A little underwhelmed due to the holiday sales meaning I'd be looking for XLN to release some new kits from me to benefit from that, but that additional kit with the pro option can sit on my XLN account for a while until I need to make a decision (like some kit pieces currently are). There are no must have feature that I can see here, just further refinements.
 
I was really hoping that there would be some chord structure developments and a few other midi options coming i. The midi stretch is cool though. It will make taking an improvised performance and fitting to a tempo a lot easier than the 'fit to time function' which always seemed more time consuming than it should have. And when a keyboard player play a chord, but instead of all at once rolls up the keyboard so the note overlap. Editing this to change the feel will be useful so I am sure a few other things will come to mind.
 
A lot of plugs from the current x3 producer are only included in the platinum x4, but the only things unique to x4 plat is the vocal sync and SMPTE. So for the first time I can't see the real point in getting the full version.
 
I'm on the fence, I'll have to wait for the dust to settle.
 
Knocked this up, and I sure someone will point out you can view this by pressing a button I didn't see, but in case not. Here is a list of the don't gets between versions

 
And a link in case it's too small
https://scontent-a-lax.xx...1dc9a5&oe=55390A59

"Any chance you read the FAQ before you posted this? This is a very customer friendly program."
 
My worry is that I will be paying $149 for the update -- THIS YEAR. 

After that, it looks like I will be expected to pay around $600 per year to keep up my Platinum Subscription. Is this correct? 

Greeny
Wait, I think I  may be slightly ****ed. If I pay for 1 month now, I get the new update and get to keep it even if I only pay for 1 month?
 

Read the FAQ: http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Membership

Scoot
A little underwhelmed due to the holiday sales meaning I'd be looking for XLN to release some new kits from me to benefit from that, but that additional kit with the pro option can sit on my XLN account for a while until I need to make a decision (like some kit peices currently are). There are no must have feature that I can see here, just further refinements.
 
I was really hoping that there would be some chord structure developments and a few other midi options coming i. The midi stretch is cool though. It will make taking an improvised performance and fitting to a tempo a lot easier than the 'fit to time function' which always seemed more time consuming than it should have. And when a keyboard player play a chord, but instead of all at once rolls up the keyboard so the note overlap. Editing this to change the feel will be useful so I am sure a few other things will come to mind.
 
A lot of plugs from the current x3 producer are only included in the Professional x4, but the only things unique to x4 pro is the vocal sync and SMPTE. So for the first time I can't see the real point in getting the full version.
 
I'm on the fence, I'll have to wait for the dust to settle.
 
Knocked this up, and I sure sometone will point out you can veiw this by pressing a button I did't see, but in case not. Here is a list of the don't gets between versions
And a link in case it's too small
https://scontent-a-lax.xx...1dc9a5&oe=55390A59

Your image seems cropped. If you're looking for the full list, it's here: http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Versions
 
(If you hover over a feature it will tell you a bit more)

tclark101
"Any chance you read the FAQ before you posted this? This is a very customer friendly program."
 
My worry is that I will be paying $149 for the update -- THIS YEAR. 

After that, it looks like I will be expected to pay around $600 per year to keep up my Platinum Subscription. Is this correct? 

Nope. After a year, you can purchase upfront for $199 or renew monthly for $19.99/month. You will have had a year to decide if you think it's worth it. So does put the burden on us to provide value :)

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

theheliosequence
Ok, just to clarify... If I sign up for a month to month and the new version is messy enough that I feel like I'm going to wait on it... I can cancel, but I lose the new version.
 
If a few months down the road it seems like it's worth trying again, then I can go month to month again and I've got the software back.
 
If I keep going, after 12 months, then I've got all of the current features at the 12 month point even if I cancel. Now what about consecutive month 13, 14, 15? Do I "own" any current updates for every month past the 12th month? Or will it be another year before new features are owned without a monthly membership?

You wil continue to keep everything you own after the 12th month. So say you continue to renew for 6 more months and then decide for whatever reason that you don't want to be a member, you'd keep everything you received up until month 18. However, once you opt out, you'd have to do another 12 month membership or pay upfront. 

