Anderton
But seriously, it's necessary to consider the cost tradeoffs of including sophisticated software within SONAR. The whole point of plug-ins was so you could customize a "stock" setup to fit your needs, and thus avoid having to shell out money on features (plug-ins, instruments) for which you had no need. 
 
Ultimately I think we're talking about three possibilities here.
 
1  For hardcore mastering, you would invest in a fully-featured program like Wavelab or invest in plug-ins like Ozone because it would be cost-prohibitive to build those features into SONAR.
2  For typical, less-critical mastering projects, SONAR could be enhanced to handle them without causing a price increase.
3  There could be a "SONAR Ultimate" version for $999 that integrated mastering tools but would still cost less compared to buying SONAR and a suite of mastering plug-ins.
 
Of these, I think 2 would provide a significant benefit to a large number of SONAR users. Then we can dream about 3 
 
 

I have already paid for.. Melodyne, Rapture, Dimension Pro, Zeta, Studio Instruments, Pentagon (which no longer works right) Triangle II, Square One, Beatscape, and whatever else you want to throw in there. And the price I paid for these, was multiple years of renewing. If Cakewalk had to pony up I do not know that that would make me, as a consumer, feel all that bad. The instruments that we have been given have been paid for long ago. To someone new, these are a bargain. to be given with the program. Again since not missing a beat since Sonar 7, I have paid for these. So if Sonar starts adding some new content that I have not already paid for in the last several releases, then good. Let the new adopters pay for what we have now. I have paid for the synths, and FX we have now and look forward to new content that I have not repeatedly paid for. My 2 cents, I love Sonar, but not bend-over love Sonar. I bought the Artist version of Studio One several years ago, when the X series started, just because of not wanting all my eggs in one basket.. I ran a loop non-stop today for an hour with no hick-ups, an hour. My reasons to stay with Sonar are growing dimmer with every upgrade. Please do your best to keep me involved. No need to tell me what all Sonar offers, I know, I have paid for it. I do love the forum, the people, the help, the forward thinking. But please, the powers that be in Sonar land, do not wiz on my shoes and tell me it's raining outside.
Sometimes it's good to get things off you chest and mind. Thanks for the opportunity to do so.

Anderton

brconflict
 
idea: Sonar to have a new screenset (notated as "M" vs 1-10) that gets all the normal mixing elements out of the way and provides an entirely new Mastering window.

I like where you're going with this.

Thanks! Your opinion means a lot. 

SimpleM
I used SF forever then started staying in Sonar in the X3 release.  Except for the RMS analytic function built into SF, I no longer saw a benefit as any 3rd party mastering plugs I used were usable in X3 and I found I got more pleasing results by relying less on numbers and more on ears.

That is my opinion also. with Ozone, Insight ,Nugen  there is no need to go to SF, unless
somebody explains me why? What I am missing? 
 
 

Paul P
Please fix the remaining bugs before adding new functionality.

Well...it's not quite that simple. As noynekker said in another thread, "I haven't been overly enthusiastic about much that's been added to Sonar Platinum. The only feature improvements that I have really used extensively in my workflow are the REmatrix PC Reverb, and Control Bar updates..." Or as thatsastrat said in this thread, "I have paid for the synths, and FX we have now and look forward to new content that I have not repeatedly paid for."
 
I think any regular SONAR users will agree there has been a major increase in stability between X1 and X3, and another increase between X3 and SONAR 2015. But those changes aren't sexy, so you have the paradox of some people saying their main priority is bug fixes but then adding that they find the new features underwhelming. 
 
SONAR also has to add functionality to retain a competitive advantage. Features like Mix Recall and VocalSync are sufficiently unique that they can tilt new users toward SONAR. But in many ways, the point is moot because fixes and features are developed in parallel, and there's not 100% or probably even 50% overlap between the two groups of people working on these two elements. 
 
SONAR has to do a balancing act between the customers who want more features and those who want more fixes. It sure seems the priority lately has been fixes, and it does seem like the majority of the community appreciates that. But people will get antsy if features like the virtual controller and drum replacer don't keep coming.
 
Enhancing mastering functions is something which I think could be done relatively easily compared to, say, adding extensive restoration functions that weren't developed in-house. So I think that it is possible to keep the fixes chugging along, while also developing new features to keep both camps satisfied.

Thatsastrat
 
I have already paid for.. Melodyne, Rapture, Dimension Pro, Zeta, Studio Instruments, Pentagon (which no longer works right) Triangle II, Square One, Beatscape, and whatever else you want to throw in there. And the price I paid for these, was multiple years of renewing. If Cakewalk had to pony up I do not know that that would make me, as a consumer, feel all that bad. The instruments that we have been given have been paid for long ago. To someone new, these are a bargain. to be given with the program. Again since not missing a beat since Sonar 7, I have paid for these.

But that's true only if you've bought a completely new version of SONAR each time. If you updated, the price was greatly reduced because you're paying only for what's new. For example the $150 to X3 bought you Addictive Drums ($150), Melodyne single track ($100), Blue Tubes effects ($200), and all the fixes, workflow enhancements, and new features in SONAR itself. So you didn't pay a penny for what came before, and saved $300 over buying the content I mentioned by itself. Similarly the $150 for SONAR Platinum got you Mix Recall, VocalSync, REmatrix Solo, etc. etc. as well as another year of content and feature updates. Again, you're not paying for what you paid for previously.
 
Finally some things paid for in previous editions are no longer being offered, like the "mid" version of Guitar Rig. That was exclusive for those who bought certain updates.

Anderton

Thatsastrat
 
I have already paid for.. Melodyne, Rapture, Dimension Pro, Zeta, Studio Instruments, Pentagon (which no longer works right) Triangle II, Square One, Beatscape, and whatever else you want to throw in there. And the price I paid for these, was multiple years of renewing. If Cakewalk had to pony up I do not know that that would make me, as a consumer, feel all that bad. The instruments that we have been given have been paid for long ago. To someone new, these are a bargain. to be given with the program. Again since not missing a beat since Sonar 7, I have paid for these.

But that's true only if you've bought a completely new version of SONAR each time. If you updated, the price was greatly reduced because you're paying only for what's new. For example the $150 to X3 bought you Addictive Drums ($150), Melodyne single track ($100), Blue Tubes effects ($200), and all the fixes, workflow enhancements, and new features in SONAR itself. So you didn't pay a penny for what came before, and saved $300 over buying the content I mentioned by itself. Similarly the $150 for SONAR Platinum got you Mix Recall, VocalSync, REmatrix Solo, etc. etc. as well as another year of content and feature updates. Again, you're not paying for what you paid for previously.
 
Finally some things paid for in previous editions are no longer being offered, like the "mid" version of Guitar Rig. That was exclusive for those who bought certain updates.

I love that  about Cakewalk! FREE STUFF!