Anyone Sticking With Sonar 8.5

I had 8.5 and I now own x1 too. If you have everything in 8.5 that you need to make your songs, then I would suggest staying at 8.5. Right now there are quite a lot of bugs still being fixed in X1 and so if you encounter a bug it can stall your workflow. If you need some of the new features in X1 then by all means take x1. Here are some new features that are new to x1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHk9_EPD_P4     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PXkRMQTTsE

hope this helps

I'm sticking with 8.5. All the infighting and bickering on the X1 forum is enough to make me want to steer clear of it.

I am still running Sonar 7PE on Windows XP.  It is all very stable and works fine without any issues.  I don't feel a strong desire to upgrade at present.

Maybe it's migration fatigue.  I moved all my stuff to a laptop last year while my main PC was in storage/transit.  The main PC was wasn't working properly when I got it back.  I ended up reinstalling everthing.  Meanwhile I was I building a new separate DAW PC, which initially had issues due to a faulty PSU.  It's great now that everything is finally working properly.  I am happy to stick with my current setup for now.

ronboy


I know that I'm in the Sonar 8.5 forum. Is anyone here planning to stick with Sonar 8.5 and not upgrading to Sonar X1. Well, no upgrading to Sonar X1 for awhile? Why? I don't want to upgrade because I just see a more complicated program with a new learning curve! What's you thoughts?

I waited until a couple of months ago and made the switch. I enjoy using X1 a lot more than 8.5 - but I am a fan of 8.5 as well. So not knocking it. My experience is that I do navigate and move a bit faster in X1. So it's my go-to daw software. I have found it to be more pickier about some of the plugs I had loaded and that caused several crashes in the beginning. All of those plugs were older / freebies and they are now removed. I still get the occasional crash, but not often enough to warrant going back to 8.5. Apparently, there is another version coming at the end of August (X1C) to address some of the problems. But for now, I would say go for it. It's good software.

If I change from 8.5 (which is very unlikely) I'll propably go to another direction. If I have to face a real learning curve, I'd rather expand my vision and try another brand.

I'm not at all interested in X1 now, but that doesn't mean forever...

(..or to be accurate: I bought 8.5 over a year ago but haven't installed it yet on my main machine. Haven't worked one minute with it yet)

I bought 8.5 because of the free X1 bundle (sale last december).
I'm very happy with 8.5, and don't plan on installing X1 anytime soon.  Both because 8.5 fills my needs, and because of the remaining X1 issues i'm reading about.

Still 8.5. Does what I need. Have learned to wait for the 3rd upgrade or so before changing
JOhn

you give an honest answer,but you'll never jump to the next level till you jump up in technology.
i can drive around in last years model of a ford mustang,but id rather be driving a brand new one...these two versions arent all that different...there a new gui with alot of the same features..getting used to where new button placement is takes what???a few weeks

There is no next 'next level', Kalle. 

There's only what's in you're heart & mind. 

If you have the time to write & record those feelings with whatever system you choose... then do it & don't listen to others telling you you have to change or upgrade.

Like you've said...

Life is too short. 

P.S. Hope the flat's ok. 

I purchased X1. The sealed installation disc is still on my desk propped up against my monitor.  The whole "Let's redo everything" notion isn't working for me. I don't have time to learn where everything is again. That combined with all these other issues people seem to have just makes it seem not worth the effort and time.  I'll probably never install X1... 8.5 works great, and it's rock solid on my system.

Bristol_Jonesey


I'm running both 8.5.3 & X1

8.5.3 for all old/unfinished projects but all new stuff is created entirely within X1

Haven't had a crash for months working this way.

exactly what I do.  I had crashing problems with X1 when I first installed it, but that has been resolved and now X1 has been very stable and usable for me.  I do, however have a couple of lagging projects that I am going to finish in 8.5 and not port over - mainly because of GR3.

I'm definitely staying with 8.5- unless someday they create something with VARI-SPEED!!! 

There's a couple things about X! I really didn't like: especially the completely changed tools... also no way to change colors- I hate looking at GRAY all day! 

I do wish Cakewalk would continue upgrading the 8.5 line- I'd love to continue supporting them. 

murphmusik


I've been on 7PE since it was released. It serves my purposes and then some. I haven't even explored all that it can do.

I spent 6 months at Berklee learning how to use 7PE and got my nice little certificate.

I do not want to start over again!

Murph, at least get 8.5 man...honest when I tell you, it blows 7 away without you having to relearn everything. More cool ways to do things...go with 8.5 and stay there for life. LOL! I've had my comments about X1 and think it's a decent program that will probably be pretty killer once it's fixed up. However, and I mean this from the heart, I could stay with 8.5 for the rest of my life and not ever buy anything else. Of all the Sonar versions, 8.5 wins for me hands down with everything that I could ever want or need within a DAW for the most part. Definitely look into it...it blows PE7 out of the water on all counts yet isn't so different you don't know what you're looking at like X1. :)

Murph, at least get 8.5 man...

Where?

when DAW software was changing so much 10+ years ago, I think upgrading made some sense.  To just stay current is another "pull" to upgrade, as someday with a new rig, will be the time to get the newest software potentially too, and that might make a transistion less painful.  Some of the VSTi you just can't run on a Pentium2 with a gig of RAM...like Omnisphere... so you kinda have to stay computer updated and staying aboard with X1 kinda makes sense too... so you don't lose the benefits of what is current.

However, I used reel to reels for a looong time and Sonar 7pe is what I use and I can navigate thru it quickly to get tracks down quick.  Like others said, investing time in staying current and learning X1 isn't the priority, versus just making music.  Yeah...pro channels sounds cool, but not at the expense of having to get as comfortable with a new program.  At that point, it may be Pro Tools 11...who knows..