CW Sonar 2025.07 playback Dropouts/Stuttering, but not in CWbyB 2024.12 latest update

[Kristian Knudsen]

Hi,

Alienware Laptop Windows 11 and Roland Quad Capture.

CW Sonar 2025.07 playback Dropouts/Stuttering

Tried:

• buffer 128/256/512
• enable / disable MCSS for ASIO Driver
• enable / disable MCSS
• ThreadSchedulingModel 1,2,3

CWbyB 2024.12 latest update

works fine with default:

• buffer 256
• enable / disable MCSS
• ThreadSchedulingModel 1

 

Last post I found on this topic was from 2023 and it's only since trying out CW Sonar 2025.07 that I have seen this issue on my system with CW Sonar Platinum Lifetime, then CW by Bandlab (CWbyB)

Edited yesterday at 04:13 PM by Kristian Knudsen

[David Baay]

A few more things to check/try:

Uninstall Steinberg Generic Low Latency ASIO driver if present.

Remove Realtek entry from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ASIO in the registry.

Reset AUD.INI via Preferences > Audio > Configuration File > Reset...

If it doesn't help, you can restore the backup that the process creates. If it does help you can compare the two files to see what's different.

And, of course, make sure you're testing with the same project using the same audio and MIDI driver selection(s).

 

[Colin Nicholls]

Some other DAWS or Audio programs may reset the buffer size and other ASIO settings , but Sonar just opens and uses the ASIO settings at whatever they currently were set to last.

SO if you are comparing DAWs or whatever, double check before you open a project in Sonar that the ASIO buffer settings are where you expect them to be.

[Kristian Knudsen]

16 hours ago, David Baay said:

A few more things to check/try:

Uninstall Steinberg Generic Low Latency ASIO driver if present.

Remove Realtek entry from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ASIO in the registry.

Reset AUD.INI via Preferences > Audio > Configuration File > Reset...

If it doesn't help, you can restore the backup that the process creates. If it does help you can compare the two files to see what's different.

And, of course, make sure you're testing with the same project using the same audio and MIDI driver selection(s).

 

Thanks, this might need to go to the SW team...

System:
Processor        Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz   2.21 GHz
Installed RAM    32,0 GB (31,9 GB usable)
System type      64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
HDD              Samsung 970 EVO Plus PCIe 3.0 SSD

Not so fun coincidence was Windows factory clean installed a few months ago (due to Windows/Nvidia problem like many have reported with the Windows  24H2 graphics change BSOD etc.)

Edition    Windows 11 Home
Version    24H2
Installed on    ‎20/‎05/‎2025
OS build    26100.4652
Experience    Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.128.0

OS, APPs and Audio project are all on a this fast  PCIe 3.0 SSD.

 

"Steinberg Generic Low Latency ASIO driver" nope...

 

These are the only ASIO in registry:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ASIO\QUAD-CAPTURE
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ASIO\Realtek ASIO

 

Regarding "Reset AUD.INI via Preferences > Audio > Configuration File > Reset..." 

So maybe do the  "Reset AUD.INI" via "Reset Config..." not sure and where is the "AUD.INI" located?

In any case not sure this is relevant if I have the right drivers and no other ASIO.

 

The Driver current settings, but several different configs tested:

 

No Midi, my bands song example here is with 81 tracks sorted in groups: 

A few plugins are used, but almost exclusive Cakewalk (and I have currently no 3rd party installed), this runs without as hitch in CWbyB, but not in this new Sonar 2025. They have the same settings, I used default in CWbyB.

16 hours ago, Colin Nicholls said:

Some other DAWS or Audio programs may reset the buffer size and other ASIO settings , but Sonar just opens and uses the ASIO settings at whatever they currently were set to last.

SO if you are comparing DAWs or whatever, double check before you open a project in Sonar that the ASIO buffer settings are where you expect them to be.

Yes I have other audio Software installed (I'm an Acoustic Engineer and Musician), but don't run them in parallel unless is use suspend mode etc, since Sonar is using the the Audio interface exclusively.

To test this I need to close Sonar 2025 completely and wait a second, after this start CWbyB. If you start either Bandlab DAWs to quickly the Audio interface in not released yet, this has always been like that. When using suspend mode etc. many other this can happen, so I try not to use it.

 

By going back and forth between the two DAWs there is only CW Sonar 2025.07 playback Dropouts/Stuttering. I don't have a reference on CW Sonar 2025.06, since I just installed this to test for the band, since we are using the DAW live for rehearsal and mix etc. on other PCs as well. Not currently testing until this is resolved.

CWbyB was running default, since no issued were observed, again only in CW Sonar 2025.07

[David Baay]

7 hours ago, Kristian Knudsen said:

81 tracks

Check that your Playback I/O [disk] Buffer is the same in Sonar as in CbB.

And do remove the Realtek ASIO entry from the registry; probably of no consequence, but it's not compliant and Sonar won't work with it anyway so it might as well be invisible. If you ever have a need to use the Realtek interface, change Sonar to WASAPI mode.

The "Configuration File" is AUD.INI; in the past we would rename it manually to have a new default one would be created automatically on launch. The Reset function just makes it easier, automatically backing up the existing file and replacing it with the default. Doing this after removing Realtek ASIO from the registry will ensure that AUD.INI contains no reference to it.

You might also try unchecking that 'Low Latency mode' box in the QuadCapture's ASIO panel. That reduces the interface's internal firmware buffer at the cost of some dropout-resistance.