Hi
Please forgive my ignorance, but I've been out of the loop here for quite a long time.....I received an email regarding a 2016.03 update that reads "for both new or existing Sonar users", what exactly is this update, and what version(s) of Sonar is this for?
 
 

Hi Musikman. It is for Sonar Artist, Professional and Platinum (All versions of Sonar after x3e).
The updates in the new Sonar are cumulative, so you need only install the latest.

There have been 4 or 5 (depending on how you count) major upgrades to Sonar since 8.5.3, and the last one -- Sonar 2015 -- came with 12 monthly updates, some of which seemed like major upgrades.  Is this the first email notice you've received?
 
Anyway, you might want to go here and read about the new Sonar. I loved 8.5.3, but the newest version is better (you might need to consider a new computer, too, if you can).

Ok thanks guys, I guess that rules me out if it's only for versions after x3e. So why don't they make it clear that it's only for x3e and later??  I've also never heard of Sonar 2015, never got any emails about it, and in my account products page I only have 8.5 and 8.5.3 Producer, don't see anything else for Sonar.
 
In a way I'm kinda glad I missed a lot of updates, they charge way too much for existing users to upgrade versions. Used to be very reasonable, but now it seems all they want to do is drain your wallet. For example, if I wanted to upgrade from 8.5.3 to Sonar Platinum, it's gonna cost me $200, that's almost half of what it cost for a new user buying it off the shelf for the first time!  So what kind of break do you call that for being a customer for 15 years?? NO BREAK, that's what I call it.  I really like Sonar, don't get me wrong, but for that kind of upgrade money I can purchase a very capable brand new DAW of another kind. Pretty soon the upgrades are going to be $500, then what?
 
Larry, I actually am upgrading my PC as we speak, so when I get it back from my technician I'll have Windows 10 on it and from what I have read, my Sonar 8.5.3 Producer will not run on Win10, or at least it hasn't been tested yet. I know the best way to go is upgrade to Platinum, but if I'm being honest, I really have to think about whether or not it is affordable to do so anymore, that's what it's come down to unfortunately. I'm on a fixed income, so most of the time I really don't have $200 lying around that I can just throw at Cakewalk, wish I did! Guess I'll have to either look elsewhere, or wait until they offer a discount or the price just drops.
 
Again, thanks for the advice, much appreciate, and sorry to vent here in this thread, I guess maybe I should be talking to one of the reps instead.
 
MM

Once you're on the current version, annual updates are $99 or even less if you shop around.

I hear ya, but only after I've spent the $200. I just don't think they should charge so much from their faithful users of many years. They come out with a new version every year, and every time there's an upgrade we have to pay up at least $99, and heaven forbid if we like the version we've been using and miss one or two upgrades, we now get charged double. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but it seems like overkill imho.

Musikman
I hear ya, but only after I've spent the $200. I just don't think they should charge so much from their faithful users of many years. They come out with a new version every year, and every time there's an upgrade we have to pay up at least $99, and heaven forbid if we like the version we've been using and miss one or two upgrades, we now get charged double. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but it seems like overkill imho.

You've been out of the upgrade game for five and a half years! That's several hundreds of dollars you've saved .

Grum.

Musikman
I hear ya, but only after I've spent the $200. I just don't think they should charge so much from their faithful users of many years. They come out with a new version every year, and every time there's an upgrade we have to pay up at least $99, and heaven forbid if we like the version we've been using and miss one or two upgrades, we now get charged double. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but it seems like overkill imho.

Actually they DON'T come out with a new version every year, not any more.
 
There is one core version available in different flavours (Artist, Professional & Platinum) and these are updated monthly.
 
I spend more on coffee every year than I do on Sonar.

Bristol_Jonesey
I spend more on coffee every year than I do on Sonar.

 
I spend more on coffee every year than I do on my mortgage:)
 
FWIW I will never understand how folks can complain about Sonar's upgrade prices. They have ALWAYS been very fair and I think now are better value than ever. 

Totally agree.
 
it's also amazing that [some] people never seem bothered by paying 2, 3, 4 times the price of Sonar for a suite of plugins!