SEE LAST POST.
 
In July 2013, I purchased Music Creator 6 at Best Buy for $32. I'm thrilled to have such a robust DAW with flexibility, versatility and an overwhelmingly generous selection of instruments, synths and drum kits.
 
After these several months learning MC6, I'm feeling a need for more instruments.
In an unrelated pursuit, I intend to start buying software via digital download rather than disc.
 
That's when I discovered these items at the Cakewalk Store:
SoundCenter 10-Sound Pack Bundle, $80: 10 SoundCenter sound packs to use with MC6/MC6T
MC Complete Sound Studio Bundle, $125 [DL]: MC6T with all 19 Instrument Packs
Sonar X3, $105 [DL]: A convenient upgrade altogether, but not as an instrument bundle like MC6T
 
All three products are viable opportunities for a cost-effective upgrade. I'm giddy with excitement, but also baffled as to what to do. Initially, I just wanted more instrument packs, but now I'm also curious about the benefits of upgrading to Sonar. (In turn, I'm still trying to remember that I'm an amateur composer. Since July, I've spent more time studying MC6 than actually composing music.)
 
Any thoughts on this are appreciated. Thanks!

The X3 series is the way to go. I would point out that you are looking at the wrong price for the Basic version of X3, as a registered user of a Cakewalk product you qualify for this price ($49) http://www.store.cakewalk.com/b2cus/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=10-CXSR3.00-30E and with your budget (~$150) you can upgrade to X3 Studio http://www.store.cakewalk.com/b2cus/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=10-CXSS3.00-30E 
 
Here is a comparison of X3 features http://www.cakewalk.com/p..cts/sonar/versions.aspx

Thanks, Scook, for the response! Your price observation is noted, and that's a great deal. I guess my intention was to buy the full product. (Doesn't an upgrade require you to have the initial purchase product on hand?)
 
Once again, my option is to either:
- Buy the MC6T + instrument pack bundle [DL]
- Buy a Sonar product [DL], then buy an instrument pack bundle separately (more expensive option)
 
I do have a few curiosities that the Cakewalk store doesn't seem to answer:
1) Does MC6/MC6T offer anything that Sonar does not?
2) I've read that Sonar's instruments/synths are "better" than in MC6. How are they better; in what way?
3) Does Sonar actually have more instruments than MC6?
 
I have not found a MC6T vs Sonar comparison chart...
Thanks again.

Upgrades are full versions of the product at a special price.
 
The MC series is based on SONAR. The current version of MC is a limited version of X2.
SONAR includes the MC6T plug-ins and more. Session Drummer is an example of a better instrument plug-in. A sample based plug-in with up to 12 stereo outputs, one for each pad.
 
There is a comparison of MC6T and X2 here
You will have to make your own comparison to X3 using the X3 features link above

scook
Upgrades are full versions of the product at a special price.
 
There is a comparison of MC6T and X2 here

Thanks for the comparison link! I didn't think to check my MC6 documentation for that table.
 
So you're saying that the actual upgrade product doesn't require me to keep my MC6? I don't want to have to keep it around. (I would assume it would install off my MC6 registration key, so I would have to retain that...)

Right. The upgrade reference is for pricing only. The product itself is a complete and separate program with it's own serial # and registration.
I agree with scook.
The 5 star reason for moving to X3 would be breaking free of that pesky 8 synth limit in MC6.

You are not allowed to resell or give away your copy of MC6 but there is no requirement to have it installed. The upgrade versions of SONAR are the full retail versions of the product. No prior installation or registration codes are required. Cakewalk trusts you to do the right thing. As a registered user of a Cakewalk product, you are entitled to upgrade pricing of their product line.

Grundberg,
you are getting some great advice here from posters that have been a round awhile .
I think M C 6 touch is a fabulous program especially for what it costs , I have it on my Win 8 lap top w X3 e PE 
 
if you look at this X 3 comparison chart you can see what covers some of the M C 6 territory ….
except M C 6 does it with lots of limitations 
 
http://www.cakewalk.com/products/sonar/versions.aspx 
 
now if you went for X3 for $49…..you would have unlocked a lot more power …
even though M C 6 has some of the same instruments and plugs …
there are no longer instrument or track limits and you can work in a 64 bit music app 
I happen to like the Sonutis plugins , they are very good plugs and you would get those in X3 ….
 
as an add on out side of an upgrade they cost $99 bucks 
http://www.store.cakewalk.com/b2cus/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=36-CWSF3.31-10E
 
I think the best thing you could do is to go for  X3 studio …if you can swing it 
by doing that you add some very powerful synths and plugins that Music Creator doesnt have ….  
Cakewalk bundles some really great tools in the various versions of SONAR
when i started doing the math on how much it costs to pick up some of these synths and plugin suites  ala cart   
as ad ons it becomes pretty obvious what the best plan is 
 
good luck in what ever you decide to do ,
 
Kenny
 

Thanks to all of you for the valuable responses! I've had MC6 since July and I guess the idea came up when I started noticing some of my visible restrictions with the software (no take lanes, 8-synth instrument limit...)
 
I'm grateful for the fact that I can get a Sonar product upgrade for a reduced price and not have to retain my MC6 disc (although I still might). In the past -- for example, with Paint Shop Pro -- you had to have a previous disc to enjoy the upgrade. But you had to keep that disc as long as you have that upgrade on hand.
 
I do have a mild case of OCD. I guess that's why I had initially wanted to just pay in full for the core product than something that has UPGRADE stamped all over it. I guess technically, when you're installing a product and then installing the next version upgrade on top of that, it feels kind of...artificial.
 
At any rate, I may purchase Sonar sometime soon. Everything I've learned from MC6 serves as preparation for that decision...

Yup.... do the upgrade if only to get away from that 8 synth limit.  You will pick up some few features in X3. 
 
I moved up to X1 for the very same reason.... a few new features, no limit on synths and more than 2 inputs..... not that I use those things even now..... but they are available to me.
 
As far as adding new instruments..... even MC6 will handle adding tons of new things. (with that pesky 8 synth limit).  When I had MC4 as my main DAW, I was buying and picking up a wide variety of synths, samples, and FX and using them all in MC4.
 
In addition to the sound center packs and the deals cake offers..... look at the Native Instrument stuff as well. They have a bunch of cool synths and sample libraries that are excellent. Pro quality sounds. As a composer, that is the primary thing to consider.... does it sound real? 
 
As you look around, there are more sample libraries and synths than you have money to buy. Some of the better ones are quite pricey and generally out of the financial affordability range of the hobbyist. When you get to the level of scoring Hollywood films, you will be able to afford them.
 
Keep a watch over in the Software Forum here on Cake. That is where you will find posts about the latest deals and offerings that fellow cakers have discovered. Everything from the deals in the cakewalk store to deals on the most obscure synth no one ever heard of and everything in between. I look in every so often because you never know when, for example, East West will give away a free version of something......yup, I snagged a free working version of E/W when they gave it away, complete with some sweet string samples..... or someone finds a "no-brainer" stupid price deal on some really cool synth or FX...again, I picked up a cool "spacial enhancer" for free from one forumite's posted link, directly from the company that makes it.
 
You will also learn, from the reviews and comments on certain products, which ones rock your world and which ones are a total waste of time and money.