doriginal
I don't like subscriptions. Yes, I like the new features that I have seen on the videos but I don't want to have to shell out money each time I want an update. I feel like if it isn't working right then fix it. Don't charge me for it. If I find that the new sonar model is like that. I most surely will go with Studio One, FL Studio where I don't feel nickled and dimed. I don't think I am the only one who will feel this way. Hopefully, they will just come back to the way it used to be. 
 
**FL Studio has updates for life. There is no subscription. This would be better. 

I agree doriginal. Their is a new version of Studio One coming out and it's going to take alot of cakewalk customers lol. Anyway, plus you have logic as a choice if you have mac, fl studio, and look out for Native Instruments in the future for a possible DAW. From their survey I feel like their going in that direction. Oh yeah, steinberg aren't doing the subscription thing. Their marketing director already addressed it. I personally use Studio One. See stuff lice this is perfect opportunity for presonus, bitwig etc. Seems like the companies who might be struggling against competiton are trying to find ways to make money-cakewalk, adobe, microsoft with the subscription model but Steinberg, Apple, Imageline are doing fine. I bet you find a higher ratio of fl studio (working professionals) vs Cakewalk use for their music. Just my 2. 

Very good work guys. My heart kind of sank like many others when I saw membership mentioned but after reading through it before losing my mind, this is how memberships should be done. It's fair to everyone.
 
So far I'm liking a lot of the features. Can't wait to dig in to some of the midi changes.

perfectprint

Seth Kellogg [Cakewalk]
 

perfectprint
With Mix Recall - can it only A/B or can you save and choose from multiple different scenes from within a project?

 
You can A/B the latest 2 mixes, but you also have a drop down of all your available mixes.

Thanks Seth. The video didn't show any saved mixes on the drop down menu, but I now see the screenshot on the 'Whats New' page does. Great feature - saves loading entirely new projects.
 
 
Any info on what Direct Stream Digital (DSD) actually does for users?

You check out this video? 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWsDmTnNw28
 
That has more info about it. Really awesome feature. 

Leonard
Does this mark the end of major new Sonar releases in the future? Is this now an evolving amorphous product?

That's the idea. SONAR just evolves and gets better every month. 

Andrew: will this effect our ability to install Sonar on more than one machine at all? As in, will we have to have a dedicated internet enabled machine to verify our membership/account?
 
Edit: Just noticed the offline activation tab in accounts. Very awesome! :D

- The new lineup is straight forward with a slight change in naming.  Props to the naming.
- The membership is straight forward, monthly/yearly it all adds up the same roughly to past upgrades.  Props to the new setup.
- The features, well that's the shortcoming here to me.
 
X3 Producer is solid and if you look at what you get in this upgrade which would technically have been X4, it has a few workflow benefits and some 3rd party bundles.  Most of it doesn't seem appealing or beneficial enough to shell out for an upgrade although some will disagree and benefit with an upgrade but not everyone.  1 or 2 minor features could be useful but nothing earth shattering or innovative.  Virtual Amps seems interesting but expensive to CPU and I have an Axe FX II so its not something I would use.  I use Superior Drummer and iZotope Nectar to cover my VOX and percussion needs, so AD2 and any VOX features are not beneficial for me.  How may more reverbs do we need, you could get lost in that?  Just seems like its more about bundling gizmos and gadgets while ignoring the shortcomings at the core of the DAW which should be a focus.  Let me explain.
 
I have been using Ozone 6 for my complete mastering because Sonar falls short here.   I always ask myself why this full mastering capability in Ozone is not standard in Sonar without bundling other plugins from a 3rd party which fall short today.  When using Fabfilter Q2 which should be the new EQ standard, I ask why are there not more advanced built in EQ and Compressors with near unlimited functionality.  Many other DAWs address this and its unclear why Sonar has not.
 
