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Frequently asked questionsAudio and MIDI FAQs ► Audio dropouts, clicks and pops when playing and recording

The term Dropout is sometimes used interchangeably to describe a few different behaviors. Technically, a dropout is when samples are dropped during playback and/or recording, resulting in the transport stopping. Sometimes the term Dropout is mistakenly used to describe events not sounding audibly despite the transport passing over them, or it is used to describe an audible stutter, click or pop during playback.
Before proceeding, make sure SONAR is correctly configured for use with your sound card or audio interface. Please visit www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/Audio-Hardware-Setup-Guide for recommended settings for many popular devices. We also recommend updating your sound card or audio interface's drivers to the most recent version available from the manufacturer's website.
1.
Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Driver Settings.
2.
If you are using WDM/KS or MME(32-bit) drivers, adjust the Buffer Size slider to the right toward Safe.
3.
If you are using ASIO drivers, click on the ASIO Panel button. This opens your sound card's proprietary control panel. If the ASIO Panel button does not launch your device's control panel, try to open it from the Windows Control Panel or from the Windows Task Bar.
Note: For the majority of dedicated audio interfaces you will want to use ASIO drivers for the best stability. This can be applied by going to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Playback and Recording and setting Driver Mode to ASIO.
5.
Click Apply and then OK to apply any changed settings.
1.
In SONAR, go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Sync and Caching.
2.
Increase the Playback I/O Buffer Size and Record I/O Buffer Size values. Typically you will want to increase these settings in double increments. For example, settings such as 128, 256, 512, 1024 and 2048 are recommended. 256 is the recommended default starting point.
Note: It is not recommended to select Enable Read Caching and Enable Write Caching. Choosing either of these options lets your software use the Windows disk cache while reading or writing audio data. Your software will usually perform best with all caching disabled, which is the default setting. If your computer has an older IDE disk controller, or a disk controller that does not use DMA transfers, enabling caching may improve audio performance.
3.
Click Apply and then OK to apply any changed settings
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