Instruction Manual

868 Improving Audio Performance

Improving Performance with Digital Audio

• Sample rate and record bit depth—this field lists the project’s sample

rate and the current recording bit depth

• Disk Space—This field shows how many megabytes of disk space you

have left on the hard drive where your wave data directory is. It also

shows this amount of space as a percentage of that drive’s total space.

• CPU meter—The CPU meter displays the time it takes to process a

buffer full of audio data as a percentage of the maximum time available

to process that data and maintain uninterrupted playback. There is

some tolerance built into the meter, so it's very possible that it will

exceed 100% at times (more so during recording than playback). When

the meter exceeds 100%, it displays the word "Overload."

• Disk meter—The Disk meter measures how much of the available time

SONAR is using to perform input/output functions on your hard disk.

The size of your setup’s I/O buffer (listed in the Audio Options dialog

box, in the Advanced tab) determines how much time is allowed to

perform disk operations and maintain uninterrupted playback. When

SONAR performs disk operations, the Disk meter jumps up in value

and shows the percentage of the allowed time SONAR is taking to

complete each cycle of disk Input/Output.

Note: If you experience a dropout or your CPU or Disk meters are reading

high, there are steps you can take to improve your audio performance. For

more information, see Dropouts and Other Audio Problems.