pbognar

AllanH
...I fail to see how Sonar effectively can compete with Logic at $200. To me, there appears to be a limited value proposition with Sonar on Mac, especially in view of hardware costs. If I were willing to pay for a Mac, I would be focused on features, and go straight to Cubase or Logic.
 
We’ll see I guess, and I do hope this succeeds.

This ^^^
 
I was disappointed all day after the big reveal, but I now chalk it up to the hype, and feeling like I've come away with nothing.
 
Had there been no fanfare, just a nonchalant Mac announcement, it would have a lot easier to swallow.
 
Maybe it won't be so bad, having folks with MAC DAWs finally being able to play with Sonar.
 
Who knows, maybe we'll end up getting new or refined features once direct comparisons to other Mac DAWs are made.
 
 
 
 

Il agree 100% with your comments.  How the news were delivered, with all this hype, left lots of PC folks on their appetite. Yes, we were offered a great lifetime updates deal (which I've purchased) but it still feels to me like this deal was meant as a buffer to avoid upsetting current PC users.
My opinion anyways......

Dreamstation
This is a valid question and hasn't been addressed (as far as I can see).  I have been on the subscription system from the start.  I decided not to go ahead with the $99 fee, but to continue paying monthly.  I would like to know if those post-January payments are taken into consideration when calculating the Lifetime fee?  In my opinion it would be very fair if that were true.  If my monthly payments between January and up to August were factored into a reduction on the Lifetime payment, should I decide to pay that by August, then I would be very happy.
 
Has this been given due consideration?

I'll repost what I posted earlier in this thread. I think this is correct:
 
For those asking why they don't get the $99 offer after paying monthly... It is because you only paid up to 1 month max in advance. On the other hand, if you paid a year's worth of membership in Jan, then you still have 6 months left. Hence the price difference.

I don't see it being answered. So let's say I have Platinum and I don't upgrade to Lifetime updates- what will happens next year when my subscription year ends? Will I be charged renewal? Also after August 31st, there will be no "lifetime updates," so what will be for sale? Subscription with yearly paid renewals?
 
Wow- I did not think of Logic. I was Logic 4 and Logic 5 user. I remember how they offered us Logic 5 update on PC and it was the last update for Windows. I see it is possible to happen. Apple is sneaky and unethical this way.  

letyourlightshineAbleton does it so does protools,reason and they have no problem.
Cakewalk will continue to innovate and make pc sonar better.
Maybe they are making a Mac version because many people and users like me have requested it,and maybe it's a good decision buianess wise for them too.

Let's hope you're right and they will continue to innovate the PC version. It's simple marketing - to develop a product, you need revenue and profit. If the PC version no longer brings in the cash (with "life-time subscription"), it's difficult to pay the salary of developers. But as Andrew said, they are looking at new-entry users. If the new entry-users are predominantly Mac users, then we'll know where Cakewalk will be heading. So I would say, the next year is going to be crucial towards where CW will be heading and I'll definitely be watching closely. Switching over to the Mac is not something I would consider in the near future for myself, but I may be the minority. Logic still leaves a bad-taste in my mouth after all these years...

SilkTone

Dreamstation
This is a valid question and hasn't been addressed (as far as I can see).  I have been on the subscription system from the start.  I decided not to go ahead with the $99 fee, but to continue paying monthly.  I would like to know if those post-January payments are taken into consideration when calculating the Lifetime fee?  In my opinion it would be very fair if that were true.  If my monthly payments between January and up to August were factored into a reduction on the Lifetime payment, should I decide to pay that by August, then I would be very happy.
 
Has this been given due consideration?

I'll repost what I posted earlier in this thread. I think this is correct:
 
For those asking why they don't get the $99 offer after paying monthly... It is because you only paid up to 1 month max in advance. On the other hand, if you paid a year's worth of membership in Jan, then you still have 6 months left. Hence the price difference.

Ah, I see - I guess I missed that - Thanks!  Following this logic though... I'd like to wait until August to follow through with "Lifetime" due to the fact that August is when I will receive my tax return and therefore have the spare cash available.  If I continue to pay monthly until then, then I'll have accumulated monthly payments (more than the six months you mentioned above) which should offset the "Lifetime" payment come August.  Seems fair to me.  What is good for the goose, should be good for the gander, no?  If the offer is open until August, then the deal should get progressively cheaper as you approach August, given the logic that Cakewalk have applied for the $99 crowd.

cheez
...If the PC version no longer brings in the cash (with "life-time subscription"), it's difficult to pay the salary of developers.

