Katchi
The $60 upgrade also include the VariVerb II plug in.

 
As far as I can tell, only the pro versions, Samplitude Pro-X and Samplitude Pro-X Suite, have the Variverb II plugin included.
 
This is confusing, because in your second post, you call the upgrade "Samplitude 2014", which suggests the consumer level product (with no Variverb Pro -- and in no way can be upgraded to the Pro versions for $60).
 
So, do you currently have one one the older Pro versions, like Samplitude 10, 11 or Sequoia?  (Only explanation that seems to make sense).
 
 

I own the Music Maker Premium version

Katchi,
 
If you're upgrading to Sonar X3 Producer from a lesser version of X3 it shouldn't cost you $399. It should be $149. At least that's how I'm reading their upgrade page. Can anyone else confirm that?

joel77
Katchi,
 
If you're upgrading to Sonar X3 Producer from a lesser version of X3 it shouldn't cost you $399. It should be $149. At least that's how I'm reading their upgrade page. Can anyone else confirm that?

You're misinterpreting that I think, that is the price upgrading from X2 Producer.

I love Samplitude for mastering!  I also love the time pitch shift capability, way better and faster than Sonar.  Supposedly sonar is going to implement a similar capability in the next version. 
1

Sound good, would love to get your source though.

Joel77,
These are the current prices, from Sonar XE3 is 399
 
Upgrade from SONAR X2 Producer$149.00
Upgrade from any SONAR Producer$199.00
Upgrade from any SONAR Studio$299.00
Upgrade from any other SONAR$399.00
Upgrade for any registered customer$449.00

Samplitude is a great app for "Mastering" and CD layout.
Also particularly good for any type of hard-core slice/dice editing (with the Object based tools)
That said... if you're a Sonar X3 user, I'd upgrade to X3 Producer (first)... as it offers ARA integration for use with Melodyne... and has some fundamental tools for "Mastering".  The Pro Channel EQ is pretty good.  If you need additional Dynamics Processing options, you can add 3rd-party plugin/s or Pro Channel additions.
 
As has been mentioned, the inexpensive versions of Samplitude are not the full Pro-X version.

Samplitude is a fine program, but I've been doing more and more mastering in Sonar. The LP EQ and Multiband are excellent. So are the ProChannel modules.
 
Ozone 5 costs $249 and has any "missing" mastering plug-ins and diagnostics tools. Throw it in a channel, create a screen set that's optimized for mastering, and you can take care of most mastering situations. If you're doing multi-point editing for broadcast you'll need something like Sequoia, but that's major $$$ for a capability you likely won't use for mastering music.
 
The biggest limitation in Sonar is CD production (e.g., CD text and such). With the decline of physical media and an emphasis towards singles instead of albums, I'm finding this less and less of an issue with each passing year.
 
 

Anderton
Samplitude is a fine program, but I've been doing more and more mastering in Sonar. The LP EQ and Multiband are excellent. So are the ProChannel modules.
 
Ozone 5 costs $249 and has any "missing" mastering plug-ins and diagnostics tools. Throw it in a channel, create a screen set that's optimized for mastering, and you can take care of most mastering situations. If you're doing multi-point editing for broadcast you'll need something like Sequoia, but that's major $$$ for a capability you likely won't use for mastering music.
 
The biggest limitation in Sonar is CD production (e.g., CD text and such). With the decline of physical media and an emphasis towards singles instead of albums, I'm finding this less and less of an issue with each passing year.
 

One thing I'd like to see Sonar pickup that S1 has (and you did a great NAMM presentation on, that's on your YT site) is album mastering and ability to throw in tracks and order them and reorder them, etc.  You can sort of do this in Sonar, but it's a lot more painstaking.
 
I got S1 professional as an upgrade from Artist (that was a throw in on an old interface) on one of these advertised deals, for $100 specifically for that feature (that and I needed a cross Mac/Windows platform for stuff I do at my church), but I use Sonar pretty much exclusively for everything else.