I have had a copy of Studio One Artist for version 1 and 2 for a while now.
I have used it as well as Sonar 7, 8, 8.5, X1 Expanded , and X2.
I stayed with Artist so I would be forced to use just what comes with it (no 3rd party vst support) to make music.
Studio One will do the job. I still like the Sonar way to do things. But with that being said, I was so hoping that Sonar would add true wave editing (like Wave Pad, Sound Forge) as part of that core of features, along with in the box mastering, like the tools in Studio One Professional. Sadly I do not think this will happen any time soon. So will I upgrade?  The answer is yes.
But it will not be to another version of Sonar. I will enjoy what I have and watch to see what happens.

Almost certainly, unless it was Win 8/touch only.

If that was the case then X2a would be my final DAW

Bristol_Jonesey


Almost certainly, unless it was Win 8/touch only.

If that was the case then X2a would be my final DAW

+1.

yes

I'm a serial upgrader.

Having said that, I would try to hold off for as long as possible and wait until the first patch came out, say three weeks from release

Same opinion as Mudgel, already using Reaper for most of my work. Cakewalk lost the plot with all the people leaving-side stepped or sacked by Roland.

For me X2b and buying x3 are unrelated as  i have no show stopping issues with x2. It would depend on what X3 added.  

I'm with mudgel on this one too. Just not feeling the love any more. My next DAW spend will take me out of here I think. A shame but all good things come to an end sooner or later.

For me X2b and buying x3 are unrelated as i have no show stopping issues with x2. It would depend on what X3 added.

 
^^^^^^^^^^
 
Simple as that for me.  My DAW usage isn't based on principles that I decide to inject into the equation, but rather, if that DAW offers things I want and doesn't fall down in the process.  X2 does that for me now, and if X3 brings enhancements I want to the table, then of course I'll upgrade.  Maybe not on day one - I never really do - but when I feel I'm ready.
 
I'm not into the whole DAW conspirancy thing when it comes to the Roland/Cakewalk situation, because truth is, I really don't really *know* anything.  And observations made from the outside often tend to be off the mark - human nature, I guess.
 

mudgel


The way things are for me now I cant see me buying another version of Sonar beyond X2.
Fixes or not I dont see anything positive in the Cakewalk and "me" relationship.
I dont see any response to peoples concerns and legit questions.
What I do see is that a company like Presonus is so engaged with its customer base via its web services, that its patently clear it can be done and done well. Cakewalk has lost that engagement with its users that Im alarmed at the number of talented folks who have left not only this once great forum but Sonar as well. Very sad. I still enjoy participating in the forum but even that is less and less with time.
I dont have any major x2a issues but then I no longer work professionally so dont push it as hard as i uswd to.

You may or not be aware that the mover and shaker that is taking the Presonus message to the streets and who is engaging with, *gasp*, real life performing musicians from all walks of life is a former Cakewalker named Carl Jacobson.

Every time I consider this, and see all the wonderful musicians who are working with Presonus on promotional videos, blogs, live streaming sessions, etc, I wonder what mechanism within the Cakewalk organization prevented someone with great ideas and lots of energy from helping connect Cakewalk with all those wonderful musicians.

I can only guess, but I'm guessing for every one man band film composer, sound designer, or d.j., that there are a 1000 play a day musicians who enjoy recording their stuff in their living room or rehearsal space on occasion.

It's incredible to think that all those musicians and the guys at presonus can sit around and talk about stuff... you see the results every time you launch Studio One and see how well thought out it is.

If I was a Roland manager I'd try to find out how something like that can happen. 

How do you end up losing a bunch of your customers too a upstart that is outpacing you?

Cakewalk just had it's 3rd (maybe 4th) year of year to year declining sales but officially "SONAR X is Cakewalk's most successful DAW... ever".

Cakewalk keeps trying to put stuff on sale and give away a bunch of free stuff while other companies release constant improvements.



It all started when Cakewalk back tracked by adding a Step Sequencer. The Arp kludge that needed an instant update was a bad sign too. I haven't seen a sensible idea executed in 5 years. The thing is, SONAR had such a great head start that it's only after all this time that SONAR 8.5.3. Classic Edition is starting to take a back seat to some of it's competition.

I personally think that Cakewalk should have had the confidence to make small and steady improvements on an already fantastic product. Instead, someone at Cakewalk got a chance to butcher it, dress it up like a pig at a fair, and sell it at half price to a few folks that really enjoyed the experience of paying to be beta testers.

4 years later the speculation has proven true. Cakewalk got distracted and the sales figures reflect the disillusionment realized by many former customers.

The fanboys made it so unpleasant to speak about the circumstances that many folks simply moved on.

Roland's official explanation: 

"sales decreased in the major markets of North America and Europe amid continuously weak individual consumption,"


doesn't jive with what's actually happening in the market. The fact is, companies making stuff that people want to buy are moving right along. The companies that depend on frivolous or disposable income may be hurting. Blaming it on the economy isn't very proactive, effective, or even practical.

I have already payed for PT11. 

Cubase 7 has got the cool tempo mapping features that I though SONAR had so I think I'll be buying that. 

I'm looking forward to the next Studio One upgrade.




Oh BTW, I'd pay for full custom color options... and smaller buttons in SONAR. I'll pay the old $179 too. 

I hope there comes a time when Cakewalk realizes that relying on a *free stuff* and "discount" upgrade mentality is closely related to the results that are being seen on the bottom line.


best regards,
mike

Edit: Duplicate post courtesy of IE9.