So Andrew, since you stepped in this thread, is there going to be an X2b?
 
X2a could have been in muliple patches? Is that because of poorly engineered software not meeting the customers needs and expectations? I wouldn't brag on that. Probably safer for you to stay out of a thread like this.  ;)
 
As the OP - I would like to know if X2b is 2b expected.

Guitarmech111
So Andrew, since you stepped in this thread, is there going to be an X2b?
 
X2a could have been in muliple patches? Is that because of poorly engineered software not meeting the customers needs and expectations? I wouldn't brag on that. Probably safer for you to stay out of a thread like this.  ;)
 
As the OP - I would like to know if X2b is 2b expected.

SONAR X3 is the next version in the SONAR product cycle. 

X2b or not X2b?  That is the question.

cparmerlee- look one post above yours and there is the answer

Funkybot
X3 definitely doesn't seem to be it, and I'm not sure it'll ever come.

Of course you're entitled to your opinion, but that's just a silly statement as X3 is not even released yet.  I guess you're basing this review on the Sweetwater page?  

backwoods
cparmerlee- look one post above yours and there is the answer

Ah say, it was a joke son.

What is this thing you people call humour?  Some jokes just aren't funny when you've read them several thousand times. JMO

Guitarmech111
X2a could have been in muliple patches?

Good grief ya'll are cranky!..is it a full moon?
 
Would it have made you all happier if they'd just divide up the A update into lets say...10 separate updates?...would that make ya'll feel better?  Of course it would...you got 10 free updates...those bakers sure are busy!
 

Guitarmech111
Is that because of poorly engineered software not meeting the customers needs and expectations? I wouldn't brag on that.

I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous.  I'm sure the software is doing just fine for LOTS of users.

Funkybot

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]
 
So you haven't used the product and you've already drawn your conclusion. That sounds pretty reasonable.

Is that Andrew saying, "So you haven't used the product and you've already drawn your conclusion. That sounds pretty reasonable."
 
If so, let me ask some questions:
 
1. Did you guys include MP3 encoding for free?
2. Did you guys fix the Disk May Be Full bug? What about how you write/save projects so they don't corrupt so easily? What about duplicate notes on quantization? What about the Sonar icon remaining in the tray after a close (which often prevents a new instance from opening without manually shutting down SonarPDR.exe in the task manager)? Any of those?
3. Did you improve signal flow to allow for more advanced audio routing? Can I route a VSTi output to an audio input?
4. Have you updated the Staff View or improved notation?
5. Will Sonar X3 recognize my mono UAD plugins and use DSP accordingly? 
6. Does Sonar X3 include a dynamically resizable vector based console so I can see the full strips in the dock? Did you redesign the console to make better use of screen real estate? The 8.5 console was much better IMO.
7. Did you get rid of the annoying pop-up questions when pasting or inserting an instrument track that distract from Workflow?
8. Did you make it easier to quickly add/subtract outputs to a VSTi (a la Studio One)?
9. Did you finally create proper Instrument Tracks that can house MIDI and audio effects? Do they have all the same functionality as the separate MIDI+audio tracks did, just intelligently combined into one?
10. Did you add varispeed playback and recording like Reaper (man that's fun, and great for some Beatles-esque harmonies)?
11. Is VST 2/3 support FINALLY built in and not part of legacy Fxpansion code from their VST wrapper (which we wouldn't have needed if you opted to support VST natively from the get go and not DXi - but I digress)? Will it recognize which VST plugins send/receive tempo information, and can send receive MIDI without having to go into a separate plugin Properties window?
12. Did you simplify the Snap to Grid features which have clearly caused confusion (used to work great BTW - wasn't broken but it got fixed)
13. Can I navigate from plugin to plugin on a channel from within a single plugin's UI (a la Logic and Studio One)?
14. How much better is comping in X3? It looks like you made improvements here, this is nice.
15. Most importantly: how much less will Sonar X3 crash compared to prior versions? Was there a focus on stability? Perhaps rewriting VST support will fix a lot of that, but I'd like your thoughts.
 
Andrew, I'm glad you guys: 1) may have rewritten VST support entirely (it was overdue, but if it's here, great), and 2) appeared to have made tweaks to Take Lanes (they're a good idea, but were just not implemented well last time), and also 3) have finally got rid of the max plugin limit. These are all good things. However, that's a very small part of what I want to see you guys address. And yes, I'm basing this off of the bullet points I've seen. Andrew, you can come back and answer my questions in a few days once the full info can be released if you can't disclose some of this now.
 
My point: I don't think most of the above has been addressed by X3, so I don't need to use it. If you guys only addressed item #1, I'd be more interested in X3 than I am based on the bullet points that have leaked. If you addressed items 1-5 on my list only, I'd be almost certain to upgrade. I think maybe you covered 2-4 items on the list though, and not enough of my top 5 to get me excited.  
 
EDIT
I just want to add again, there are a lot of things I LOVE in Sonar. I've been a user for over a decade. I'm sour on the direction it's been going, but nothing's permanent. Andrew, if anything, take these critiques as feedback and things you may want to address in some future release (if not already). Work on addressing some of these things. Work on getting me back on the Sonar wagon for X5 or X4 if not sooner. 
 
Think about doing less frequent releases with bigger changes too. The late-September/early-October period doesn't NEED to be Sonar time every single year. I'd be fine if you guys waited 18 months to get some of this stuff really ironed out.
 
Consider adding Mac support. Cross-platform support becomes more important to me each year as I occasionally get projects originated on a Mac, or dare I say: after Apple released those awesome looking Mac Pro's.

Of course these are all certainly great requisites and features, but you're essentially bashing X3 before it's even officially released, which I think is a shame.  Surely you'll be downloading the trial version and checking through the list yourself as well, correct?

I was looking at my email from 1/3/2012 regarding cubase 6.5... it cost, but considering you were getting 2 decent synths on top of the other stuff, then yer it wasn't so much fleecing that were really more new features than fixes.
that's the time they were changing up the interface for v7, no doubt..
 
unless they have changed the mp3 thing in 7 is paid for now and included. then the license on my dongle  / mp3 is expired.. I use lame anyway.
 
and the 6.06 update came out later BUT without the synths IRC.. but the update price to 7 had a cheaper value if you had 6.5