I'm obviously a new user here. I bought Sonar 8 ages ago retail and received the free 8.5 upgrade. I stopped recording for a while. Recently I got a new computer and decided to upgrade to X2 during the sale you guys were talking about. It was extended through the 24th of September (if I recall correctly). I bought on the the 22nd. On the 25th there was a thread about X3's release being leaked. A few days later X3 was released. In my case, I paid $100 for the X2 upgrade and would have to pay $150 to upgrade to X3. Had I waited I would have been able to upgrade from 8.5 to X3 for $200 as opposed to $250.
 
I can see why people would be upset at this sort of thing. In my case, I only needed to hold off for a weekend. It's frustrating. I tried contacting customer service to see if they would provide a discount on the X3 upgrade so that I would pay $200 total but have received silence. Guess I'll just wait till the next sale.
 
As a side note, X3 looks really nice. Especially for somebody like me who's a hobbyist and doesn't have an army of 3rd party VSTs on the ready. That audio to MIDI feature also looks great. As a second side note, I know some people long for the glory days of Sonar 8.5 but, Skylight is a fantastic interface. I'm enjoying making music a lot more now.

paulo
So it never occured to you that it was being discounted for a reason ? The specific date limit of the discount offer wasn't some kind of a clue ?

Why would it? They have sales all the time. They also extend sales all the time. They're going to have another sale around Christmas. Does that mean X4 will come out after Christmas? Also, there are usually multiple patches of each version. X1 had several. X3 is already at b. X2 was at X2a. Obviously you have the benefit of hindsight but, by your logic, I should never buy anything on sale because something newer and cooler is about to come out.

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, I just don't really think you have much to complain about. 8.5 to X3 for $250 is still less than people who have religiously bought each upgrade have paid.

I think Steven should be given a $50 discount for the next version release when it comes out next year, ie X4, as a matter of fact I think I should too as I had the exact same experience as did Steven.

@manto,,, try making your case to one of the bakers in a pm. 

paulo
I'm not saying that at all, and no hindsight required. What I am saying is that when a product that is known for having a yearly(ish) version cycle and the current version is a year or so old and is being heavily discounted, that it could be an indication that it is some kind of clearance sale and that this should be considered when purchasing. You seem to think that you should get a special deal even though you already got the existing version at considerable discount. If X2 stopped working the moment X3 came out, your point would have some merit, but it doesn't. It's yours to use for as long as you choose to, There is no compulsion to buy X3 now or ever. If you wait a year it will no doubt be cheaper, but then you will presumably be unhappy because X4 came out too soon afterwards ? Would you consider it reasonable for those who paid full price for X2 on the day it came out to start complaining that you got it cheaper than them ?
 
I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, I just don't really think you have much to complain about. 8.5 to X3 for $250 is still less than people who have religiously bought each upgrade have paid.

Paulo. I think I'm being misunderstood. Yes X2 still works. Yes I'm not required to get the new version. I wouldn't consider it reasonable for somebody who bought X2 the day it was released to complain because they got a full year's use out of the product. Yes, $250 is less than people who have religiously bought each upgrade have paid. At the same time, many of those people use Sonar for their livelyhood and can justify the annual cost more than somebody that does this (pooly, I might add) for fun, such as myself.
 
What was annoying was how the announcement came out of nowhere. Take a look at other companies. Apple has announced an event in October There was several weeks notice. People don't know what will be announced at the event (though they have some good guesses) but, at least, they won't be surprised. What I was upset about was the fact that the announcement came out of nowhere. If Cakewalk has posted on their site that a big announcement was coming up. I would have waited. In my case, I made the wrong purchase because I was off by 1 business day.
 
Anyway, this will be my last post in this thread. I have been messing around with X2. I am enjoying it even as I struggle with comping takes while looking at X3 with envy. Hopefully the new interface gets me to stick with recording a little longer this time. Feel free to find me for more productive discussions in the newbie section of the board while I try and figure out all the changes that have happened since 8.5.

I think, IMO from the "new" customer stand point, (such as I am) who decided to risk and invested in X2 when the sales were on, was a strategic manoeuvre by cakewalk sales to squeeze out as much $$$ as they possible could with its new release of X3.  For that purpose I think this action (cakewalk) is very short sighted, and for me (as a new customer) questions the very foundation of the trust I have with this company. Any future investment with them (cakewalk) for me will always question the trust relationship "they" (cakewalk) have built with me, should I trust them next time?  (from my perspective, I think not).   

I'm willing to bet that among those with experience with different DAWS/Plugins/misc sound software who have been around the block a few times, that Cake would not be considered to be near the top of the "greedy" tree. 
 
They make a product they enjoy to make a living and make money. They have a history of caring and being responsive which many of us can vouch for.
 
Sorry you feel like you do.

JimmyBoy
rant this maybe.
 
You may not think so, yes I do get it, I see your point of view - it is business as usual after all. Hey I'll go back to my day job, do what I do best, earn my hard earned money and then for the weekend pickup where I left and tinker with recording using sonar again, no big deal.
 
If one of my buddies ever asks what I think of sonar - my response would be, "yeah seems like a good product BUT don't take their sales seriously, they aren't really sales they are simply an indicator that a new version is in the horizon, maybe go first checkout some other product before you trust them..."
 
And hey, your response here is, (so to save your fingers from typing) is "...pfttt who cares what you think, your just a whinger..."  

 
All I can say to this is "Why does any company have a sale?"
 
Do you think that some companies have sales for altruistic reasons?
 
Please don't dissuade other people from using software that might enrich their life just because you bought some program when a new version was imminent.
 
