I have been using studio one for a year. It rocks. Doesn't have all the features of sonar, but also has far less bloat. The downside of being a mature product is all the old code Frankensteined into product to make it work. Bakers have had to figure how to modernize program while leaving ancient crap intact. I applaud them for making it work but it certainly doesn't increase stability. I'm more productive in studio one for a number of reasons. It took years to get controllers working properly in sonar without using azlow's software. Even finicky and poorly supported products like my Akai MPD26 worked instantly in studio one. Not bashing sonar. Love sonar, but some of it's shortcomings for me were helped greatly by S1. My familiarity with Sonar means i still use in clutch, but there are certain things i do in S1 that are so much easier than sonar.

mritenburg
I sat down with the S1 demo for about an hour last night and hated it.
 
Today I downloaded the complete manual and started going through step by step:
1. How do I loop a measure?
Place the loop markers around the measure you want to loop and make sure that the enable loop button is on (blue). The loop button is at the bottom of the interface to the right of the record enable button.
2. How do I create the equivalent of groove clips?
Sorry, I don't use these so I am not sure what they are. If you want to replay the same MIDI, select the MIDI and press D for duplicate (as many times as you want).
3. How do I draw in midi notes?
Open the Event viewer for an instrument (you will open the piano roll) and use the tools to add/modify MIDI notes with the tools (Paint, Cut, etc.).
4. Where do I add effects?
Channel effects are drag and drop. Open the Browser (F5) and select an effect from the Effects tab.
5. How do I add a mix bus?
SO recently added VCAs and you probably want these for buses. Select the tracks you want to add to a bus and right click - add VCA. 
6. Where are my compressors?
With your effects in the browser as above. Drag and drop is king with SO but you can also select effects from the using the Console view. Click the + in the Insert area above the fader and brows to you compressor (but more clicking that just dragging).
7. What's the equivalent of LP EQ?
Not sure what you mean.
etc.
 
I'm not entirely sold on S1, but I did manage to find everything that I use on a regular basis except some of my plugins.  I need to figure out that.
 

mikedocy
Agree that the graphics are not as nice as Sonar but S1P is deeper than it appears.
There are many time-savers if you get to know the work flow. There is a learning curve that "pays" for itself once you get comfortable with it.

I'd argue that graphics are better.  Who needs knobs to look 3D?  All that means is a hit on your CPU and Memory.

hbarton

mritenburg
I sat down with the S1 demo for about an hour last night and hated it.
 
Today I downloaded the complete manual and started going through step by step:
1. How do I loop a measure?
Place the loop markers around the measure you want to loop and make sure that the enable loop button is on (blue). The loop button is at the bottom of the interface to the right of the record enable button.
2. How do I create the equivalent of groove clips?
Sorry, I don't use these so I am not sure what they are. If you want to replay the same MIDI, select the MIDI and press D for duplicate (as many times as you want).
3. How do I draw in midi notes?
Open the Event viewer for an instrument (you will open the piano roll) and use the tools to add/modify MIDI notes with the tools (Paint, Cut, etc.).
4. Where do I add effects?
Channel effects are drag and drop. Open the Browser (F5) and select an effect from the Effects tab.
5. How do I add a mix bus?
SO recently added VCAs and you probably want these for buses. Select the tracks you want to add to a bus and right click - add VCA. 
6. Where are my compressors?
With your effects in the browser as above. Drag and drop is king with SO but you can also select effects from the using the Console view. Click the + in the Insert area above the fader and brows to you compressor (but more clicking that just dragging).
7. What's the equivalent of LP EQ?
Not sure what you mean.
etc.
 
I'm not entirely sold on S1, but I did manage to find everything that I use on a regular basis except some of my plugins.  I need to figure out that.
 

