Very good work guys. My heart kind of sank like many others when I saw membership mentioned but after reading through it before losing my mind, this is how memberships should be done. It's fair to everyone.
 
So far I'm liking a lot of the features. Can't wait to dig in to some of the midi changes.

Leonard
Does this mark the end of major new Sonar releases in the future? Is this now an evolving amorphous product?

That's the idea. SONAR just evolves and gets better every month. 

- The new lineup is straight forward with a slight change in naming.  Props to the naming.
- The membership is straight forward, monthly/yearly it all adds up the same roughly to past upgrades.  Props to the new setup.
- The features, well that's the shortcoming here to me.
 
X3 Producer is solid and if you look at what you get in this upgrade which would technically have been X4, it has a few workflow benefits and some 3rd party bundles.  Most of it doesn't seem appealing or beneficial enough to shell out for an upgrade although some will disagree and benefit with an upgrade but not everyone.  1 or 2 minor features could be useful but nothing earth shattering or innovative.  Virtual Amps seems interesting but expensive to CPU and I have an Axe FX II so its not something I would use.  I use Superior Drummer and iZotope Nectar to cover my VOX and percussion needs, so AD2 and any VOX features are not beneficial for me.  How may more reverbs do we need, you could get lost in that?  Just seems like its more about bundling gizmos and gadgets while ignoring the shortcomings at the core of the DAW which should be a focus.  Let me explain.
 
I have been using Ozone 6 for my complete mastering because Sonar falls short here.   I always ask myself why this full mastering capability in Ozone is not standard in Sonar without bundling other plugins from a 3rd party which fall short today.  When using Fabfilter Q2 which should be the new EQ standard, I ask why are there not more advanced built in EQ and Compressors with near unlimited functionality.  Many other DAWs address this and its unclear why Sonar has not.
 
I keep waiting and was expecting Sonar to create (not bundle) the best of the best built in core EQ, Compressor/Limiter/Dynamics, Exciter, Stereo Imaging, Maximizer for tracking and mastering in X4.   The mixture of bundled plugs-ins available are inadequate and incomplete.  That's my thought and I certainly hope that the features that have not been disclosed are breakthrough game changers.  I love Sonar X3 and its practically bug free so I wont be going anywhere else anytime soon and will continue to tell everyone this is the DAW to get until its not.  I just want Sonar to be even more at its core covering the entire tracking, mixing, mastering suite as it should be.   So my question is whether addressing the mastering piece is on the road map anytime soon? 
 
 
Let the creativity flow.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

doriginal
I don't like subscriptions. Yes, I like the new features that I have seen on the videos but I don't want to have to shell out money each time I want an update. I feel like if it isn't working right then fix it. Don't charge me for it. If I find that the new sonar model is like that. I most surely will go with Studio One, FL Studio where I don't feel nickled and dimed. I don't think I am the only one who will feel this way. Hopefully, they will just come back to the way it used to be. 

 
You're missing the point. First of all, updates aren't just bug fixes. They're also new program features, content, tutorials, etc. Second of all, it's not a "subscription" in the conventional sense of it being rented software. 
 
New users receive 12 months' membership for free so they get any bug fixes not just for a few post-launch months after which development swings over to creating the next version, but for a whole year. Those who buy the update for an existing version of SONAR also get bug fixes, content, program features, etc. as well as everything that would have gone into an "X5" over the course of a year instead of having to wait for a year for the features to arrive and then pay for them all at once.
 
I just don't see how it's a bad idea to make new features available immediately, for a low monthly price (or not, if you want to pay upfront), compared to making people wait for a year and charge one lump sum. This is a competitive world for pros using music software. Cakewalk has figured out a way to get new features into the hands of its loyal users at an extremely attractive price. If you pay $149 now, you get what would have been in X4 AND you get what would have been in X5, except you get it over the next 12 months instead of having to wait until the end of this year. You're basically getting two paid upgrades for the price of one. 
 
You don't even have to make a leap of faith that membership is worth it. You'll have a year to figure that out before you need to decide whether you want to renew or not. And even if you don't, you still get to keep everything you paid for and it doesn't expire.
 
Seriously, how can anyone have a problem with this?
 
 

Susan G

Anderton
[font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.8"] 
It's like anything else that's bought on a payment plan. You have to make a commitment to regular payments, but remember - you are getting the complete software package as soon as you make your first payment. Cakewalk is trusting you to pay for it over the course of a year. 

That's not the way I understand it. From what I've read here, I think if you discontinue paying before the 12 months is up, you don't end up with the complete software package; it reverts to demo mode. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but this is very different from what you're saying (as I understand you.)

As I said, you have to make a commitment to regular payments...Cakewalk is trusting you to pay for it over the course of a year.  But you ARE getting a complete software package. There are no limitations, no inability to do certain things, no features missing - even though you haven't paid the full price for it. 
 