Perhaps tell them to DEMO the various software to see what will best suit them, not what you feel has got you the best deal.
 
You may be surprised to know that I don't always recommend Sonar to all my students.  I try to help them find the right software or hardware for them.
 
I don't think you're "just a whinger"..  You have your own perspective.  It is hard when you spend money on a hobby.  Just be grateful that it's not golf - "£3000 on a set of clubs that Biffy bought for £259 the very next week."
 
Happy music making. 
 
 
 

bobguitkillerleft

leebut
Bob,
 
The Cakewalk store is secure. I doubt that future pricing decisions will be published. You could wait till the next sale, but I'm not sure when that would be. I haven't been a Cakewalk customer for all that long, so don't know about product/price change frequency. 
 
Hope you get your computer back to normal soon.

Hi,
Thanks for the friendly encouragement lee!
 
As for X3,well X2 will have to do[and it DOES mostly],and no I don't think  $149 is a bad/expensive deal,so no "wine" for me....blech-or any alcohol for that matter[just not my *cough* of choice].
 
Just trying to elicit a simple answer from a "Staff Member" If one could be "so lucky",as to wether the $149 USD offer,will"Last A While,or "For How Long"?[while my machines are tied in knots ATM]
seems to be a toughie I guess?
 
Sure it's only for a "cakewalker" who has been using since May 2011 with a $265 box of X1 Studio[shipped from the US-before Oz had ANY X1 "boxed versions" at all],followed up by another boxed[though locally sourced]X1 Producer for $300,then I learned a teeny bit more about "computers",and got on the a,b,c,d,expanded "train" for fair bit[once converted by the local bank-with a "international transaction" fee of 10 bucks per hundred[in AU-converted of course],but if that's "whining",especially after what I've been through lately,well I don't think so Kings X'ers.
Cheers[with a $#%^in cherry on top-to the nasties!]
Bob

 
Bob, this is a peer to peer forum, so cannot guarantee a response from a "staff member".
 
Try emailing Cakewalk customer support - you never know.

What AT describes on p1 is exactly what happened to me. I procured a hard copy of X2S at the low, LOW price of $100. I was extremely excited, of course! Aoubt 1 month later, X3 comes out, and I'm all like, "whaaaa", but thankfully I bought through Sweetwater (not advertising) and I basically upgraded from Music Creator 3 to X3 Studio for $100. 

cliffr
I find it awful looking through threads like this.

 
and so do I, there would be a reason for this don't you think???
 

cliffr
I'm happy to be quite blunt and call the whiners exactly that - stop whining and get a grip on real life.

 
OK thanks - that helped - now I feel so much better - thanks for that.
 

cliffr
Companies have sales all the time, and it is MOST COMMON for a sale to occur, to make way for the up and coming latest model / upgrade or whatever.
 
This does not just apply to software, it applies to everything - cars, computer hardware, games, clothes  - you name it ... heck this is common in every industry. If you can't see that, you should probably think about wrenching your head out of the sand and taking a good look around you.

 
Usually sales on cars, computers, blah blah are transparent, new models are always announced before they come to market, (just the other day I bought a PS3 game and yet I know in a few months PS4 will come to market this game will not play on a PS4 - I don't regret buying it, in fact I'm glad I did!) this is why they tell you the sale is on... Furthermore, there is a huge difference on software and a car or a computer, dn't know about upgrades on clothing though :) - for instance if I buy a car for 15K and it was on sale then how could I be offered an upgrade at a much reduced price?  I don't get your logic on that point...
 
Nevertheless, I mentioned it before:-
 
"If one of my buddies ever asks what I think of sonar - my response would be, "yeah seems like a GOOD product BUT don't take their sales seriously, they aren't really sales they are simply an indicator that a new version is in the horizon, maybe go first checkout some other product before you trust them..."
 

cliffr
I find it hard to fathom how people can make themselves feel so hard done by, when they've actually signed themselves up to a sweet deal.
 
Ahh never mind, I can't be bothered to spend more or energy.
 
Cheers - Cliff

 
Agreed!

this has been going on since the beginning of time,
a caveman buys a club for 2 pterodactyl bones and the next week
there a better price.
 
my theory is when you want something you buy it, when you don't, then don't.
I bought a car that sold for 24,000.
when the upgrade came out it was 22,000.
sure I was a bit upset, but I needed a car. what was I going to do, go back to the dealer and say, I want my money back ?
cant, its part of marketing.

Well, I can understand what some people are saying but I've found that if you hold out, then you can always find a deal!  I bought Sonar 8.5 Pro, full retail at only £129 from a UK shop just before X1 came out.  They had a great deal on at that time and then when X1 came out, I was entitled to that for nothing.
 
I then took up the special offer for Expanded for a really silly price, it was a no brainer and then last year, the £39 upgrade to X2!  So I've never paid a full retail price and on that basis, I've had great value.
 
The real question about pricing will come about when Tascam re-brand Sonar and start selling it under their portfolio!
 
I wonder what the upgrade pricing will look like then...

Is sonar "X" the Major version number, the 1,2,3? is this the minor version number and is for example X3e the bug fix version?
 
You know like Windows 4.0 and then Service Pack 1, (accumulation of updates/hotfixes and some new features) makes it 4.1 and a hotfix like a security update fix makes it 4.1.235 with ie KB2929825 blah blah blah 
 
Usual software policy is if the major version changes, in this case sonar X to sonar Y then this is a major version change and the 1, 2,3 and etc,.. are basically updates.
 
I'd be interested to know Cakewalks policies on this, eh not really though..
 
So will the new Sonar version be Sonar Y?
 
I dunno talking rubbish now I think... just trolling, I'm outta here..