If you are running X3 or earlier, don't hesitate to grab this. It'll be an upgrade.
 
Say you're running 8.5 at present; you'll be getting gobs of new features such as FX chains, VST3 support, loop samples, ProChannel, quick groups, ARA, touchscreen support, Vocal align and drum replacer. Have unfinished projects in 8.5? No problem, keep on running 8.5 as long as you like. It will peacefully coexist with CbB (Cakewalk by BandLab). All your existing plugins will continue to work in the new DAW, including those that are proprietary to SONAR.
 
 

I'll have to check out this Pro Channel thing, I thought Home Studio had it but it's just the EQ and the next to useless sound dials. But that might just be the one big difference fo me. 

SHS and Artist do not have the full PC, they have Mixstrap, a feature introduced in Music Creator 7. CbB not only includes all the Style Dials bundled with SHS and Artist; it has all the ProChannel modules that were bundled with Platinum. The QuadCurve EQ is much nicer that the MixStrip EQ in SHS and Artist.

Has anyone figured out what IS new and different from the most recent SONAR Platinum update from last year?   I don't see anything in the FAQ or elsewhere.

Just downloaded & installed on my new laptop.
 
I timed it - 8 minutes from start of download to playing the demo project.
 
This thing is lightning fast

No auto start thingy - please. 

I have a question for those who installed so far:
 
If I DO NOT Install the SI-instruments with CWbBL does it affect my SPLAT install?
 
OR do I have to install SI stuff to see them with the new install . . . It is not really clear as to which install I should use.
 
Thanks,
 
Syphus

Anyone having issues with A/V while trying to install?

I know BandLab is updating BA. For now, you will need to disable AVast to install CbB.

Stringrazor1
Anyone having issues with A/V while trying to install?

I did. Both Windows and AVG flagged the BandLab Assistant. Reluctantly, I made an exception, but it would be nice if BandLab addressed this.
 
Still testing the new software. Got a bit of glitching during playback, at one point, but that may be due to running Firefox as I listen. Then again, I tried the same project on SPLAT, in the same circumstances, and it didn't seem to mind. This is all the more odd, given that Cakewalk is running off of my SSD, while SPLAT is on the HDD, so Cakewalk should, in theory, be more efficient there.
 
For some odd reason, the installer picked up some odd previous MRU data (projects that I haven't worked on in a long time), whilst completely ignoring the stuff I've been working recently.
 
The installer didn't locate all my VST folders, so I had to set them up manually, but afterwards it picked up all my existing plugins - stuff from SPLAT (e.g. the Blue Tube plugins), additional Cakewalk stuff I'd bought or gotten (inc. LP EQ and Adaptive Limiter), third party plugins, the lot. As far as I can tell, migration from SPLAT to Cakewalk is mostly painless.
 
I will, however, hold off migrating completely for now - at least until the matter of keeping SONAR add-ons, whilst uninstalling the actual software is cleared up.