VS-700C and the future

Does anyone know how future releases will effect functionality with the VS-700C? Perhaps that was poorly worded, I have no doubt it will continue to work, but will new features be inaccessible to the controller? This is the only thing that's holding me back, with Cake releasing new versions every year, who knows how long this thing will stay awesome?! Also, what happens after Sonar 10? Complete rebuild? Controller rendered pretty much useless?

Yeah i kind of guessed that, I was mainly wondering what will happen after Sonar 10, if they'll continue with Sonar, in which case the VS-700C would be safe or if they were going to start from scratch and bring out a totally new program. Ah stuff it, who am I kidding, I'm getting one anyway!

This is where I get annoyed though - I love living in Australia, but it totally sux balls for inflated pricing. I'm about to place an order for a whole bunch of gear - will cost me round AU$39000 to buy within Oz, but AU$30000 from Sweetwater. Pretty big saving, but, add on 15% import tax and shipping and it's not so pretty. Any great ideas on how to dodge the import tax?! I should just accept it and move on with my life, but it hurts so bad - I really don't want to give Mr. Rudd another $4500!

Hi to James.

I am in Melbourne Australia. I agree about costs but consider the excellent support you will get from Roland here in Australia if you do buy it here. I am a product specialist for this system and Roland have got some very good people here who know a lot about it and are very helpful.

Cakewalk is excellent with support and the forums are good too but Roland here in Austraila are fast. For example Cakewalk might take a couple of days to respond and if you have some issue at for example 2pm in the afternoon then in the states it is midnight the day before and you might not get a response for a while. But if you email Roland here at that time you will hear back within the hour often.

One day my cosole just completely went off the air and stopped working. Sonar was still fine. It was nothing more than a setting that had changed itself in the control surfaces menu. I never touched it but after hearing back so quick I was able to just reset it and all was fine. But I could not function at that point for a while though and it felt scary! Of course now if it happens again and its rare I know exactly where to look.

I dont think Cakewalk are going to start over and bring out a new program either. It is an evolution process and why scrap all the great work they have already done. Sonar 9 and 10 will be further developments of current versions I am sure.

Check out the Intelliware site too here at this link:

http://www.intelliware.com.au/ProductTutorials/sonar.aspx

They post a new tip up there every month. This is coming from our Roland people here. Download the ones that are there now and keep an eye on them for future reference. That applies to anyone reading these forums. They are a good source of tutorials.

Thanks for that Seth. I must make sure that I let them know. I have had no V Studio issues at all. It has been amazing. My last contact with Cakewalk was a Sonar issue and I did not mind it taking the time it did anyway. (it was a keyboard controller issue in the end anyway) Cakewalk were of course very helpful as usual. In Australia we have got some great Sonar and V Studio support help here too at Roland. And when the time (business hours etc) is not necessarily the best there for you, it usually is well covered here.

I'll find out soon enough, mines on the way this very day. Some of the oldest, most obselete gear made is still awesome today. A peice of equipment like the VS 700 will stay usable for a long time I think. I'm sure bigger and better things will come along in the realm of DAW's and sound but that is natural. Right now today, it completes a Sonar based DAW.

ORIGINAL: jamescollins
Does anyone know how future releases will effect functionality with the VS-700C? Perhaps that was poorly worded, I have no doubt it will continue to work, but will new features be inaccessible to the controller? This is the only thing that's holding me back, with Cake releasing new versions every year, who knows how long this thing will stay awesome?! Also, what happens after Sonar 10? Complete rebuild? Controller rendered pretty much useless?

Im interested to know how it's working out CRG!!

I'm gonna pull the trigger on one of those big boxes soon.

regards,