I did an extensive set of micro benchmarking showing how async/await kills performance. I first realized there was a problem when I tried to port a real audio application to a "modern"/metro/toy app. Yet if you read Windows dev blogs etc people are going gaga over async/await.
 
It is somewhat concerning to me.

Hey SillkTone! As Noel mentions, our team has been engaged with Cakewalk folks (including Noel) about our Windows 10 enhancements. We are hoping to talk about this in much more detail at this year's //build conference. We definitely are aware that low latency is very important in this area. As Pete Brown and I mentioned in our talk at //build last year (something like "Sequencers, Synthesizers, and Software Oh My!"), this is an area that we recognize we dropped the ball in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.
 
To succeed in getting new apps on all our platforms, we _have_ to solve this problem. We will be pushing the ball forward in Windows 10 and continuing to push push push in future updates as well. This will be an ongoing focus of our audio team as we strive to get it lower and lower and solve the problem in a way that is satisfactory for running apps in a shared multitasking environment. 
 
Can you shoot me an email at jasolson AT microsoft DOT com? I would _love_ to connect you with the PM on our team driving our efforts in this space so we can make sure your voice is heard directly on the team. Especially given your experience in trying to port apps, we really want to hear more of the frustrations you ran into. And we definitely want to hear about your benchmarking with WinRT APIs to ensure future plans on our end don't succumb to the same issue. As WinRT is basically COM + Metadata, and COM can be a very chatty protocol if not careful, we will need to stay on top of that. 
 
Thanks for your effort in the past SilkTone! I only wish we would have had our ears to the ground with Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. There's a lot of work for us to do to repair these issues, which is one of the reasons I'm so excited we have an entire team now dedicated to "Media Creation" and can focus on issues like audio latency and MIDI :). 

Jason its really great that you folks are engaging with users at this level! We're definitely seeing a renewed focus on issues important to media creation from Microsoft over the last year and we are very optimistic about the new direction.
For the benefit of our users there are quite a few Microsoft employees who are SONAR and other DAW users so they have good reasons to make sure Windows serves us well :)
 
thank you,
Noel

Jason, I'm totally impressed that you posted your email address to the forum! This has been my experience with all Microsoft employees I have known. They have all been 'evangelists' in their own right. They have always been helpful and knowledgeable. You are obviously just as open and you get my praise for it.
 
I'm wondering if Windows has any plans to support 'class compliant' interfaces. I don't know if there's a benefit for users of efficient asio drivers, but I'm always interested in open standards and what they can do to make all development cheaper. Could I use my RME UCX to make a multi-track recording on a Windows Phone in the future?
 
Also, so you are aware, I use 'Presentation Mode' when recording. Would it be possible to build in low latency adjustments to 'Presentation Mode'?

Jason, thanks for dropping in! I will write up a detailed email and send it later today or tomorrow. I am glad to hear there are efforts to address these issues.

Why get the jitters? If you're running mission critical software that has not been officially announced to support Windows 10, then hold off from upgrading until it is.

Why get the jitters? If you're running mission critical software that has not been officially announced to support Windows 10, then hold off from upgrading until it is.
 

Arise, dead thread, arise!
 
Since this conversation, MS have made a really interesting, though slightly obscure, buried in a technical presentation, announcement about improved low latency operation in Windows 10.

I have now upgraded my office system to the tech preview - of course, I'm not running Sonar or other music apps there, but I can say that so ar with the latest 10074 build, it's running smooth as silk as an in=place upgrade from 8.1.
 
Of course I know that it is recommended not to do this, but I am ok with the risk, since IT is my game anyway, and I have a fully functional Surface and other systems around that run just fine.  I also have a VM that I could load up anywhere that is running the apps I need, if I had to go that route.
 
Now I wait until the Editor/Roland drivers for the PCR-800 come out.  It's the only thing on my music system that didn't like Windows 10 at the time of the January build.  Maybe it's changed since then, but I'd rather not take the chance, as that pcr-800 has no wall wart (here) and doesn't even get power from USB without the right driver, so I can't even use it as a regular midi device with a different midi interface, which I have - and works under 10.
 
I wonder why the Roland driver is SO particular about not working, when even devices like the Line6 UX2 and Layla 3G are working under Windows 10 just fine with Windows 7/8 drivers.

I have the 10074 version installed.  Compared to Windows 7 or 8.1 that are on the same PC (it is triple boot 7/8.1/10 each on a separate hard drive) it is slow.  On line apps that are almost instantaneous on 8.1 take minutes to load.  Updates fail the first time the install is attempted, takes two or more attempts to install.  I have nothing extra installed on my Win 10 other than Sonar (for testing) and the driver for my Roland Studio-Capture (and it works).   I realize Win 10 is still "beta" but these are basic functions, not functionality that may be added in the RTM version.

This is quite normal behaviour for a preview release, I find these releases a waste of time unless you need to develop on this platform. Personally I wait until at least 6 to 12 months from final release before I install any new OS.