Don't forget that (at least for now) the Lifetime plan is only for Platinum users so that still leaves Artist and Professional, and not all Platinum users are likely to get on board...    Plus there are the other products like Rapture Pro, PC modules, etc., all adding to the pot.  And who knows what they'll come up with going forward.   Huh, I guess the glass is half full from where I am. 
 
 

Jim Roseberry

reactorstudios
There was something for everyone in the three facets of this announcement. Those of you in the 'meh' class might need meds.
Many thanks to the bakers for lots of hard work pushed through at a remarkably low cost.

I've used Cakewalk software since the CPA 4.0 days (first version to have audio).

• The planned updates are nice (Ripple Editing, etc).  I've grown to expect those with rolling updates.
• Lifetime updates is cool.  I thought Sonar was already very affordable.
• Mac version of Sonar?  I have the fastest Mac you can currently buy... but my custom PC is faster.  To be able to run Sonar on that Mac (the way I do on the PC), I'd need $2k in external Thunderbolt drives.

While I don't want to be a downer, that does leave me feeling a bit "Meh".  

I agree completely Jim. I have two macs, both bootcamped,  and two PC's, both of which outperform the macs and cost far less to set up. I have zero interest in running Sonar on a mac. It has been native to PC for 28 years, and on a properly configured computer is easily as stable as any DAW on the mac (with the possible exception of the much less richly featured Abelton Live. The audio engine on that thing is freakishly indestructible:))
 
Prior to windows 7, there probably was a valid stability argument for choosing Apple OS, but that is ancient history now. Having used both PC's and Macs for decades, I can't for the life of me understand why you would choose a closed, expensive ecosystem over a faster,  cheaper, open architectured and more functional option. No offence intended to mac fans - to each their own of course:)
 
I do wish the Cakewalk team the every success in garnering a new Apple customer base, and they have certainly accumulated more than enough good will for me to believe they will stand by their promise of not slowing windows development.
 
 
 
 
 

I'm really, really surprised that OSX was indeed one of the big announcements. I know there was plenty of speculation about that (and kudos to those of you who guessed correctly!) but I just didn't see it as being a necessary/lucrative endeavor given the number of DAWs already available for Mac (and the Logic/Pro Tools users who are probably very unlikely to jump ship regardless of whatever else is available on OSX). But hey, pretty freakin' cool. 
 
I'm also really, really surprised at the negativity here. I get that some people may be a little disappointed in the big news. Those who were hoping for a mastering suite, new notation editor, arrangement feature, etc. are obviously going to have to keep hoping. But the paranoia about Cakewalk utilizing lifetime updates as a cash grab because they know the end is near? Cakewalk has been in the business for what, 25 years? 30 year? And the past 18 months alone, at least in my mind, have been a huge leap forward. And the "coming in 2016" features is a pretty aggressive list, just as aggressive and feature-rich as what was delivered the past 18 months. Why wouldn't they keep it up? The fact that they're dipping their toes into OSX in addition to the planned features/fixes/enhancements etc. seems to indicate a big push forward, not an end-of-life scenario.

 
I personally would've like to have seen something like a notation editor or some snazzy new features, but I still think that - regardless of whether our personal wishes were granted or not - everything about this announcement shows great potential. I'm really interested in seeing what changes are in store for comping. The upcoming ripple edit feature has really got my attention. So many other DAWs seem to be standing still and just offering more of the same, but SONAR is evolving before our eyes, and it's evolving quickly.
 
Maybe I'm just a dumb fanboy, but man. You can't please everyone all the time, and of course Cakewalk knows this, but look at the big picture. SONAR is going places, and just because some requested features aren't included in this big announcement doesn't mean they couldn't show up eventually. The way I see it, things are looking really good for SONAR these days. 

cheez
If the PC version no longer brings in the cash (with "life-time subscription"), it's difficult to pay the salary of developers. But as Andrew said, they are looking at new-entry users. If the new entry-users are predominantly Mac users, then we'll know where Cakewalk will be heading.

There are always new people coming into the world of recording. A little over half choose Mac and a little under half choose Windows. Windows 10 is coming on strong so the ratio might achieve parity.
 
That would put Cakewalk in a sweet position - dominance on Windows, and a presence on the Mac (sort of the reverse of Pro Tools).
 
 

Thanks for the opportunity you guys are giving us.