Suddenly getting pops in BReverb2, even offline processing

[crazy sniffable]

 

Some time in the last 3-4 weeks, BReverb2 has started producing "pops" through the audio. This is the cakewalk-specific BReverb2 plugin. 

I've kind of worked around this issue by increasing the ASIO buffer size. I usually have it pretty small, around 64 samples. Increasing to 128 reduced it, and at 256 it seems to be gone.

However...

1. I don't understand why increasing the buffer size works at all.

The same popping issue occurs when using the plugin offline, ie: exporting audio or freezing the track, where the ASIO buffer size shouldn't be a factor. Maybe I'm not understanding how the buffer is used? When mixing audio offline, why are ASIO drivers involved at all? There's no interaction with h/w.

I know that ASIO buffer size and CPU usage are linked in playback/recording - the smaller the buffer, the smaller the period that audio processes can be delayed before buffers run out and audio glitches occur. But CPU usage - again, when bouncing/freezing a track, why would CPU usage be an issue? Bounces should just take longer.

2. Why do I suddenly need the increased buffer size?  

I did install new version of Cakewalk by Bandlab recently, and also signed up for a paid BandLab membership and installed the newly released Sonar. The problem occurs in both. However, it also occurs in Sonar Platinum which hasn't had an update in some years...    I can't say for for sure it wasn't happening before those app updates - occasionally I get pops or other audio issues and a reboot solves it, so I don't always pay attention too much when it happens. All I know is that I had some heavy usage a few weeks ago and did lots of live loopback recording using that plugin and there are no pops in that recorded output with the 64 sample buffer size.

I kind of doubt this is an issue with BReverb2 itself, but I read somewhere that new versions of CbB overwrite the BReverb2 plugin every update and people have had to go back to an original installer each time, but I've never done this - maybe it only applies if people have the non-cakewalk version? Is there a way to reinstall just BReverb2 from an older version of Sonar/Cakewalk?

It could be Windows of course, and I've done all I can do there (uninstalling latest updates, etc.) without re-installing Windows from scratch.

Has anyone else experienced this recently?