SimpleM
Thank you for the useful response Keni.  I'm afraid several of the fanboys got their panties in a bunch over the rant/lament part of my OP and could not see that I was asking the questions that a few of you have taken the time to answer.

As a recovering ediholic , I think using a word like "disturbing" was probably like waving a red flag...your second post that clarified matters isn't really well-represented by the thread title.
 
In fact while I'm here...I've noticed quite a few thread titles are really kind of misleading or unclear, like threads that state there's some horrible bug rather than simply asking if others have a solution to a particular problem...or thread titles that don't indicate what the thread is actually about. It's a cliche that "you only get one chance to make a first impression," so the clearer the thread title, the better the odds of getting the intended answer.

Beepster
SEE?! Craig showed up as I was typing up my diatribe. Dude gives a shizzle. Very encouraging.

I don't want to overpromise and undeliver so I won't say much, but I was talking with Henry J the other day and he said "I think you'll be spending a fair amount of time in Boston, you'll like it up there. Well, maybe not so much in the winter..."
 
I truly believe X3 is the start of something very cool, not just the culmination of what was learned with X1 and X2. As a matter of fact, I just got a file from Dan Gonzalez that...
 
Oooops. Gotta be careful. I didn't say anything. Never mind. Forget you ever saw that. Thank you.

Hey Craig! Was that a carrot?
No. It's gone now.
I was sure there was a carrot.
I Can't see anything.
But what happened to the.......... Never mind nothing to see here.
What's all the talk about carrots?

I've had a used melodyne essential for a while now. I found it very useful. Yes, I did upgrade to editor with X3, but essential was fine and with X3 it was free.
So ....................................................?

mettelus
 
As far as "bait and switch" with Melodyne...
   1) Melodyne Essential will suit many user's needs without the upgrade to Editor.
   2) The upgrade to Editor was a bargain as well ($150 versus $300).
   3) Melodyne released a patch to improve the ARA functionality (with X3) so this partnership is a great one. X3 coming out of the chute with ARA on board and it being as nice as it is is rather impressive to me.
 

Exactly. I was a Melodyne essentials user prior to X3 and its a very useful bit of software. ARA integration in X3 made it so much easier to use. I have take advantage of the offer to upgrade to editor.
 
Its the ARA integration rather than the fact that they bundled Melodyne essentials that is the exciting part. Things like Adictive Drums and the extra effects are icing on the cake. The core improvments are worth the upgrade price IMHO. 

CakeAlexS
So the Melodyne offer has expired?.... crap.

The Melodyne upgrade  offer, to the best of my understanding, has a week-long window of opportunity that begins when you first register with them for the X3 version.  Once you complete that initial registration with them, they then send you an email with the offer, which will last one week from your registration date.
 
I do not know if the offer itself has some sort of time limit, but I would think not.
 
I hope I have explained it well enough for you - I believe you to be still eligible for the deal, IF you have not yet registered the X3 Melodyne Basic edition and then missed that upgrade window.
 
Bob Bone
 

To the original poster - I believe X3 has been a fantastic value, providing a significant level of development effort in multiple areas, like VST3 support, ARA integration, the color customization, etc., and has been very well received by both current users upgrading and a whole bunch of new Sonar users with X3.
 
The add-on components to me, are great gravy.  Some folks use them, and some folks do not.  I happen to have Komplete 8 Ultimate, and do not use a lot of the included synths from X3, but I definitely use a bunch of the included effects, as well as Dim Pro (even though I also have and use Kontakt).  The Melodyne component is fabulous - even though I did not pursue the upgrade.  (I had downloaded the full-blown version as an independent demo, and found it great for audio/midi conversion of single tracks, but not so good at picking out things like a guitar solo in a full mix - which they said up front it was not designed to do anyway, so I passed on the upgrade).  Nonetheless, even the version that comes with X3 is a GREAT replacement for V-Vocal.
 
So, the additional components, in my opinion, are good for some folks, and not needed by others, with the seemingly more prevalent case being folks using some subset of the components.
 
In any case, I hope you find X3 to be a release you are happy with, and that you are able to expand your music production capabilities with it.  I additionally hope that you find help on occasions where you post on the forum for assistance.
 
Bob Bone

Hi everybody.
 
First, let me say that SONAR is still my DAW of choice, since SONAR XL (which is the 1st flagship SONAR product.)
 
I do sympathize with the OP in that software included with SONAR which is not Cakewalk stuff, has usually been a non-full version, which, though I don't believe is some sort of negative scheme on Cake's part, seems to be some sort of exercise in marketing asking for or tempting users to upgrade to the real deal full version. For example, some of the software that comes to mind is: the SONAR version of the DR-008 drum sampler/synth, VSampler, and Guitar Rig. Even though those examples refer to software included in older versions of SONAR, software that has been included with SONAR, which was not Cakewalk originated software,  has always seemed to have been a non-full version.
 
I remember always thinking: I wish Cake would get these companies to include the full version of their product with SONAR. So, with the release of the information of what was going to be included in X3, it was immediately apparent to me that a good change had occurred. For one thing, the real deal full version of Addictive Drums was going to be included, and a good number of ProChannel modules was included! For me coming from X1, that's very attractive news. hehe
 
So, I'm not going to beat up on the OP, as though his post is absolutely ridiculous because it's not.Yet, as Craig pointed out, the tittle of the thread, sounds worse than what the OP is really trying to convey.
 
Moreover, I must say, with all the stuff included in X3 Producer, this X3 release makes SONAR X3 Producer not only the best value for the buck package of any SONAR release, but it is the best value for the buck and a great purchase for any 1st time purchaser of professional DAW software!
 
Cakewalk, I think you have hit a freakin' grand slam this time! SONAR 8.5, X1, and X2, so bases were loaded, then, BAM: X3 Producer! A freakin' Grand Slam! Congrats and thanks. I'll make the purchase no later than January 2014, but I think I'm gonna be able to do it next month. :)
 
I'm also glad to be back around in the forum. As always, it's a multi-emotional experience.
 
See you around, people.

Anderton
 I truly believe X3 is the start of something very cool, not just the culmination of what was learned with X1 and X2. As a matter of fact, I just got a file from Dan Gonzalez that...
 Oooops. Gotta be careful. I didn't say anything. Never mind. Forget you ever saw that. Thank you.

I only just get back and find myself being teased worse than I was at a strip joint, on a bucks show that I attended last weekend... Damn your hypnotic word-tassels, Anderton!!!
 
Incidentally, will you spill the goods if I make it rain Washingtons?...

@Craig...
I'm guessing that Boston will be more temperate than your home on Mars. ;-)
 
Link so random readers to misinterpret my post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nek43AmmtC8&list=UUI6SU3tDDe0GOsWWhIIPpBw