Looking for a Sampling program that I can use as a stand-alone and VST, and that integrates nicely with Sonar X3 as a VST (not looking for headaches). Good drum samples or pristine/realistic instrument samples are not what I'm looking for. What I want is the ability to modify/change/alter/distort/reverse my own sounds/wave files. A low-fi mode would be awesome. Any suggestions?

Rapture.

Isn't Rapture a Synth? I need a sampler, so that I can load my own sounds, for example, one of my own guitar riffs that I would like to loop and process.

Rapture uses audio files. Each element can load a single sample or an sfz file. Try dragging a guitar riff into one of the elements.

I like Alchemy. It has some minor problems with Sonar X3, but it hasn't given me any headaches. When browsing, the scroll wheel on the mouse doesn't work, but that is all I've noticed. It's a nice tool for sound design and allows a lot of control over real-time modification of the sound. Notice that there are different ways to import your samples.
 
There are plenty of examples on their site. Here are a couple songs I've used it in -
 
https://sites.google.com/site/phoenixtaiji/music
wrongTurn (the pad and keys [not the Rhodes, that's Lounge Lizard]) and passage (synth horns that come in half way through)
 
HTH
 

Alchemy is no longer being sold. To get the scroll wheel back in Alchemy click in one of the X/Y entry fields.

similar thread http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3141038
FWIW, any VST can run stand alone in VSTHost http://www.hermannseib.com/english/vsthost.htm or SAVIHost http://www.hermannseib.com/english/savihost.htm

b rock
Rapture.

+1000

pinguinotuerto
Isn't Rapture a Synth? I need a sampler, so that I can load my own sounds, for example, one of my own guitar riffs that I would like to loop and process.

This should get you started down the right track: Rapture As a ... Processor.

Thanks for the Alchemy scroll wheel tip scook.