Playback slower after PC sleep, despite correct BPM indication

Cubase
1

System: Windows 10, Cubase Pro 14
Interface: Mackie Big Knob Studio+ (Mackie ASIO driver)

Since recently I sometimes encounter the following behaviour.

When I reopen a project after my PC has been in sleep mode overnight, the project plays noticeably slower than normal.

However:

  • the BPM shown in the transport bar is correct

  • the tempo track is unchanged

  • the project played correctly before putting the computer to sleep

Restarting Cubase immediately fixes the problem and playback returns to the correct speed.

The piece ends with a small rallentando, so I wonder if Cubase might be keeping the final tempo value after sleep instead of correctly following the tempo track when playback starts again.

I previously used a Steinberg UR-RT2 and never experienced this behaviour. It seems to have started after switching to the Mackie Big Knob Studio+ ASIO driver.

Has anyone seen this before? Could this be related to the audio driver or a sample-rate/clock issue after Windows sleep?
Is restarting Cubase the only workaround, or is there another way to re-initialise the audio engine?

2

In all honesty, I would not put the PC at sleep over night, or any other time.

I am not a PC aficionado but I do think that it would be best to never put the PC at sleep whilst working, or in between work.

In addition, it is good to shut the PC down overnight, and even turn the power off, from the socket, so that the RAM can clear. If you leave the PC to Sleep mode, the RAM (as far as I can understand) doesn’t clear, which means that you are working with an overloaded RAM, hence, slowing down your PC.

3

Unlikely, as the tempo is read from the project and the value is checked and updated.

To me it sounds more like it’s a sample rate issue on driver retrieval / re-initialisation.

4

No, but I have had other major issues when putting my DAW machine in sleep mode so I just never do it. Other computers I’ve used for other tasks I’ve been able to put to sleep with no issues, just not my DAW ones.

Sounds quite plausible.

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