I have it on three machines and not one time did I run into any problem due to updates. This really is a none issue. One thing I do is check for updates which means I am rarely surprised by an update. The few times Windows updated itself it was done in the background and never interfered with what I was doing with the machine. Normally Windows is smart enough to update when the machine is not in use. Another thing Windows does its updates in small pieces stopping when the machine is doing something. It isn't going to restart in the middle of one doing a task. Further, it asks if it needs to restart due to an update.
 
I am in control of my machines to great degree. I wouldn't have it any other way. Yet I like Windows Defender doing background scanning and reporting its results. It never interferes with any ongoing process. I don't think Sonar ever knows that its files are being watched. 
 
Also you are thinking in a Windows 7 way. Windows 10 is a completely different beast. It is a very smart beautiful OS. Plus these updates are more or less all about fixing bugs. They are not about MS wanting to add stuff for no good reason. MS is still getting feedback on things that should be improved and things that need further development. They have a huge beta testing force in the form of previews that are run on much the same demographics as the final release version that you and I have. We are not using the latest version but months and years behind the previews. No other OS is tested as much as Windows 10.
 
If you have a fair to well running Windows machine than updates should never be a problem.
 
Windows is the biggest target of hackers worldwide. MS is in a war with them. One very important tool MS has is its constant updating to help thwart would be hackers. Its not just defender that is being updated but Windows itself to plug holes and shut down access to your machine.
 
The whole issue about updates being an issue is way overblown.    

Has anyone done some objective tests? Can you run more fx/vst?
(no fair comparing a 7-year-old Win7 PC with a new Win10)
 
I got a new Win10 HP but dread transferring all my stuff (only SPlat so far).
 
I still have a Win98 PC. It boots in 4 seconds and shuts down in one.
And I type just as fast as on my Win10 HP.

jpetersen
Has anyone done some objective tests? Can you run more fx/vst?
(no fair comparing a 7-year-old Win7 PC with a new Win10)
 
I got a new Win10 HP but dread transferring all my stuff (only SPlat so far).
 
I still have a Win98 PC. It boots in 7 seconds and shuts down in one.
And I type just as fast as on my Win10 HP.

Thats a good question.  I don't have any data to offer but I can say all my audio apps such as Sonar Platinum, Studio One 3,  Traction 7 and FL Studio 12. They all run better with fewer glitches. I didn't mention Soundforge 11 because it runs on most anything and its a 32 bit app. I also do video and Windows 10 shines in supporting Vegas Pro. 
 
The second part re, not fair; seems ridiculous considering this is all about Win 7 v Win 10. Of course you make a good point that time has moved on. Windows 7 is an obsolete OS.    

How do you mean, glitch-free?
 
Can I reduce buffer size to attain same glitch-free operation?
 
I am trying to get a handle on exactly what is better.

Not endorsing, recommending, etc, and this goes back to Windows 10 Preview (July 2015) but it expressly tests Sonar Platinum.
http://pcaudiolabs.com/windows-10-for-pro-audio/

I run the same basic setup I have for a long time. Thats because the hardware has not changed only the OS. Glitches means dropouts, zipper noise. static and anything that cause an unpleasant experience.  
 
Most everyone that upgrades to Windows 10 say the same things as to how well it works. You've read this thread and its in favor of upgrading as a consensus.  BTW many of us do all sorts of things with our computers. Not just DAW work. Windows 10 works well with all sorts of tasks. Its better for DAWs because MS put some real effort in optimizing audio in Win 10 as well as MIDI. CW has taken advantage of this too.  

John
I run the same basic setup I have for a long time. Thats because the hardware has not changed only the OS. Glitches means dropouts, zipper noise. static and anything that cause an unpleasant experience.  
 

H'm. Can't say I have that on my Win7 PC. But I don't do video as you do.
In fact I still use my old atom-powered XP netbook to record up to 28 tracks audio simultaneously (Sonar 8.5 with Tascam 1641 + 1800 into ASIO4All)

John
BTW many of us do all sorts of things with our computers. Not just DAW work.

Yes. And as over the years we install more stuff, we don't notice booting gets slower and performance more sluggish. What worries me is we deceive ourselves when we get a freshly installed machine and then we go - Wow! Fast!

jpetersen

John
I run the same basic setup I have for a long time. Thats because the hardware has not changed only the OS. Glitches means dropouts, zipper noise. static and anything that cause an unpleasant experience.  
 

H'm. Can't say I have that on my Win7 PC. But I don't do video as you do.
In fact I still use my old atom-powered XP netbook to record up to 28 tracks audio simultaneously (Sonar 8.5 with Tascam 1641 + 1800 into ASIO4All)

John
BTW many of us do all sorts of things with our computers. Not just DAW work.

Yes. And as over the years we install more stuff, we don't notice booting gets slower and performance more sluggish. What worries me is we deceive ourselves when we get a freshly installed machine and then we go - Wow! Fast!

You make good points. But the same applies to old OSs. 

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Agree Win7 support is going to go away, but that means nada to me.  Everything in SPLAT runs just fine.
 
I have no glitches, crashes, etc, and I run heavy projects with loads of synths (unfrozen) and heavy processor effects.  And the crazy thing is that I am running Win7 out of the box.  No updates.  (again - on an offline system).  I would say that's a hellofva complement to Cakewalk for ensuring backward compatibility (whether by accident or on purpose - Ha!)
 
I have heard a number of "it's a great OS" comments on this thread (and I believe you - I have a Win 10 machine, so I am familiar with the OS), but I have not seen specific performance facts that support the original question of: "Are there any decent and notable performance improvements I might see?"
 
From a user standpoint, the HSI of Win 7 is just as good as Win 10, and I see no lag in performance.
 
Like I said, if I go with a big job of moving to a new DAW machine, then I'll probably move to the new OS.  But for now I've seen no specific functionality gain supporting the move.