Zargg71
Hi. The tings included in SONAR should be more than enough to get you good results using only stock plugins. I will also advise that (if budget allows) you get a pair of monitors to supplement your headphones. Maybe buy secondhand?

Maybe a pair of Bose 301's could be cool ? Right now I'm at a point, after 30 years of very sporadic music making, where I have to decide whether of now to continue and invest more or chuck it all and forget about music. I should certainly make that decision before buying speakers (I will need an amp ,too)

If I were you, I would go for active monitors. You will have to figure out what price is reasonable for you. I do not know where you live, but secondhand monitors can be had for (depends on personal economy and taste) less than you might think. These are new prices http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/21-of-the-best-affordable-monitor-speakers-570959
And you can spend as much (if not more) as you want. These are at the expensive end http://www.me-geithain.de/index.php/en/studio/products/active-loudspeaker/rl-801k and sound as good as they look (in a proper room)
If you still make music after 30 years, you will never stop
All the best.

Hey ...after 30 years, what are you gonna do.. grow  tomatoes? Get the active monitors and keep making music!
Didn't stop Jagger, Steven Tyler, Paul McCartney, or George Martin LOL!

every once in a while guitar center throws a bone/ a sale on active monitors.
got a pair of KRK Rocket 5's (the gold one/special edition) for 100 bucks a piece. for my kid.
essentially 2 bills for a pair of brand new KRK's. not a bad deal.
 

SoundRegion

Slugbaby
It could be because of a million things.  

Good point. There obviously a reason a good engineer is recruited on a proffesional project. I guess I just overestimated the possibillities in modern music making. I probably need to give the mixing/engineering side of things more focus.

You didn't overestimate the possibilities in modern music making, what you did over estimate perhaps is your ability to apply all of those possibilities.  

tonyzub999
Just one other thought.  Maybe from a little different perspective. Songs themselves have to be great. The performers have to be great in order to create a great song.   I don't think I have ever heard of a song being great because is was recorded with pristine audio.   

Well...I do remember the 60' and 70's, when the industry developed really fast. Time after time new levels of sound quality, both recording and reproduction (with home equipment) were achieved. IMO many records were praised and lifted to podiums because they were technically so astounding and pioneering, that people didn't care to criticize the musical content.
That hasn't been the case for some 30 years anymore, of course.

SoundRegion

Zargg71
Hi. The tings included in SONAR should be more than enough to get you good results using only stock plugins. I will also advise that (if budget allows) you get a pair of monitors to supplement your headphones. Maybe buy secondhand?

Maybe a pair of Bose 301's could be cool ? Right now I'm at a point, after 30 years of very sporadic music making, where I have to decide whether of now to continue and invest more or chuck it all and forget about music. I should certainly make that decision before buying speakers (I will need an amp ,too)

Er, no. They would be a complete waste of money. And you'd need an amplifier to drive them.
Their frequency response will be skewed & hyped to sound good in your average living room.
You don't want that - you want something that tells you the truth about your mixes.
 
Search online for active studio monitors, set yourself a budget to narrow your search down.
 

Bristol_Jonesey

SoundRegion

Zargg71
Hi. The tings included in SONAR should be more than enough to get you good results using only stock plugins. I will also advise that (if budget allows) you get a pair of monitors to supplement your headphones. Maybe buy secondhand?

Maybe a pair of Bose 301's could be cool ? Right now I'm at a point, after 30 years of very sporadic music making, where I have to decide whether of now to continue and invest more or chuck it all and forget about music. I should certainly make that decision before buying speakers (I will need an amp ,too)

Er, no. They would be a complete waste of money. And you'd need an amplifier to drive them.
Their frequency response will be skewed & hyped to sound good in your average living room.
You don't want that - you want something that tells you the truth about your mixes.
 
Search online for active studio monitors, set yourself a budget to narrow your search down.
 

Interesting. Even though I am trained in the trade of selling HI-FI equipent, I did not know there was a whole line of speakers specifically for this purpose. I can see that it might be the way to go. Since I worked closely with Harman for a number of years, I might try the JBL 305.

The JBL (LSR) 305 has gotten a lot of positive feedback since they came out. I think you will be very happy with them. 
All the best

I have been trying to switch from ASIO to MME, so I can mix using the build in soundcard and my JBL encounters. It allready made a huge difference. For one thing the drumkit I had chosen for a particular track sounded good in my headphones, but not on the speakers and changing mad a big difference. I guess I just figured that if I bought the AGK "studio" headphones, that would be the way to go.
I've also leaned a lot for checking out tutorials.