Hi Andrew,

I asked this Q further back in my continued Qs. You probably didnt see it.

So we are on month 18, I decide to drop the sub. I get to keep and use Sonar & all updates up to the point it was at at 18 months?
 
You however say if I drop at 18 months "you'd have to do another 12 month membership or pay upfront. "
 
Thats the point I lose you. When you say once you opt out - does the membership disappear altogether or does it still exist but go into stasis ready to be reactivated? Or do you have to start a whole new membership?
 
If you reactivate membership on month 24 does your month 18 version of sonar now update to month 24?
 
Then if you say dropped again at month 25 - do you get to keep everything up to month 24?
 
Is their a minimum monthly membership needed? Thats what I asked earlier. After paying the $149 for the "full version" right away inc 12 months of membership could you - after month 12 decide to keep membership open but subscribe every 2nd or third month - eg month 13, month 16, month 19 etc.
 
Sorry if Im being stupid here .. 
 
 

tclark101
"Any chance you read the FAQ before you posted this? This is a very customer friendly program."
 
My worry is that I will be paying $149 for the update -- THIS YEAR. 

After that, it looks like I will be expected to pay around $600 per year to keep up my Platinum Subscription. Is this correct? 

Membership renewal prices and more pricing breakdowns are listed here: http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Versions
 
So if you were on platinum, you'd pay another $199 to renew your membership for another 12 months (if you wanted to pay up front) or $19.99/month

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

drewfx1
I think his point may be that he's seeing his $149 as paying for the new features as well as the "coming soon" features and he'd rather only pay for the new features already released that he can evaluate before buying.
 
It's just a different way of looking at the pricing structure. To me I (too) am not going to pay $149 for promises, but I choose to look at it as I can evaluate the current new features to see if they're worth the upgrade cost and then I get a year's worth of free stuff.

That seems very fair. I can understand that logic. 

I'm still not quite clear on what happens a year from now though (assuming I did the yearly upgrade now). What would I be paying for at that point?

Scoot
A little underwhelmed due to the holiday sales meaning I'd be looking for XLN to release some new kits from me to benefit from that, but that additional kit with the pro option can sit on my XLN account for a while until I need to make a decision (like some kit peices currently are). There are no must have feature that I can see here, just further refinements.
 
I was really hoping that there would be some chord structure developments and a few other midi options coming i. The midi stretch is cool though. It will make taking an improvised performance and fitting to a tempo a lot easier than the 'fit to time function' which always seemed more time consuming than it should have. And when a keyboard player play a chord, but instead of all at once rolls up the keyboard so the note overlap. Editing this to change the feel will be useful so I am sure a few other things will come to mind.
 
A lot of plugs from the current x3 producer are only included in the Professional x4, but the only things unique to x4 pro is the vocal sync and SMPTE. So for the first time I can't see the real point in getting the full version.
 
I'm on the fence, I'll have to wait for the dust to settle.
 
Knocked this up, and I sure sometone will point out you can veiw this by pressing a button I did't see, but in case not. Here is a list of the don't gets between versions

 
And a link in case it's too small
https://scontent-a-lax.xx...1dc9a5&oe=55390A59

One thing to keep in mind, Platinum comes with Addictive Drums 2 Producer Bundle. That means that even if you have some of the kits already, you can choose 3 more ADPaks, MIDIpaks and Kit Pieces. Also, the new Drum Replacer will be a Platinum feature. 

drewfx1

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

drewfx1
I think his point may be that he's seeing his $149 as paying for the new features as well as the "coming soon" features and he'd rather only pay for the new features already released that he can evaluate before buying.
 
It's just a different way of looking at the pricing structure. To me I (too) am not going to pay $149 for promises, but I choose to look at it as I can evaluate the current new features to see if they're worth the upgrade cost and then I get a year's worth of free stuff.

That seems very fair. I can understand that logic. 

I'm still not quite clear on what happens a year from now though (assuming I did the yearly upgrade now). What would I be paying for at that point?

$199 upfront or $19.99/month for Platinum.