Sonar X4 release date

Sonar hit a home run with X3e, and part of that was them bypassing the bombardment of complaints about how long it was taking to get to X3, to do the extensive rework and weaving for things like Melodyne support and VST3, and all of the new features.
 
That was followed by actually the 1st maintenance update being released at the same time the base X3 was released, then followed in pretty short order by the other updates - culminating in X3e.
 
X3 has garnered massive respect and admiration from lots of folks in the industry, and has enjoyed a sizable growth in new users, in the process, not to mention the current users having such good experiences.
 
So, the above is all groundwork for them being well-positioned to create a new raised standard with the move to whatever X4 ends up becoming.  I say this because (as some have pointed out already), they are quite willing to work with X3e for whatever time it takes to craft a solid X4, all due to there being a good and stable X3e to work with in the meantime.
 
So, kudos to Cakewalk for where they are now, and for where they can take us moving forward into X4.  Kudos as well to the Sonar user base, for being willing to buy into giving Cakewalk development the opportunity to craft a SOLID X4 release.
 
I have been SOOOO happy with X3e, and its features and stability, as it gives me plenty to learn to master during the baking time of X4.  I have zero worries about sitting at my computer and launching into project after project in X3e, and have to say that these past months have been the single most productive time for my work.  That's a big deal for me.
 
I am quite willing to give the bakers whatever time they need for X4.
 
Bob Bone

Wookiee
Why do we have to go through this process of getting the new version up to speed for three to four months only to repeat again eight months later.

 
Well, i'm sure I'm not the only person who was able to make music from day 1 of having X3. It's not like it took three to four months before it was useful, more like three to four months to have enough usage cases out there to identify issues, set priorities, and do fixes.
 
As to why do it all over again, hopefully it would be for the same reason it was worth getting comping, Melodyne, Addictive Drums, colorized mixer strips, etc. If the next version doesn't have compelling/useful features for some people, they can keep chugging along contentedly with X3...just as some people are still on 8.5.
 
Sonar appeals to both hobbyists and pros. For pros, anything that gives a competitive advantage or saves time is well worth adopting as soon as possible. For example in my case, the amount of time saved with the new comping dwarfs the time spent learning to become proficient at it. For hobbyists, it's often the extras like Addictive Drums or the Nomad Factory plug-ins that are appealing. Different people have different priorities; it's only possible to know whether you want an update ASAP or can afford to wait awhile after scrutinizing the list of features, and seeing which ones matter to you.