Haven't upgarded yet, but I plan to do so for V-Vocal (the complete S5 upgrade is cheaper than comparable software on its own) and the MIDI-inhancements. I really like it that you can edit midi in the trackview because then you finally can see where you are in a song. Opening the piano roll always confuses me (even after al there years) because after going left or right a few times I completely forgot where I am in the song. But now you can see everything in relation to the rest
Also the fact that controller data is visible 'underneath' the midi notes instead of the seperate pane seems convenient to me. And I think I will also use the track templates.
Little things like track icons are nice too: very simple but very handy because I always forget where is what after a while.

I only wonder what's so special about the Perfect Space... What's the benefit over a normal reverb? When I listen to the demo's on the Cakewalk site I think: 'What's so special about drowning a guitar completely in some plate effect? It sounds awefull." But maybe I just don't know enough about it. Maybe someone can explain it to me why it's so wonderfull. ;)

ORIGINAL: songsmyth

I didn't want to have to pay extra when Cakewalk releases "Sonar 6 The Ultimate" and only gives a break to "current" users... Don't cha just hate that, eh?

I went from S3 to S5, for $179.00........ For the ultimate price break. So I gained Track Lanes, Mute tools, TTS-1, Track Folders, Track Docking, Inline midi, Track presets. And a bunch of other stuff.

Unless, Sonar6 adds the ability to arm/unarm tracks while the project plays, I'll skip S6, and hope for the same deal to S7.

And I think I will also use the track templates.

Oh man, these are cool! I spent last night setting up a folder of my most common track setups. From now on when I want to add something, it's one click on the "New Track" button, then scroll to what I want to add and...voila!

I agree the convolution reverb was not a big selling point for me...neither was the v-vocal for that matter (though it might make for a cool pitch-shifter on instruments). But the track templates, inline midi (but still no right-click erase???), track folders, track layers etc... it's these little workflow enhancements that really add up to a big deal for me.

Oh and as for the original poster :
I havent upgraded to Sonar 5. i know its cheap, but i cant convince myself to upgrade mainly because im not using all of the existing sonar 4 features themselves. First, i want to learn that stuff in and out, and then, i'll _consider_ Sonar5.

From time and again, reminding myself that i havent realized the full potential of a piece of software, keeps me from getting the upgrade.

Same goes with the Reason 2.5 that i have.

Just dived in. Getting my PE 5 Tuesday.

ORIGINAL: sambasevam

ORIGINAL: thunderkyss

ORIGINAL: songsmyth

I didn't want to have to pay extra when Cakewalk releases "Sonar 6 The Ultimate" and only gives a break to "current" users... Don't cha just hate that, eh?

I went from S3 to S5, for $179.00........ For the ultimate price break. So I gained Track Lanes, Mute tools, TTS-1, Track Folders, Track Docking, Inline midi, Track presets. And a bunch of other stuff.

Unless, Sonar6 adds the ability to arm/unarm tracks while the project plays, I'll skip S6, and hope for the same deal to S7.

this may seem like a dumb question : Why would you want to arm and unarm tracks while playback? Just curious....

I'm more into pre-production, than music production. When I get an idea for a song, in my head, I'm hearing drums bass, riff, all at the same time. When I sit down to Sonar, I want to put them all down one right after another. If I were able to arm/unarm tracks while the song is playing, I can loop a section, put down my drum groove, then my bass, then my guitar, etc.. etc.... I can do this on my Fantom of course, Reason, and other midi sequencers. Logic Audio was able to do it too.
In other words, it'll help keep the music/ideas flowing.

ORIGINAL: thunderkyss

ORIGINAL: sambasevam

ORIGINAL: thunderkyss

ORIGINAL: songsmyth

I didn't want to have to pay extra when Cakewalk releases "Sonar 6 The Ultimate" and only gives a break to "current" users... Don't cha just hate that, eh?

I went from S3 to S5, for $179.00........ For the ultimate price break. So I gained Track Lanes, Mute tools, TTS-1, Track Folders, Track Docking, Inline midi, Track presets. And a bunch of other stuff.

Unless, Sonar6 adds the ability to arm/unarm tracks while the project plays, I'll skip S6, and hope for the same deal to S7.

this may seem like a dumb question : Why would you want to arm and unarm tracks while playback? Just curious....

I'm more into pre-production, than music production. When I get an idea for a song, in my head, I'm hearing drums bass, riff, all at the same time. When I sit down to Sonar, I want to put them all down one right after another. If I were able to arm/unarm tracks while the song is playing, I can loop a section, put down my drum groove, then my bass, then my guitar, etc.. etc.... I can do this on my Fantom of course, Reason, and other midi sequencers. Logic Audio was able to do it too.
In other words, it'll help keep the music/ideas flowing.

But cant you do that by arming all tracks and soloing one-by-one? You can still record on the fly while looping, cant you?