ORIGINAL: esen

I am in the process of upgrading from S3 producer to 5 producer. 2 days to go and I can't get this done. My trouble is my billing address is a PO Box number. My delivery address is home. I know they will not deliver to a PO box but the order will not process when I have my proper billing details because of that. It rejects on the basis of their delivery policy! I put in my home address and it rejects the deatails as you would of thought. I did not have the box checked as delivery and billing address the same. Any ideas as I am desperate.....help! Emailed Cake but thought this might be quicker. Cheers guys.

As I understand it, the billing and delivery information must submitted exactly as it is reads on your credit card account...Example, if you live on "Maple Street North", and you have your credit card address registered as "Maple St. No.", if you submit billing info as "Maple Street North" there will be an error in processing the order due to a discrepancy in what your credit card provider has on file...FWIW, this is probably an additional security measure to help deter identity theft...Can't be too careful these days!

I was having the same problem but took the advice of another Aussie Sonar user and contacted Sweetwater, they reply to emails quickly and courteously, After a few emails I rang and sealed the deal. I did this rather than ring Cakewalk and by the way I do not consider Cakewalk a slack sales department but a producer of Great Music Software anyway who has a ..... , after a couple of emails to Sweetwater I could see that customer service was valued there, I'm sorry to say I did not receive anything but a condescending response from sales for Cakewalk.
Ken

Hey Adroen going to give that a shot. Thanks for the info. I could also have another problem as the billing address is in my wifes name!! I did quite a few variations in those fields but fingers croosed for your method. Cheers again...fingers crossed

Edit: Info answered by Esen.

So, all of us who already own Sonar 5 Producer...will WE get a discounted or free upgrade to Sonar 6?

Yes, with the exception of those who triple-post questions.

Thanks for the suggestion to call Cakewalk regarding the blank DVD they sent me instead of Sonar 5. I sent them a note yesterday but have heard nothing in reply. (I would think they'd be apologetic.)

Now I am on hold (10 minutes and counting). I have been loyal to Cakewalk since their pre-Windows software. I don't know if the company has been sold in the past few years, but this is pathetic!!!! My $179 "free" upgrade with the Sonar 5 purchase probably represents over $1000 since the original purchase.

Well last day and I gave up with Cakewalk. Rang our Australian distributor Intelliware and enquired about the free upgrade. Karen there was very helpful and confirmed that it did include the upgrade. Ordered it and will be here within a few days!! How easy was that. No billing problems what so ever. Go Aussie.

ORIGINAL: Adroen

...I know now that enquiring through e-mail to them probably isn't the best plan of action...

Difficult to believe that in the 21st century we can't always rely on what should be reliable communication technology...Unfortunately, that is often the case when relying on email...One never knows when a server (on either end of the communiqué) might suffer a momentary "brain-fart" and send the email floating into cyberspace with no true sense of direction...I never rely on email for important correspondence...I always make a phone call and then send an email to confirm what was discussed...That's a lesson I learned the hard way...

ORIGINAL: bosone

ok... i just purchased my upgrade from S4SE to S5 (+6!) SE.....
just two questions...
i'm in italy... does everyboy know if it is possible to receive the package as "gift" or with a "promo invoice" or with a declaration of a lower money value for the package content, in order to avoid to pay import taxes (duty fees)??
i wrote a mail to cakewalk support (by compiling the online module...) let's hope for the best!
have i to do something to receive sonar 6 or i have to just wait?!?! :-)

As you are in the €-Zone I don`t think you have to pay duty fees. The packages for Europe are sent out from Ireland. I am in Germany and had not to pay a (Euro-)Cent extra.

Hey I would like to jump in and post a little information on the upcoming pricing for SONAR 6 upgrades & our reasons for not pre-announcing features.

---------------------------------

The upgrade pricing for version 6 will basically have the same structure as for version 5 with a couple exceptions:

SONAR 3 customers will now be grouped with SONAR 1 & 2 customers for SONAR 6 Producer Edition upgrades. That means when we start taking orders for SONAR 6 upgrades, SONAR 3 customers will pay $249. If you currently have SONAR 3 Studio Edition your price to upgrade will be rising $20, if You have SONAR 3 Producer Edition your price will be rising $70

SONAR 4 & 5 Studio Edition customers will be able to upgrade to SONAR 6 Producer Edition for $229.

