I've been a SONAR user for several versions now, and on XP 32 bit, I've always been able to access and use the SONAR Sonitus plug-ins within other DAW apps on the PC. But I just did a clean install of SONAR X1 64 bit on Win 7 64 and no other DAW will detect the Sonitus VSTs. I see the Sonitus dlls are all in the /Program Files/Cakewalk/Shared Plugins/ (the 64 bit path), and point the other DAWs to this, but they will not see them. Even Cubase 5.5 64 bit will not see them, so it does not seem to be an issue with the plug-ins being 64 bit only.

Is this now the case, or did I miss an option during the X1 installation to allow these VSTs to be seen by other hosts?

Thanks!

I'm actually surprised you could use them in other DAWs before X1, it would not surprise me that they are proprietary.

if you want to use them in other DAWs and the newest version doesn't work then you could always go back to 8.5 or whatever and do a custom install to install only the sonitus suite.

I thought Cubase 5.5 couldn't use DX plug-ins...

With Sonar x64 you now have 64bit DX versions of the Sonitus plug-ins (or if they are not DX then they are a proprietary format) - so 32 bit DAWs won't see them.

I was under the impression the Sonitus plugs are VST and not DX, since I can see the dlls in the /Program Files/Cakewalk/Shared Plugins/. But maybe that is the case, and would explain Cubase not seeing them.

I also considered running my SONAR 8.5 install and just installing the desired Plug-Ins - that might work. I also wonder if, in previous SONAR versions, if SONAR was applying a VST wrapper to its DX plugs, allowing other hosts to then use the wrapped DX plugs, and now X1 does not wrap them??

By the way, I wouldn't fault Cakewalk for making their plugs all proprietary now - it is a nice collection included and they certainly have no obligation to other DAW hosts. But I got spoiled using many of these in my other DAWs and editors too

dont feel bad i couldnt get the cubebase plug ins to work in sonar either..it was a drag and waste of my time..i even tried a wrapper..no workie

What I don't understand is why Cakewalk chose to go back to DirectX, whereas most of people uses VST now...
 
What is the insterest to develop x64 DirectX instead of x64 VST ???

The Sonitus plugs that came included with Sonar were always DirectX.
While you can buy the DirectX/VST bundle at the Cakewalk Store only the DX's come included with Sonar (or at least Sonar Producer, don't know about the other versions).