Anyone tried this yet? You can download for free if you feel like compiling the source code yourself, or you can download an executable on a pay what you like basis.
 
Gonna give this a go myself but wondered if anybody else has any experience with it yet? Seems pretty cool.
 
https://ardour.org

If I wanted to mess with Ardour, I would buy Harrison Mixbus. It is built on top of Ardour.

I wasn't aware of that, but given Ardour can be downloaded for free it seems a good idea to try. 

I seems most of the Ardour users are running it under LINUX. If you want ditch Windows altogether and never have to worry about Microsoft breaking your DAW, Ardour may be your answer. It's not the only free option, though; there also LMM and ocenaudio. All have their fans (and detractors), but I suspect you'll find all of them rather primitive after having used SONAR (or any of the other commercial DAWs).
 
I see muLab mentioned frequently on KVR. Also free, but I wouldn't classify it with the free DAWs because although there is a free version with severe restrictions (e.g. 4 tracks, 8 plugins per project, 16-bit exports), it's really just a demo. The full product costs 69 EUR.
 
 

Ardour is technically only free if you download source code and build yourself. Still very cheap comparitively it also shows up in respositories for some distros already built (usually slightly older version). Although Although Mixbus is built on ardour, the experiences are very different. Kind of like how android is technically linux. I got frustrated with it really quickly. Mixbus is a good option if you don't plan on doing any music creation in the box.

I use ardour and Mixbus. I have used ardour for years for capturing recordings on the road. I have a USB SSD with Ubuntu studio distribution installed. I can boot any laptop to it, plug in my class compliant interface and make a tape. Works great, plus it has the kind of licensing that will give it staying power.

https://youtu.be/j1hEdMdEXkY

I now use it on windows too. It is my only other Daw.

I think ardour and Mixbus really are the same thing, just with more plugins.

I also think open source threatens the next Daw the same as Sonar.

Mixbus regularly has sales down to thirty dollars.

http://mixbus.harrisonconsoles.com/forum/#