The SONAR Mac Prototype, a collaboration between Cakewalk and CodeWeavers

Several months ago, we promised to deliver a SONAR Mac Alpha. To build it, we collaborated with a company called CodeWeavers. CodeWeavers has a technology called CrossOver that is basically a Windows-to-Mac translator, allowing native Windows applications to run on a Mac.
 
Together, Cakewalk and CodeWeavers used CrossOver to enable a native Windows version of SONAR Home Studio to run on a Mac. We’ve packaged this product for release as a SONAR Mac Prototype, available now as a free download to all who are interested.
 
Since our initial announcement of this product, we’ve learned three important lessons.
 
First, building this SONAR Mac Prototype took more effort than we had hoped or expected. There has been a constant stream of UI/UX details, and performance tweaks to resolve -- just to deliver this initial prototype.
 
Second, we should have been more transparent with the Cakewalk community about this initiative; and set clearer expectations. We have recently made some organizational changes that we hope will improve our ability to communicate in a more effective and timely manner.
 
Third, we realized that trying to bring the full SONAR experience to the Mac would take away from what we do best - create the world's finest software for the Windows platform. With Microsoft's renewed commitment to creative applications for Windows, we've been able to accomplish several important improvements in the past few months.
 
In November 2016 we launched SONAR Home Studio, the first DAW to support WASAPI shared mode using Microsoft’s low latency API, resulting in latencies as low as 3 ms on supported devices (10 msec otherwise).
 
In January 2016, we appeared on stage at CES with Avid, Microsoft, and Autodesk for Dell’s announcement of their new Canvas product, highlighting what musicians will soon be able to accomplish with large-screen touch interfaces built for their Windows PCs.
 
In March 2017, we released a SONAR update to become the first Windows DAW to support Bluetooth MIDI controllers natively, stemming from a close collaboration with Microsoft.
 
In fact, Cakewalk has a long history of innovations on the Windows platform, from being the first DAW to natively support 64-bit Windows, to the first DAW to support Windows Touch, to a patent-pending plug-in load balancing solution.
 
Next month marks Cakewalk’s 30th anniversary, a major milestone in our industry. We’ll be celebrating every month, looking at our past, present and future, with stories, free content and additional innovations.
 
We are proud to continue our investment in SONAR as the leading DAW for the Windows platform. The SONAR Mac Prototype is the end of the line for SONAR on the Mac.
 
One more thing… (couldn’t resist the Steve Jobs reference) while we’re not going to bring the SONAR product line to the Mac, we have begun to explore new ideas and initiatives that will reach more musicians on more platforms than ever before, and we’re all very excited about our future!
 
So, stay tuned...and let's make some noise together!
 
To Download:
http://www.cakewalk.com/products/sonar-mac-prototype
 
Some Known Issues with SONAR Mac Prototype:
    - SONAR Mac Prototype uses more CPU resources than the Windows version
    - Toast Notifications do not appear for plug-in scanning or authorization status
    - Style Dial plug-ins do not draw correctly after reloading a project
    - Alt + Delete Key on Mac required to Edit | Delete
    - The Track icon appearance is distorted or pixelated
    - SONAR Start Screen does not display project images
 
 

So no SMac, huh?
 

Sad pony. :-(

Too bad. Good thing I'm feeling at home in Logic. Great initiative, sorry to see it didn't work out.

While I'm disappointed that there won't be a fully-functioning Mac version of Sonar, I am perfectly content to continue using Windows via Boot Camp on my Mac. If the Sonar Mac Prototype just allows me to plug in an audio interface and record something, then that's all I really need it do. Mainly that I can take my 15" MacBook Pro on the road and record environmental effects using macOS's integrated graphics and save battery over the discrete AMD graphics that Windows is forced to use. Then hopefully I can migrate said recordings over to the Windows side for mixing.
 
Shayne

ibanex8
I've used Sonar since the 5th version, and with the release of X3 and Platinum it became my most favorite DAW. Since moving to mac, the mac version sounded very promising to me. I feel disappointed that its the end of the line for Sonar Mac. I'm thankful that you've released this prototype version, and would be even more amazing if it would support my vst and vst3 plugins, and instrument. But after all I guess this would be a farewell to Sonar for me. I loved you. 

 
There's always boot camp and programs like Parallels. I know it's not the same thing as a native Mac version, but it's the solution for a lot of people who want to use Windows software with Mac hardware.

I have a Macbook Pro 2016 too. Yes me of all people. I did not buy it it was given to me anonymously. I did want to try Sonar on it when it was available. So this is great news as well as bad news.  I wont go into my take on Macs but its nice to have Home Studio on the Mac.  Thanks CW!
 
The good part about a Mac is the built in sound is quite good. 
 
In the end I have nothing to gripe about. 

While I do not care about Mac version, there was some hope such development will force to revise core components... And CodeWavers approach means that was not the plan (IMHO correct accoutrement a year ago had to be "we try to run Sonar on Mac" and not "Sonar for Mac". I personally hope to understand why current Sonar does not run on Linux (X2 and X3 do). But I will never call the result "Sonar for Linux").
 

blazingedgepro
While I'm disappointed that there won't be a fully-functioning Mac version of Sonar, I am perfectly content to continue using Windows via Boot Camp on my Mac. If the Sonar Mac Prototype just allows me to plug in an audio interface and record something, then that's all I really need it do. Mainly that I can take my 15" MacBook Pro on the road and record environmental effects using macOS's integrated graphics and save battery over the discrete AMD graphics that Windows is forced to use. Then hopefully I can migrate said recordings over to the Windows side for mixing.
 
Shayne

You could also use GarageBand or basically any audio recorder for this, right?

I love my MacBook Air but, even though I have Logic Pro X and Ableton Live on it, I really use it primarily for my photography (Lightroom & Photoshop), surfing the web, and some document production. I still use Sonar on my desktop PC for 99% of my music work, so I'm not really that disappointed in the discontinuation of Sonar for Mac, although it might have been nice for the *very* occasional mobile recording use.

Post removed at the insistence that I have not contributed to the conversation.

congratulations but also commiserations, thanks for letting us know (haven't read the thread yet, off out to see the jesus and mary chain)