Calazzus
He said he is the only composer he knows that uses Sonar. I know a DAW is what you make it just don't understand why no one seems to use this one. The MAC vs PC kind of make sense but can't be the only reason. Btw I have lifetime SPLAT.
I think it may have a lot to do with the Mac vs PC thing, but not for the reason you may assume.
Most creative professionals probably used Macs in school, whether it was for music, film, or graphic arts. They acquired lots of skills with Mac-centric tools, and probably scored academic licenses for many of them along the way.
Using what you know is a big time saver, and money maker!
One reason that Cakewalk Sonar is not listed as "industry standard" is probably due to this fact that it has been "Windows only" since the beginning of time. Cakewalk has not really penetrated the academic market yet.
There was a time when real-time audio, or graphics, was only available on the Amiga or Mac. And it took a while for Windows to catch up, and catch up it did! But the meme had already been implanted.
Another reason is that the timing of the major recording and movie studios switch from analog to digital. When the industry shifted, the Mac was probably the only realistic choice for the majority of them. So along comes Pro Tools. A lot of money was invested in that platform. So we are really dealing with first to market, and the expense and inertia to change once you are "all in". I have heard that if you want to work in a recording studio, that you must be skilled with Pro Tools.
I have also heard rumors that some independent studio guys now buy Pro Tools, just so they can tell a prospective client that "Yes, I have Pro Tools". Then they can use their choice of DAW to work in. Time is money!
The bottom line is that all modern DAWs probably sound alike today, with professional sounding audio mixes. They are all capable. It is the skill level of the musicians and the DAW operator that matter the most.
Regarding equipment, the DAW only processes the bits it is given by the external hardware. The signal chain starting with the recording room, instruments, microphones, preamps, audio interface analog/digital converters, etc., is what really produces the sound.
So don't get hung up on "esteem" issues regarding your choice of tools. Make music instead!