If you discontinue paying, then you basically haven't paid the price of the software, so yes, it reverts to demo mode. This is NOT a rental model. It is an OWNERSHIP model. You are buying the software, not renting it. Therefore, you need to pay the price needed to buy it.
 
I suppose at some point Cakewalk could also come up with a rental plan those who want to use the software for a month or two and then have it die on them, but that's not a priority at the moment, nor did Cakewalk get the sense that's what its users wanted. Besides, if you just want to use it for a month, you can download the demo. 

I think this is a great plan.  Regarding pricing, since I am on X1, it looks like it will cost me $199 to get current.  I was about to pay $289 *just* for a vocal alignment plug-in.
 
Instead of choosing subscription v purchase, Cakewalk is giving users the best of both worlds.  I am excited about this and will participate.

TerraSin
Andrew: will this effect our ability to install Sonar on more than one machine at all? As in, will we have to have a dedicated internet enabled machine to verify our membership/account?
 
Edit: Just noticed the offline activation tab in accounts. Very awesome! :D

Nope. I think that's been answered a few times earlier by Willy, Seth and Ryan.

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

Susan G
I guess it was the "Cakewalk is trusting you to pay for it over the course of a year" part that threw me. Since they effectively "take it back" if you stop making monthly payments, I don't see that there's really any element of trust involved.  It is in fact similar to a rental model already (IMO) in the sense that it does in fact die on you if you stop making payments. I don't see anything wrong with that, BTW.
 
-Susan

Except that after 12 months, you get to keep everything you received outright, no strings attached. Adobe doesn't do that. Most subscription models don't do that.

Right, I understand that. I was only talking about if you don't continue paying for the full 12 months.
 
-Susan

Then you should be pleased to know as an X3 Producer owner the first year subscription is $14.99/month and the second year is $19.99/month or $149 for the first year and $199 for the second.

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

brconflict
I'm not sold yet on the new version, but I REALLY like the extra stacked FX and Sends in each channel strip! I'll have to give this all a go, though. 
 
Subscription for Platinum isn't ideal, for me (far too expensive--$24.99 would have been right-priced ($600/2yrs, vs. $600/1yr)). If it's viewed as a payment method, it equals putting $499 on a VISA and paying Interest. 
 

Aren't you upgrading? Your price would be $14.99/month if you have X3 Producer.

Right now, I don't need to. I'm working in X3. There's a few features I want to see, but we aren't quite there yet. I may give it a shot to see if the glitches I have with Lanes are better. I might have to before the discount ends, though. I do like the inline updates. That's the way I like them. 

MusicGenX
Most of it doesn't seem appealing or beneficial enough to shell out for an upgrade although some will disagree and benefit with an upgrade but not everyone.  1 or 2 minor features could be useful but nothing earth shattering or innovative.  Virtual Amps seems interesting but expensive to CPU and I have an Axe FX II so its not something I would use.  I use Superior Drummer and iZotope Nectar to cover my VOX and percussion needs, so AD2 and any VOX features are not beneficial for me.

 
You might be surprised. Mix Recall is super-useful, as reflected by the many requests in this forum for that kind of functionality. Nectar is cool and all that, but it doesn't have anything like VocalSync...the closest you can come is another program that by itself costs more than SONAR Platinum (or you can subscribe to Adobe Audition, although I don't know if it's sync function performs to the same level as other programs or SONAR, for that matter...I didn't renew my subscription ). If Sony and others have bet on the right horse, you'll appreciate being able to deal with DSD files when clients start asking for them (I've already been asked). The MIDI paint feature is really quite cool, as are the other MIDI enhancements, and AudioSnap has been redone.
 
And the Control Bar is what I always wanted the control bar to be. Whether on a laptop of multi-monitor setup, you can make it exactly what you want, including custom commands (yes, all the people who miss the save button can now assign save a custom command). Being able to stack a zillion sends or FX is great with large projects. I also think some of the things I've contributed are pretty cool  
 
As to the amp sims, consider listening to them before making up your mind. If you want to hear them in context, listen to the four most recent songs on my YouTube channel. You'll hear what I mean by the sound of "idealized" amps. All the guitars (including the slide guitar) and bass were processed by these sims. I don't use any other sims any more.
 
AND - this is important - don't forget the update also gets you the next 12 months of updates and content as well. I'm sure you'll find plenty of merit in that, added to what already would have been in "X4." 
 

So my question is whether addressing the mastering piece is on the road map anytime soon?

 
I can't speak for Cakewalk about this. But I will speak for myself. I don't think SONAR is that far off technologically speaking from being able to do quality mastering. You can interpret the inclusion of DSD import/export any way you want...
 
I have definite ideas on what I would like to see along these lines, and I can be pretty persistent...maybe some would say annoying...we'll see.
 

In a sense not too much has changed.
Previously if I didn't like the upgrade I could skip it and stay with what I have. I can do that with the new system as well. Cakewalk are just giving us an option to pay monthly instead.

