Sonar X1 New Version

You'd be getting a heckuva a deal if you bought it now. Also you'd probably get a good price for future upgrades (depending on what you are currently using) AND you'd have a more stable DAW to use while they work out the bugs in the next version. From the thread history here it sounds like it took right up until the D patch to get things ironed out with X1. I'm not gonna upgrade to the next version until I see everyone is happy with it... if at all. I'm liking my current version.

I would think it would depend on how many versions back you are. Or are you moving from another DAW to Sonar. I was one of the guys that just happened to have bought Sonar 8.5 when they offered X1 upgrade for free! I have to say I have used Cakewalk in different studios since Pro Audio 9. I have used Logic and Pro Tools from time to time. Sonar is the only one out of the pack that I spent my dollars to set up my private studio around. You get so much more bang -for -the -buck features for your investment. While I must admit the learning curve was very steep with X1 Producer, I have never been happier. If you make the jump make sure you get Expanded. I would be lost without it. Whatever new version comes out will have to be very, very impressive for me to abandon X1 Expanded. I would love to see them keep the current platform and just release new updates, plugin features, and bug fixes. But that is just my opinion.

 I've lost too much of time and money unsuccessfully trying to get my PC and X1-DAW (even with patch 'd') running. It hasn't yet paid off. My previous version, PowerStudio 660, was far more stable, easily configured and fun to work with, but I couldn't use enough RAM with the old CPU and Win XP. If I were running a professional recording studio, I would have lost very many customers through the horrendous friction attributed to upgrading my hardware, e.g. yesterday I thought I'd recorded a bass guitar track, hearing my playing, seeing the waveform accumulate etc., but when I finished the recording, the waveform disappeared and I was left with an empty clip. Nothing made the recording reappear ... the day before, I had done exactly the same thing with a guitar track, that is still there!?!?! I can't say whether such erratically unpredictable behaviour is down to X1, Win7 64bit or my hardware (Cakewalk and Roland!!) or whatever, but I'm presently not a happy customer, given that my money showed none of the problems the merchandise is torturing me (and many other users - just count the forum posts) with. Still, if X1 were to run consistently well, I'm sure it would be the fun it's meant to be. So if you get it cheaply enough, it can be worth the effort - I wish you more luck than I've had.

mkxxx brings up a good point. Sometimes, for whatever reason, the software just does not mesh with the machine! I use X1d Expanded on a daily basis on a professional level. I can say until the about the c patch came out, things were rather dodgy. Since patching up to c and d I have had no problems whatsoever. Other than some user occurences. LOL.

 Thanx for the acknowledgement, Sidroe! I chose Cakewalk over Cubase, apparently the market leader here in Germany, because I was given a very old version (Cakewalk 5, I think) and in direct comparison, I was able to effortlessly create a complete song in Cakewalk but not in Cubase (never succeeded!). So when I had the cash (not easy with 4 young kids), I got PowerStudio 660 bundled with a Cakewalk branded Edirol FA-66 interface - that made me very happy: worked straight out of the box, never buckled, only the limitations of my PC (dated back to 2003) forced to me to reach higher. Since upgrading to X1 producer and an up-to-date PC, I've still yet to record a complete song.
I still have some patience, and will probably upgrade to X2, but only because I'm highly disappointed and want this quest to end happily. If that also fails, I seriously consider resorting to my 1985 Tascam 38 and perhaps an analogue mixer, just to spite the perpetually subscriptional sales tactics of present-day software - I bet none of the other DAWs fare much better. But if I get Cakewalk to work the way I think customers deserve it to be running, I'll become the devotee I previously was.

Linear Phase


 DP + Logic are mac only. 

Digital Performer 8 WILL do Windows....

I'm waiting with baited breath to try it...

I STILL LOVE X1....don't get me wrong...

What happened with Wavelab?

Wavelab 7 was criticized just as much and just as vehemently as Sonar X1 was/is.

Many users preferred, or still prefer, Wavelab 6. 

But life goes on...

mike_mccue


You can buy the next version today, you'll get to use X1 now, and you'll get to down load the next version when it comes out:

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=2616366

Thanks Mike for that link. That will do it for me. That Anxiety of buying to soon will not be there since I will get a free upgrade. So before July 31st will be the time to get Producer for $349 download. Then get free upgrade to Production Suite because of promo. Then in October when the next release comes out I get a free upgrade. This sounds exciting.
 
Also thanks to all for your professional input on DAW software. I am new at this and like I said I am learning the keyboard with my new M-Audio 88es. Now with Sonar this hobby is going to be fun. I want to compose epic like music. I played instruments in High School and come from a musical talented family. Hopefully some of those genes went my way. MLOL.