So if you are a SONAR 3 customer and money is an issue for you on the upgrade you should upgrade to version 5 today before the offer expires.

In addition SONAR 5 Studio Edition Customers, your upgrade Price to go to SONAR 5 Producer Edition is currently $199. Once we announce Version 6 and start taking pre-orders, the price to upgrade to SONAR 6 Producer Edition will rise to $229. So you would save $30 if you upgraded today.

SONAR 4 & 5 Producer Edition customers will be eligible for the best upgrade pricing for Version 6 Producer Edition, and that will stay at the same price of $179.

---------------------------

Regarding pre-announcing features for Version 6.

This is a complex issue, but it essentially boils down to the following. Our international distribution agreements keep us from announcing new features for certain products too far in advance of the product shipping. I really wish we could tell you about version 6. It's very exciting.

SONAR 6 is coming soon. We're offering the free upgrade to customers this month to keep you from feeling slighted when version 6 is announced. However, if you are not comfortable in purchasing SONAR 5 based on its merits alone, I would suggest you wait to learn what is coming in version 6.

-------------------------------

What will be missing from SONAR 6

The only plug-in that is present in SONAR 5 Producer Edition that will be missing from SONAR 6 Producer Edition will be the Lexicon Pantheon Surround Reverb

Hmm. But it does´nt say anything about upgrading Sonar 5 SE to Sonar 6SE.
I bought Sonar 5 SE in middle of july and how much will it cost me to upgrade to V 6 SE?

ORIGINAL: Stratoblaster

What about those of us who upgraded from 4PE to 5PE in July at the discounted upgrade price? I thought we were supposed to get an offer to upgrade to 6PE for the amount of that discount ($50 I think, in my case). I noticed the "upgrade to 5 and get 6 for free" offer ends tomorrow; I hope that deadline doesn't apply to those like me, since I haven't yet received the offer. Thanks.

Per Carl: http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.asp?m=823200

Anyone who bought SONAR 5 in July will be eligible for a special offer on 6 when it is released. The offer on version 6 that will be extended to you will be for the difference in upgrade prices from July to August. So if you saved $50 in July, your upgrade will be $50.

(emphasis added)

I'd guess you'll receive the upgrade offer around the time that Sonar 6 actually ships. There may be some shipping delays (as reported recently with Sonar 5 upgrades). Most likely, people who bought/upgraded to Sonar 5 in August 2006 will get Sonar 6 first, followed by those who purchase an upgrade (or a new copy) after Sonar 6 becomes available in the Cakewalk webstore. (I think that's what happened last year).

BTW -- as many people know, this is the first year (IIRC) that Cakewalk made any accommodations for customers who bought the upgrade in July. Previously, if you bought an upgrade from an older version to the current version on July 30 -- you were out of luck on August 1 when Cakewalk announced the forthcoming release. There was no special pricing for people who bought current Sonar at the "summer madness" pricing that's usually offered in July. (This pricing pattern has been going on for at least 5 years, btw). Some customers got pretty aggravated about it (not me).

This year, Cakewalk has provided special accommodation for people who bought Sonar 5 in July and feel they missed out on the free-upgrade-to-Sonar-6 offer. Such people are really in the best position of anybody right now: they have Sonar 5 already (which they obviously wanted); they got Sonar 5 at the best price of the year; they can either stick with Sonar 5, or upgrade to Sonar 6 for only the difference between July and August pricing --- and they can wait until Sonar 6 is released, and all details are available, before they have to decide what to do.

- Jim

Dear Marketing Director,

Do you have any influence with Cakewalk Customer Services? If so, could you find out firstly what has happened to my Sonar 5 Producer Upgrade, order acknowledged by CW Direct on 10th August? Secondly, could you find out why your Kelly Brennan has stopped replying to me, after she initially showed some interest in my case?

I have called on the phone, but, as I am UK based, paying fill-rate international charges to be placed in a call stack is no fun.

Hope that you can help.

Hey there gang: I just sent my upgrade from S4PE to S5PE into cakewalk via website. I am very exited, but have a concern. I upgraded at 8PM EST (-6GMT for those non-US) August 31st. I am planning (hoping) that this is still within the deadline for V6 free. I realized I forgot to order after I had a long overtime at work. I was planning on phone ordering at my office and got swamped! I hope I did not miss the cut!