You misinterpreted my post.  I implied that I found all the answers in the manual.

dubdisciple
I have been usimg studio one for a year. It rocks. Doesn't have all the fearures of sonar, but also has far less bloat. The dowside of being a mature product is all the old code Frankensteined into product to make it work. Bakers have had to figure how to modernize program while leaving ancient crap intact. I applaud them for making it work but it certainly doesn't increase stability. I'm more productive in studio one for a number of reasons. It took years to get controllers working properly in sonar without using azlow's software. Even finicky and poorly supported products like my Akai MPD26 worked instantly in studio one. Not bashing sonar. Love sonar, but some of it's shortcomings for me were helped greatly by S1. My familiarity with Sonar means i still use in clutch, but there are certain things i do in S1 that are so much easier than sonar.

Yes, that is true, but we loved it for what it was. S1 is nothing in comparison. It can do only about 40% of what I can do in Somar. I absolutely can not do the music I did in S1 that I did in Sonar. I expect it to be different, but when people say it's the same... I'm sorry but no it is not. S1 is a million miles away from Sonar. The only thing closer is Cubase and that is sh*t as well. There seriously is no replacement for Sonar. It was that good!

Flat interfaces have been the New Black for a couple of years now. 
 
The funniest part of all of this is that version 2 of Studio One had a different GUI. It was the obvious inspiration for Cakewalk when they moved to the X-series. Then, Studio One changed their interface to what it is now. I think the interface is decent, but the sharpness and color adjustments make a huge impact on how much of the interface seems to bleed together. Took a month to finally get it where I liked it.
 
 

mritenburg
I sat down with the S1 demo for about an hour last night and hated it.
 
Today I downloaded the complete manual and started going through step by step:
1. How do I loop a measure?
2. How do I create the equivalent of groove clips?
3. How do I draw in midi notes?
4. Where do I add effects?
5. How do I add a mix bus?
6. Where are my compressors?
7. What's the equivalent of LP EQ?
etc.
 
I'm not entirely sold on S1, but I did manage to find everything that I use on a regular basis except some of my plugins.  I need to figure out that.
 

 
Had to edit my post since Hbarton already answered most of your questions.  I'll try to answer the remaining one:
 
7. Studio One found the Cakewalk LP EQ and it seems to work.
 
I downloaded the Studio One demo last night.  I also have more questions about Studio One.  So far, the experienced Studio One folks have been very helpful.  I'm not yet sure which DAW will eventually replace SONAR.

35mm
There seriously is no replacement for Sonar. It was that good!

Reality Check: If it was "that good" how come it didn't have millions of users who are willing to pay 10's of thousands of dollars every few years like protools users?  I'm a life-long Cakewalk/Sonar user, but face it, most of the 7 billion people on this planet have chosen other tools.

Mritenberg, a lot of your questions were answered but i will try to fill in some blanks.

The simple answer to 7 is there is no direct equivalent to LP EQ. The pro eq included is very good and does a trick or two i don't believe quadcurve can, but it is not linear phase. In the flipside, sonar does not have a project mastering suite like S1 does. S1 will not compete directly with total included effects and instruments because 1) no way a young product can come out the gate with 20+ years of plugins 2) much of these are third party plugs. Even some of the better plugs in sonar are sold seperate add-ons that got old enough to be giveaways. Both rapture and z3ta ( and possibly dim pro) have been given away as freebies with magazines. Your LP EQ might work in S1. In the past cakewalk only locked third party plugs, but i know adaptive limiter is locked

For 5 there are a few ways. You can right click on a track and choose to create bus, vca bus or fx channel ( all are basically busses).

35 mm i respect your opinion, but I'm sure you realize experiences are going to vary. As much as i love sonar, i had to eliminate it early as a contender to use in studio i built for middle school kids in urban area. Sonar's workflow makes modern urban pop/RnB and hip-hop painful. I can make those genres in Sonar. It's not impossible and once you figure it, there are features that actually kick ass for such things. Problem is most kids would get too frustrated before they got to that point. The lack of a basic sampler was a dealbreaker