I did a live recording and have the drum on two tracks.  One for the bass drum and another overhead for the snare/cymbals.  The bass drum track as recorded is poor and even if I up the track level it still sucks - thin and low level.  I've got Studio One 3 Pro but have not really done anything with it.  For learning I exported each of the tracks (8) from the live recording as 16 bit wav files (no VST's) and imported each one into Studio One 3.  Amazingly the bass drum track sounds great.  I haven't tried to reimport that track to Sonar to see how it sounds (next step) but just wowed me that it sounded so much better.  The Overhead tracks sound improved too???  WTF
 
I'm using the same MOTU 896Mk3 Hybrid on both.
 
UPDATE:  I imported the same track back to Sonar.  It still sounds the same as the original does in Sonar????
 
 
 
 
 

Mr.Evans are you out there? Can you please answer this question for the ten thousandth time?....

Sorry bout that but if one was to do a test you would find that there is no raw difference just how each host handles the audio for instance, Studio One may be using a console effect in the mixer and Cakewalk just sends the audio out in summed audio which may be what you "perceive" as a difference. Or dare I say you may need to "know" how each DAW works before you can make this subjecrive opinion.

Please search the forum and google for the term: Audio Null Test for discussions and debates on this subject.

Sorry for the lecture..

Phasing? I've noticed that on rare occasions SONAR would inexplicably invert the polarity on a track. Not noticeable on your typical mono track, but potentially disastrous on a multi-miked source such as drums.

I was going to suggest phasing as well. FWIW, try exactly lining up the kick hits between the two tracks to account for the few feet of difference between the mics.

bitflipper
Phasing? I've noticed that on rare occasions SONAR would inexplicably invert the polarity on a track. Not noticeable on your typical mono track, but potentially disastrous on a multi-miked source such as drums.

That's a real possibility bit, Studio One handles phase with a plugin where as Cakewalk has it on the mixer strip where that may be possible as an issue if it flips it with all those microphones used to record and the bass channel inadvertently switching either by an accidental click or gliitch causing the phase polarity to switch in Cakewalk.

Good advice bit and if necessary my apologies for my recent reply and hopefully the OP finds the answer.

What I've "sensed" so far is that the signal is louder in Studio One.  How that happens??? I don't know enough about Studio One - this is the first time I've actually tried a real recording.  However, when I export the Studio One it reports the signal is peaking +3db and clipping as its exporting it, but in Sonar the original signal is only peaking about -1db (I raised the level from the original recording that was about -12).  I imported the track into Sonar and I can see that its clipping in spots.  But the "raw" track in Studio One is not clipping.
 
I had other tracks (7 more) that I exported from Sonar and imported to Studio One.  I don't "hear" a difference in those tracks (Bass, Lead Guitar, Pedal Steel and two Vocal tracks).  Maybe just a fluke with the Bass drum track?
I'll have to experiment with a different song's Bass drum track.  I've got some other "live show" recordings I did of our band last September.  I recorded the drums the same way, an SM57 on the Bass drum and an overhead Ribbon for the rest of the drums.
    

Sounds like pan law...

I think I see what happened.  I exported a different Bass drum track from Sonar and imported it to Studio One.  Track sounded the same as the original Sonar track.  
Looking at the track faders, the first track that I said sounded different (better) the fader is set at +6 and the second Bass drum track I imported is at 0db.  I have no idea how the first one got to +6 but that seems to be what caused it to sound better "louder" and also probably why it was peaking and clipping on export.
 
I'll mark this solved.....
 

No clue on this one, but it may also be processing done by S13 on inport. If it says "clipping" during inport, but the final inport is not clipped, then "something" happened. I have seen people refer to that clipping message in other posts but not seen it myself.... If someone exports (where I have seen it referenced) and gets that message but it still processes, S13 should either stop or rectify it, and seems that it might be fixing it. It would be worth testing, since clipping a 16 bit wav file will be noticeable.

The phasing you could check quick by soloing a track. If combined they sound weak, but exclusive solo makes it better, you may have phasing issues.

I know almost zilch about Studio One 3.  Although I bought it I haven't really done anything with it as Sonar does everything I need.  But, I thought I should learn it and imported the tracks to play around with it.  The other tracks are at 0 just the one track (and the track I noticed sounded better).  Didn't matter if I played all the tracks or just soloed the one track it was the same so no phasing issue.  Somehow the track level got boosted to +6db, whether it was something the program did or I did (unknowingly).   I'll chalk this up to the learning experience.