ARM64 support in Sonar and Next

[Noel Borthwick]

We're beginning testing of ARM64 versions of both Sonar and Next.

Please complete the poll if you have interest in using/testing these products.
Also, if you would like to beta test these, please respond to this thread to add your name to the list.

Read this to learn more about what's coming in Windows on ARM64 for musicians:

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/windows-music-dev/making-music-on-windows/

The more interesting bullet there is the in-box ASIO driver which should work with most USB-2 class compliant audio devices on ARM (and X64).

[Glenn Stanton]

i think will will be interesting - i don't have an active ARM64 device i would use either testing or otherwise, but i think if it becomes stable on ARM64 i'd likely find a reason to get a more modern device 🙂 

[Noel Borthwick]

It's kind of low risk. X64 apps run fine on ARM64 devices via Microsoft's emulation layer which is actually surprisingly good.
Today the main blocking factor is to ensure that your audio interfaces have ARM64 drivers. Once Microsoft releases the inbox ASIO driver this will be less of an issue.

I'm running the RME ARM64 ASIO drivers and the Steinberg UR22. Both go down to very low latency 48 and 32 samples and can play without glitching on Next and Sonar for ARM64.
 

[John Vere]

@Noel Borthwick Are you saying that interface manufacturers are releasing this as an alternative driver or is / will it be included in the ASIO driver package? 
 

Example I have 3 fairly modern interfaces, Motu, Zoom and SSL. Im not expecting to need a new interface for a long time. 
Should I be watching for a driver update that adds ARM 64? 

[Noel Borthwick]

Most driver vendors would likely release ARM64 drivers soon I imagine. RME and Yamaha have shipping drivers, and I expect other vendors would follow.
Even if your vendor doesn't release a driver my hope is that the Microsoft inbox ASIO driver would cover those bases. That would actually be cool not just for ARM64 but in general for devices that don't have ASIO drivers at all, resulting in some users using ASIO4All.  
Whether its bundled as part of the ASIO driver package or included separately depends on the manufacturer. Currently its a separate download from RME.

[John Vere]

Thank I just finished reading the blog you posted a link to. This is definitely an important step in the right direction. 
Well if one of my interfaces puts out an Arm driver you can definitely sign me up for testing. 
 

[Noel Borthwick]

Note that you need a PC has an ARM chipset like the new Microsoft CoPilot PC's or from another vendor.
ARM software or drivers will not work on X64 hardware.

[John Vere]

2 hours ago, Noel Borthwick said:

Note that you need a PC has an ARM chipset like the new Microsoft CoPilot PC's or from another vendor.
ARM software or drivers will not work on X64 hardware.

Hmm. That will most certainly rule out a lot of Musicians! Many are still on W10. I just built a new PC and I expected to use it for 10 years like the last one.  

[Noel Borthwick]

Well X86 is not going to go away soon so there is nothing to worry about.
Microsoft is heavily invested in ARM and the next generation of PC's is moving towards ARM so its good for everyone to have options. ARM is vastly more power efficient so very well suited to mobile use. Also there are some high-powered desktop ARM solutions on the horizon as well.

https://wccftech.com/qualcomm-snapdragon-x2-cpus-to-feature-up-to-eighteen-oryon-v3-cores/
https://www.windowscentral.com/hardware/cpu-gpu-components/next-gen-snapdragon-x-elite-core-count-leaks-heres-what-we-know-so-far

 

 

[Kevin Walsh]

It's great to see that you guys are embracing ARM platforms! I was going to pick up a Surface laptop but had to buy a Mac Book Pro M4 for work, which I loathe. I'll pick one up when Snapdragon shows up in desktops. 

[Noel Borthwick]

We have been working with both Microsoft and Qualcomm for Snapdragon / ARM compatibility and now have optimized builds for both Sonar and Next that run natively on ARM64 processors.

This is great for users who want a laptop solution that is powerful and yet battery efficient. Desktop solutions are coming soon as well.
There are already some ARM64 ASIO drivers available and many other vendors have them in the pipeline. Later this year Microsoft will be releasing an inbox ASIO driver that will work with any USB2 class compliant audio interface so it will be more widely available even for older audio interfaces. Note that you can also use onboard audio through WASAPI and it works well with the Snapdragon builds of Sonar.  

See this great video that Qualcomm put out featuring us. If you already have a compatible CPU you can download an ARM64 build of Sonar from the above link.

 

[Noel Borthwick]

ARM64 support is now available in Sonar 2025.06. If you have an ARM PC Sonar will automatically install an ARM optimized version rather than an X64 version. Read more about it here.
 

[kitekrazy1]

So what is ARM?  Is this referring to tablets?

[Starship Krupa]

On 6/26/2025 at 8:31 AM, kitekrazy1 said:

So what is ARM?  Is this referring to tablets?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AArch64

AFAIK the architecture is (so far) mostly found in mobile systems.