I keep waiting and was expecting Sonar to create (not bundle) the best of the best built in core EQ, Compressor/Limiter/Dynamics, Exciter, Stereo Imaging, Maximizer for tracking and mastering in X4.   The mixture of bundled plugs-ins available are inadequate and incomplete.  That's my thought and I certainly hope that the features that have not been disclosed are breakthrough game changers.  I love Sonar X3 and its practically bug free so I wont be going anywhere else anytime soon and will continue to tell everyone this is the DAW to get until its not.  I just want Sonar to be even more at its core covering the entire tracking, mixing, mastering suite as it should be.   So my question is whether addressing the mastering piece is on the road map anytime soon? 
 
 
Let the creativity flow.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Anderton
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It's like anything else that's bought on a payment plan. You have to make a commitment to regular payments, but remember - you are getting the complete software package as soon as you make your first payment. Cakewalk is trusting you to pay for it over the course of a year. 

That's not the way I understand it. From what I've read here, I think if you discontinue paying before the 12 months is up, you don't end up with the complete software package; it reverts to demo mode. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but this is very different from what you're saying (as I understand you.)
 
-Susan

P.S. Obviously I don't know how to do a partial quote...

doriginal
I don't like subscriptions. Yes, I like the new features that I have seen on the videos but I don't want to have to shell out money each time I want an update. I feel like if it isn't working right then fix it. Don't charge me for it. If I find that the new sonar model is like that. I most surely will go with Studio One, FL Studio where I don't feel nickled and dimed. I don't think I am the only one who will feel this way. Hopefully, they will just come back to the way it used to be. 

 
You're missing the point. First of all, updates aren't just bug fixes. They're also new program features, content, tutorials, etc. Second of all, it's not a "subscription" in the conventional sense of it being rented software. 
 
New users receive 12 months' membership for free so they get any bug fixes not just for a few post-launch months after which development swings over to creating the next version, but for a whole year. Those who buy the update for an existing version of SONAR also get bug fixes, content, program features, etc. as well as everything that would have gone into an "X5" over the course of a year instead of having to wait for a year for the features to arrive and then pay for them all at once.
 
I just don't see how it's a bad idea to make new features available immediately, for a low monthly price (or not, if you want to pay upfront), compared to making people wait for a year and charge one lump sum. This is a competitive world for pros using music software. Cakewalk has figured out a way to get new features into the hands of its loyal users at an extremely attractive price. If you pay $149 now, you get what would have been in X4 AND you get what would have been in X5, except you get it over the next 12 months instead of having to wait until the end of this year. You're basically getting two paid upgrades for the price of one. 
 
You don't even have to make a leap of faith that membership is worth it. You'll have a year to figure that out before you need to decide whether you want to renew or not. And even if you don't, you still get to keep everything you paid for and it doesn't expire.
 
Seriously, how can anyone have a problem with this?
 
 

Anderton
Seriously, how can anyone have a problem with this?

 
Some people just don't like change.  ;)
Seems like a cool idea to me. 
 

Susan G

Anderton
[font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.8"] 
It's like anything else that's bought on a payment plan. You have to make a commitment to regular payments, but remember - you are getting the complete software package as soon as you make your first payment. Cakewalk is trusting you to pay for it over the course of a year. 

That's not the way I understand it. From what I've read here, I think if you discontinue paying before the 12 months is up, you don't end up with the complete software package; it reverts to demo mode. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but this is very different from what you're saying (as I understand you.)

As I said, you have to make a commitment to regular payments...Cakewalk is trusting you to pay for it over the course of a year.  But you ARE getting a complete software package. There are no limitations, no inability to do certain things, no features missing - even though you haven't paid the full price for it. 
 
If you discontinue paying, then you basically haven't paid the price of the software, so yes, it reverts to demo mode. This is NOT a rental model. It is an OWNERSHIP model. You are buying the software, not renting it. Therefore, you need to pay the price needed to buy it.
 
I suppose at some point Cakewalk could also come up with a rental plan those who want to use the software for a month or two and then have it die on them, but that's not a priority at the moment, nor did Cakewalk get the sense that's what its users wanted. Besides, if you just want to use it for a month, you can download the demo.