If X4 was what was now being released we would pay $149 to upgrade from X3 to buy the development work of the last 12 months. Now no change.. on release we are asked to pay $149.

During this year we will get the new components of what would have become X5 as they are ready rather than being packaged for a single release in 2016. AND I won't have to pay for that until after I get them. That is, payment will be due in 12 months time.

Apart from getting features quicker in more manageable bits and having the option to pay monthly in arrears I can't see that there is much change, in the payment model that is. The rest is just benefits to the user. We even get to know what major features are being worked on at any given time. It seems we've been given so much of what we've been asking.

AAnd that doesn't even take into account any of the frog ram features that were getting now and will get over the coming year. But I can see a closer and more consistent interaction between the forum members and Cakewalk staff because we'll be getting more from them.

Loptec

Greeny

Beepster
That is exactly NOT what is happening Greeny. Not sure how many other ways this can be explained. I'm starting to get the feeling you are trolling or just being very obtuse. If not I apologize but go back and read the information Andrew has provided. This is just giving you extra ways to buy other than the old upgrade method.

I am not trolling, I read the stuff, I pay upfront for the upgrade $149, I get the new features now, then 12 months of extra additions, I dont see an option to get just the update now and not have to pay for 12 months of stuff. I assume the 149 covers the 12 months of new stuff also, but I dont want that cos this far I can only see what "some" of the new additions will be.

Since you're complaining about this I assume you think it worked better before membership was introduced.
 
Please explain to me what's worse with this new approach?
 

• Last year you were able to upgrade to Sonar X3 Producer for $149 and did not know right away what updates this purchase would include the coming year. 
• Now with membership you pay $149 to upgrade to Sonar Platinum and will not know right away what updates this purchase will include for the coming year.

 The difference is that now you'll know what cakewalk's working on at the moment (https://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Up-Next#start) and have better knowledge of what's coming than before.
 
You say you don't want to pay up because you "can only see what "some" of the new additions will be".... Well that's a h*ll of a lot more than you've been able to see in earlier releases.
 
So, again; please explain how it was better before?

All of that would be cool if I hadn't already mentioned that I couldn't get my head around the concept, now I do.

Beepster

Loptec

Greeny

Beepster
That is exactly NOT what is happening Greeny. Not sure how many other ways this can be explained. I'm starting to get the feeling you are trolling or just being very obtuse. If not I apologize but go back and read the information Andrew has provided. This is just giving you extra ways to buy other than the old upgrade method.

I am not trolling, I read the stuff, I pay upfront for the upgrade $149, I get the new features now, then 12 months of extra additions, I dont see an option to get just the update now and not have to pay for 12 months of stuff. I assume the 149 covers the 12 months of new stuff also, but I dont want that cos this far I can only see what "some" of the new additions will be.

Since you're complaining about this I assume you think it worked better before membership was introduced.
 
Please explain to me what's worse with this new approach?
 

• Last year you were able to upgrade to Sonar X3 Producer for $149 and did not know right away what updates this purchase would include the coming year. 
• Now with membership you pay $149 to upgrade to Sonar Platinum and will not know right away what updates this purchase will include for the coming year.

 The difference is that now you'll know what cakewalk's working on at the moment (https://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Up-Next#start) and have better knowledge of what's coming than before.
 
You say you don't want to pay up because you "can only see what "some" of the new additions will be".... Well that's a h*ll of a lot more than you've been able to see in earlier releases.
 
So, again; please explain how it was better before?

Based on Greeny's last post I think he figured it out and was implying he'd upgrade. I kind of feel like a jerk for getting snarky with him over a bit of confusion but it's hard to tell sometimes on the intertubes.

Correct I will be upgrading, and dont worry I totally understand I am also feeling like a complete jerk cos I was getting frustrated that at the time it seemed like I was trying to explain quantum mechanics lol It was late and I was tired!

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

perfectprint
looking at the Version comparison page right now as an X3 Producer owner and I am seeing one drawback to this purchase model.
 
Off the bat with everything I own already I would pick PROFESSIONAL. All I lose out on is Vocal Sync and two ADpacks, neither of which I would miss. I would like to be an informed consumer and know exactly how much more over the 12 months is expected to be added exclusively to PLATINUM. With the release date around the corner all I see is a hint at a drum replacer.
 
 
Would I be able to pay the additional $49 (soon to be $99!) to make that 1 step upgrade halfway though a PRO membership to get any new PLATINUM features?

We've never had that upgrade path where later on down the road you can make up the difference in that particular path after the fact. I think for me, the $50 difference wouldn't sway me from upgrading to Platinum. VocalSync along is worth 8-10x the price. The Drum Replacer is worth way more and they'll be cool stuff coming all throughout the year. That's just me, but the Professional is definitely a good value too. 

 
Thanks Andrew. I realize there was no similar upgrade path in the past, however there was complete transparency on which features we might be turning down. I am more than willing to take a leap of faith with Platinum, especially with the discount. I hope there is some great stuff in store for us.