So before July 31st will be the time to get Producer for $349 download. Then get free upgrade to Production Suite because of promo. Then in October when the next release comes out I get a free upgrade.

 
Can you really do it that way?

If you really want to get Sonar and be serious with it, I would get it now and start learning. Waiting might save you a few bucks, but I think the extra time spent using the software would be worth alot more. And as you can see, Sonar X1 is on the X1d Enhanced version, so the updates have been very good and steady. There MAY be an X1e soon, but Cakewalk usually puts out a new numbered version in the fall. I would say get it now, and Learn Baby Learn!  

+ 1...  Music production seems to be very complex.  Takes many years just to get a good footing..   :-)

Digital Performer 8 WILL do Windows.... 

I'm waiting with baited breath to try it... 

I STILL LOVE X1....don't get me wrong...  

I here you on the, "love for X1," although DP on Win-dose that is incredibly interesting.  However..  I'm afraid I like to learn a DAW, and commit.  All these years of this music production journey, I've stuck by my principal: I love music.  I will not crack my software.  That basically means, I had what I had, and learned it real good, cause I had no choice.  I've finally got Sonar too :-) I'm afraid that takes me off the market for DAWs.  Maybe, maybe, maybe I would buy Cubase, but I already know it..  Even though I don't own Cubase.. I learned it many years ago during some European travels...  That's pretty much how I know Cubase is Sonars main competition..  PT is looking pretty dead in the water, imo...  Digital Performer?  I know its part of the, "industry."  I know its supposed to be great.  I don't know much about it.  Should be interesting to see on Windows..  :-)

Care to elaborate? I read about people who've read about people who've heard from other people that Logic has several other problems. I've rarely seen a complaint which wasn't an issue w/ the operator (like people complaining that it isn't quite on par w/ Pro Tools for audio editing - I actually find the opposite to be true). 


Logic's main problem (if I were to call that a problem) is that it's Mac only. Version 9 has been out for 3 years now and still gets free updates. It's the most solid and refined DAW software I've worked w/, period.
Version 8 was a different story though...

On the PC, I'd go w/ Sonar - no questions asked.

I agree Logic's main problem, and I would call it a problem, is that it's Mac only.  Mac is an Apple Brand.  Apple is its own worst enemy.  As far as bugs and, "problems."  Not what I was talking about.  But please..  Let's not pretend logic is the only DAW that doesn't crash.  Cause I've seen crash, people do cold boots, and curse it to hell.

Oh..  ANd I used to have a macbook pro.  So lets not go there.  

I upgraded from 8.5 a few weeks ago, and I'm impressed with X1P even though I haven't recorded anything with it because the little time I've had with it has been really frustrating, lol.
 
You hit the nail on the head with both your posts.  One fears getting too far behind in the upgrade cycle, but you see me now having gotten a better deal than I would have 11 months ago.
 
For what I do, 8.5 is solid as a rock and the problems I've had with X1 has had very little to do with sample content, but still...
 
We all expect CW to make "major" announcements soon and I'll wait to buy anything else for about a year.  I understand they're a business - and I wish them every success - but there have been well-known bugs that have been a source of irritation to many and I'm fortunate they haven't affected me.
 
Now I'm just trying to figure out why all my Spectrasonics stuff works perfectly in 8.5 and not in so much inX1.  Eh, I'll figure it out next weekend.  :-).  

Rain

So unless you can be specific about the issues YOU have experienced w/ Logic, you may as well be reporting what you've read in National Enquirer... Same about Sonar. 

But I'm not saying Logic's issue is bugs.  I said, "other issues," as in, "Logic's issue is Apple."  There are several problems here.  They are not bug related problems.  I didn't say bug, I said, "other issues."  Nope, I'm not reporting what I read in the National Enquirer.  You might want to try the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Barrons, The Financial Times, and various articles I pull up when I read my LinkedIn.


That doesn't mean, I believe Apple is having financial problems.  That is not at all what I am saying.  What I am saying is a bit more nuanced, however, I believe that I couldn't be alone in this line of thinking, so...  "when you buy into Apple; either their stock, or products, there are issues; very much the same kinds as when you purchase a Ford, or a Chevy, bank with Chase, or BOA, deal with Delta, or Hertz, or Avis."

Logic is a drop of water in a big huge bucket.  Its a whole different thing.  I am talking about, "other issues."  I did not mean bugs, functionality I meant, "issues specific to multi-national conglomerates, in this case, "the largest company, by market cap, the world has ever seen."

backwoods


Wavelab 7 was criticized just as much and just as vehemently as Sonar X1 was/is.

Many users preferred, or still prefer, Wavelab 6. 

But life goes on...

I have 6 & 7. No problems with 7 64bit on Win 7 64bit here.

Thanks everyone. I went with studio and get the first class upgrade to Producer