Well, if I were to pile on this thread (which I am), I would generally agree with the OP. I actually didn't even realize it until it was pointed out but I DO have difficulty differentiating clips when tracks are collapsed.

IMO the point is, BRING BACK COLOR OPTIONS!!! This fifty shades of grey is AWFUL!!! 8.5 was the best GUI. As for the program itself, X3 is better, by far, than 8.5.

Guitarpima
IMO the point is, BRING BACK COLOR OPTIONS!!! This fifty shades of grey is AWFUL!!! 8.5 was the best GUI. As for the program itself, X3 is better, by far, than 8.5.

Yes would agree here also.

Anderton
You can't change default background colors for clips, but you can change the background colors for cilps, groups of clips, or an entire track of clips using the Inspector.

I can, exactly waht I did to get the first picture above, but it's very tiresome to do it for each track/clip in each project. Why can't we have the default option customizable as in used to be on Sonar 8.5.3?

brundlefly
Possible workaround:
 
I just exported my X3 color scehme, imported it into X2, changed the color for Tracks 1, 11, 21... Background, exported/imported the scheme to X3, and the change took for MIDI tracks 1, 11, 21.
 
So the parameter is there. It's just not exposed in X3. I've done this for other disappeared preference options in the past, both for colors and keyboard shortcuts.
 
Just be aware that importing an X2 color scheme into X3 could have other undesirable side-effects even if you start by importing X3 into X2. But you can always revert if something doesn't work out.
 

Yeah, it works to some point. I used to do this trick importing schemes from Sonar 8.5 to X2. But what was the point of removing this options? To make us suffer?

To summarize: I think we need fully working colors customization.
 
Default color scheme is UNINSPIRING, lacks contrast, and we can do little to change most of it.  
Speaking in terms of color customization… Just to see the scale of what we've already lost with X-series. This is Sonar 853 with ALL colors available in configure colors dialog set to white
 
 
And this is Sonar X3, all colors is preferences set to white as well

 
The difference is quite striking.
 
What annoys me the most, there is still option to customize some elements in color preferences, but they have no effect. we have an option, that does not work, because color description is buried in exe file.  Compared to 853, we can’t change many things anymore… For example, track view controls background is unchangeable, and this seriously limits skinning possibility… any “bright” schemes just doesn’t fit with grey drop-boxes background and text. And so on. Not only options to tweak new Skylight interface elements (such as bluish text, draggers and screen in transport module and grey panels) are absent, but some options has become extinct, that were available in Sonar 8.5.For example: where is the option for time ruler background color (it should be second in clips pane color menu)? The funny thing is that you can tweak time ruler background in Sonar 8.5, then export scheme and import it to X3 and get the color that you want in this way, but why it's not there in X3? Maybe it's top secret?