Sonar le 8.5 vs X1 vs. Guitar Tracks Pro 4

I have been using various software to record mostly guitar, but I also have gear for everything but live drums now that I added a MIDI keyboard, but I can't get it configured.

The software bundled with it was Ableton Live, and the documentation was wrong for the system I have, Windows 7 64-bit. In short, I could not figure out how to connect it. Alesis told me to contact Ableton and vice versa.

I want to perform with the MIDI keyboard at home, and record live sessions with guitar, vocals and Alesis QX49 MIDI keyboard. I have been trying to use various trial software, Adobe Audtion 3 (which I love, but it's too expensive for what you get, OTOH if it was cheaper I would start with it and add modules like VSTs). So I would like to base my home studio on either Sonar X1 Studio (I want V-Vocal, though not a dealbreaker) but I also like Guitar Tracks Pro 4, which seems like it might be easier to use for me.

Lastly, I am a registered user for Sonar 4 LE. This gives me a small break, AFAIK, $150 for X1 studio, and maybe $80 for Guitar Tracks Pro 4, but I can get the box for $85.

First assumption, all of these choices will allow me to use my MAudio Black Box, Edirol UA4FX, and MIDI keyboard. Next, I would like to have some tools for mastering, but this is the lowest priority, because I can always do that last. I guess what I am saying is that I want to get going on being able to run some sessions with the keyboard and record up to 3 musicians with a centralized MIDI clock, since for one thing, the Black Box has beat sync'ed effects, and no live drummer is possible.

After that, I lean towards X1 Studio because of V-Vocal, and nobody we know is very strong vocally, we may need this badly! But I fear going that way might make me lose out on some Guitar Tracks features, because it seems like the bundled VSTis are more classic rock oriented, which is exactly what I want. In a nutshell summary, it seems like X1 is more costly but has tools like V-Vocal, while Guitar Tracks 4 has better virtual instruments as shipped. I might be wrong though. 

Can anyone offer any tips on this? Might I be better off just buying a dedicated MIDI USB device and use Audacity to record, and buy modules of software as I need them? I would like to invest in a Cakewalk suite, but it is so confusing, I think they have excellent products but shoot themselves in the foot with the confusion with either pricing, or maybe just bad communications marketing, especially if all one has is the web site for a source.


Thanks to ANYONE who can help!