[Mark Morgon-Shaw]

On 6/26/2025 at 4:31 PM, kitekrazy1 said:

So what is ARM?  Is this referring to tablets?

It's a CPU architecture that's been powering phones, iPads, and smart fridges for years because it sips power rather than guzzling it like traditional x86 chips. But now it’s showing up in full-fat PCs — like Apple Silicon (which is ARM-based), and the new Snapdragon-powered CoPilot+ laptops from Microsoft.

[Grebz]

What about third-party plugins? When you switch to an ARM-based computer, you can now use Sonar's ARM version, which is great, but do the plugins work somehow? I guess not, unless there are specific, available ARM versions of these plugins?

[pedwal wally wally wha]

it would be nice to get a proper response from the devs, like which plugins they've tested with, but here's what google's ai says from the prompt "arm cpu vst" (tldr: uses a wrapper, mixed bag):

Quote

VST plugins for Arm-based CPUs, like those found in some Windows on Arm devices and Apple Silicon Macs, can be a mixed bag. While many VST3 plugins can be used through Arm64EC (a compatibility layer in Windows on Arm), some might not be compatible or require specific configurations. 

Windows on Arm (WoA) Compatibility:

Arm64EC:

Windows on Arm uses Arm64EC, which allows x64 (Intel/AMD) VST plugins to be loaded and used within native Arm64 applications, including DAWs. 

VST3 & ARA:

Steinberg products like Cubase and Nuendo on WoA support VST3 and ARA, but not VST2. 

Initial Tests:

Early tests suggest that many x64-based VST3 plugins, including those from major manufacturers like Native Instruments and Waves, can be used on WoA, but iLok-protected plugins might not work, according to Steinberg Support. 

Performance:

While Arm64EC allows running x64 plugins, performance might not be optimal compared to native Arm64 plugins. Developers are working on native Arm64 versions. 

DAWs:

Some DAWs like Reaper have experimental builds for Arm Windows, and users might need to experiment with different DAWs and plugins to find what works best, according to a Reddit user. 

Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) Compatibility:

Native Support:

Apple Silicon Macs offer excellent performance for native ARM64 plugins, but compatibility with older x64 plugins can be a concern.

Rosetta 2:

Apple's Rosetta 2 translation layer can run x64 plugins, but it might not be as performant as native ARM64 plugins.

Plugin Development:

Some plugin developers are actively working on native Apple Silicon versions, but it may take time for full compatibility to be achieved, says Image-Line.

DAWs:

DAWs like Logic Pro and Ableton Live have native Apple Silicon versions, but you might need to run them in Rosetta 2 mode to use certain x64 plugins, according to an Image-Line article. 

General Tips:

Check Plugin Compatibility:

Before switching to an ARM-based system, check if your essential plugins are compatible, especially if they are iLok-protected or rely on specific hardware drivers. 

Consider Offline Activation:

Some plugins might require offline activation or manual installation of files, as mentioned in a YouTube video. 

Explore Alternatives:

If you encounter compatibility issues, consider exploring alternatives like LV2 or LADSPA plugins, or using an external audio processor. 

Stay Informed:

Keep an eye on announcements from plugin and DAW developers regarding ARM support and compatibility updates. 

 

[Wookiee]

From reading that, it very much appears the responsibility for functionality of VST Plugins, on an ARM CPU lies with the plugin creaters not the DAW creators. Just as the DAW working on an ARM CPU is the DAW creators responsibility.

Which is totally unsurprising, when VST plugins were first introduced, the DAW creators had modify their code to use VST plugins. 

[pedwal wally wally wha]

4 minutes ago, Wookiee said:

From reading that, it very much appears the responsibility for functionality of VST Plugins, on an ARM CPU lies with the plugin creaters not the DAW creators. Just as the DAW working on an ARM CPU is the DAW creators responsibility.

Which is totally unsurprising, when VST plugins were first introduced, the DAW creators had modify their code to use VST plugins. 

sure, some will work, other won't, but it's a bit like swapping to linux right now, all very well having the host work but what about all the plugins we've bought?

would be nice to know which VSTs the team have tested with (i'm assuming all the bundled plugins work)

[msmcleod]

From my conversations with Noel about this, unlike MacOS which forces you to use ARM64 plugins if you run as ARM64, and forces you to use x64 plugins if you're running in Rosetta,  ARM64EC will allow you to run a mixture of ARM and x64 plugins. 

What I'm not clear about is whether ARM64EC will run only ARM64EC & x64 plugins,  or ARM64, ARM64EC and x64 plugins.  I suspect its the latter though.

There will be a small performance  hit when running x64 plugins on an ARM machine though, as it'll be emulating the Intel code.