Well I've been a long time Sonar user and don't have the time - nor money - to explore other 'industry standards'. What been disapointing for me is my recent purchase of NI S88 keyboard...nice keyboard but with only 'advanced' functionality for Ableton Live 9.1.4, Cubase 7.5.1, Nuendo 6.0.7, Logic X 10.0.7, which irks me to no end. Such a big company, you'd think they'd go the 'extra mile' for a platform as popular as Sonar. But yes, popularity on how much it's being used. 
 
And, to get transport in Sonar, they state you need to use Mackie Control...NOPE! Thanks to Glyn for letting me know that you need to use V-100. Nice support from NI there! So whilst I don't care how Sonar stacks up against industry standards, I do care when developers develop their software biased towards popular usage. 

pilutiful
According to musicradar Pro Tools is the 8th best software while Sonar is no 7. Industry Standard doesn't mean the best (FWIW). It just means most people use it, no more....and because most people use it, other people buy it. That's basically how Pro Tools got to be "Industry Standard".
 
http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/the-20-best-daw-software-apps-in-the-world-today-238905
 

I appreciate Music Radar, but they also have Studio One (which has only been in development for about 6 years) at #4.
 
 

I just ordered the industry standard version of Sonar.  I think they call it Platinum.
99% of dentists use Sonar.  That is good enough for me!

For Sonar : [of course only in my opinion]
Developers are fantastic, but marketing - I doubt.
 
Recently one of my friends circle (those who work in the industry) asked which DAW I use:
I said : CAKEWALK SONAR.
They asked : is it like a DAW ?
 
I brought them home and ...
 
Question is why do we have to bring them home and demonstrate?
 
Regards
Snehankur
 
 

I keep saying this but it bears repeating...the music industry is tiny. The entire US musical instrument industry grosses about $7 billion dollars in a year - less than half of what Whole Foods grosses, and IIRC less than 20% of what Safeway grosses. Per capita spending on the music industry in the US is about $20 a year. Yes, that's right. $20. A year.
 
All companies I know would love to be able to do more of everything they do...like do lots of cool R&D, provide first-class support, have flawless QC, and (gasp!) maybe even give employees raises. But companies have to make very tough choices about where to devote their precious few resources. A company like Waldorf is a tiny company in a tiny industry. When it comes to testing with DAWs, they have to "pick their battles"...because if they don't pick the right battles, they'll go out of business.

Here's your industry standard, right here:
 

So it is just Reaper and Studio One cutting into sonar's share or is there something else going on? I've used sonar sinse 2xl and i have definitely noticed a drop in sonar related content in magazines,websites,etc. not being officially supported by some companies (instead of the "other daw" tag) or something simple like not having a project file for tutorials and instead having to import all individual stems. 
 

kevinwal
Here's your industry standard, right here:
 

Pretty much sums it up!!

Snehankur
For Sonar : [of course only in my opinion]
Developers are fantastic, but marketing - I doubt.
 

You've got a point there - marketing....
 
Demos are not quite what you expect, Rapture Pro last I saw, and the CakeTV episode with Caketalk I saw trashtalking X3 - what are they thinking. One thing to have a playground for kids trying things out, but releasing it to the public is another matter. Try and ditch, try and ditch until you really get it right.
 
I get rather sad since Sonar as a daw is really good and devs are really skilled(and nice people too). More effort on looking professional all the way, maybe.
 
Ten years ago running Sonar 4 it was rather common with entering Sonar among Other, for the daw you run.
If Sonar is not listed today as separate it tells more about the plugin company than about Cakewalk, in my view.
Waves officially support Sonar - so if Waldorf does not, tough for them.
 

vladasyn
Every time I get a survey with the questions about DAW, it would say:
"Which DAW do you use?
1.Protools
2. Logic
3. Cubase
4. Abelton
5. Other
And I have to type in Cakewalk Sonar in to "Other" section and feel embarrassed for using it.

I've been thinking about this list for quite a while. It seems that:

• Protools is considered the best choice for Audio production and it is cross-platform
• Cubase ---===---===---===---===--- MIDI ---===---===---===---===---
• Ableton ---===---===---===---===--- DJ ---===---===---===---===---
• Logic is the best all-in-one for MacOS platform

What is missing is the best all-in-one DAW for Windows platform, which is Sonar for me, but might as well be Samplitude, FL Studio and whatnot for others.