Reference Guide

1314 Improving audio performance
Improving performance with digital audio
• Defragment your hard disk. If you have more than one hard disk in your computer, identify the
disk which contains the SONAR Data directory (this is where your projects’ audio clips are
stored.) To defragment the hard disk, exit SONAR first. Then, select Start > Programs > System
Tools > Accessories > Disk Defragmenter. We recommend that you backup your hard disk
before defragmenting it.
Your project file may be excessively fragmented
Audio data can be processed most efficiently if it is arranged in consecutive physical locations on
your hard drive. During normal SONAR usage, a project's audio data can become fragmented into
chunks stored at discontiguous locations on your disk. Accessing these discontiguous chunks can
consume extra processing time, which can lead to dropouts.
Try defragmenting your project file:
1. Open the project file that has audio problems.
2. Save it as a Cakewalk Bundle (.cwb) file by selecting Save As from the File menu and selecting
Cakewalk Bundle from the Save As Type drop-down list and clicking the Save button.
3. Close the project.
4. Open the Cakewalk Bundle you just closed
Saving then re-opening the bundle file automatically defragments the audio data used by the project,
reducing the chances of a dropout or other audio problem.
When you are ready to save the file again, you may want to save it as a normal (.cwp) file. Saving
and opening .cwp files takes less time than saving and opening bundle files.
Your sound card's driver may be obsolete
Obtain and install a new sound card driver (if available):
• Consult your sound card manufacturer's web site (or contact their Customer Service department)
to check for the availability of a later driver version. If one exists, obtain it and install it on your
computer according to their instructions. With the new driver installed, restart the computer, then
delete the file cw9auddx.ini from your SONAR folder. Launch SONAR and let it re-profile your
audio hardware. When it's done, re-test your audio recording/playback.
• If problem(s) persist, continue with the next step.
There may be a conflict with your video card or other multimedia
streaming card
Some video drivers contain bugs which can interfere with SONAR's operation. Or, the driver may be
“stealing” excessive CPU time away from SONAR (some video card vendors, in an attempt to make
their cards operate faster, supply drivers that tie up the computer's bus for relatively long intervals
(so-called “PCI bus contention”). This can interrupt the smooth flow of audio data between SONAR
and the sound card's driver.)
Try to remove the video card conflict as follows:
• Try turning off “hardware acceleration” on your video card (if available). This may cause more
sluggish screen drawing, but may improve the flow of audio data to your sound card, thereby
reducing the possibility of dropouts.