Reference Guide

1654
Preferences dialog
• Dim Solo Gain. Dim Solo is a mode in which non-soloed audio tracks/buses are still audible but
at a reduced level. The default gain reduction is -6dB, but can also be configured for -12dB and -
18dB. For more information about Dim Solo, see “Dim Solo mode” on page 200.
Default Settings for New Projects
• Sampling Rate. The Sampling Rate list allows you to enter or select an audio sampling rate for
a new project. After audio has been added to the project—either by recording audio or by using
the File > Import > Audio command—you can no longer change the sampling rate for that
project. Therefore, you should choose the sampling rate immediately after choosing File > New to
start a new song.
You can choose one of the following sampling rates: 11025 Hz, 22050 Hz, 44100 Hz, 48000 Hz,
88200, 96000, 176400 and 192000 Hz. The default used by SONAR is 44100 Hz, the same rate
as audio CDs. However, you may choose a higher rate and later mixdown to 44100.
You can also enter any hardware supported value in the Sampling Rate field. Consult your
hardware documentation for supported sampling rates.
Mixing Latency (MME and WDM drivers only)
• Buffers in Playback Queue. This value determines the buffer characteristics for transfers to
and from the audio drivers. Lowering this value improves audio “Latency” on page 1914, though
making it too low makes your system more susceptible to stuttering or dropouts.
• Buffer Size Slider. This control lets you set mixing latency manually, overriding the value set by
the Wave Device Profiler. Lower numbers increase the risk of audio problems. WDM sound card
drivers offer lower latency than the older MME type.
Wave Profiler (MME and WDM drivers only)
Wave Profiler attempts to detect the make and model of your sound card, which determine the card’s
DMA (Direct Memory Access) settings. Once Wave Profiler identifies the card, it displays the results
and asks whether you want to use the default settings for that card or to override them:
If Wave Profiler has identified your card correctly, you may accept the default settings. Otherwise,
Wave Profiler will run a series of tests to attempt to determine the correct DMA settings. Usually this
process is successful; however, if it is not, you will need to enter the correct settings in Edit >
Preferences > Audio - Audio Profiles.
To determine the correct settings, consult your sound card documentation. Our web site, at
www.cakewalk.com, contains the latest DMA settings for commonly used sound cards.
The Wave Profiler utility runs automatically the first time you run SONAR. You need not run it again
unless you install a new sound card or an updated driver for your current sound card.
Wave Profiler will not analyze the card at the 48 kHz sampling rate. It assumes that 48 kHz settings
are the same as 44 kHz settings. If your sound card doesn’t sync to 48 kHz, you may need to enter
the settings manually.