That's true... Cakewalk always use MIDI as the metronome, unless you use audio track to sequence "metronome like" wave to guide the beat. You must have at least one MIDI device listed in the Options --> MIDI device to use MIDI metronome (and off course you have the device actively). IOW, you can't use DXi...
OK, here's the deal, I fooled with MIDI a couple of years ago when I had Cakewalk. I didn't like it and decided to play everything live. Now, even though Sonar recognizes my MIDI devices I can't seem to play or record anything MIDI. Is there anyway to get the metronome to play without using MIDI? This is a pain...
You can download the groove clip moskus attach on post above (audio file) and "sequence" them to act like metronome... there ou go... metronome without MIDI in Cakewalk...
It's a Creative SB Live. It's weird, when the metronome is on I can hear it very, very faintly, like MIDI is muted somewhere...but as far as I know it's not.
Anyways, I'll try and figure out how to sequence that groove clip.
Go to your "Windows mixer" (double click yellow speaker icon near taskbar), and make sure something labeled "Synth" or "Internal MIDI" is not muted. Raise the volume level as necessary. I never had any metronome problem using Soundfonts with SBLive!