Anyone from Cakewalk have ANY idea on a timeframe here? (I know you're busy with the installations/crashing etc.) Thanks in advance!

I'd like VST3 support if only to do away with that awful plug-in manager. 
 
I don't even think it is for the vendor of a host to quibble the technical merits of VST2 over 3 it's more of a thing for the third party plug-in developers to worry about. 
 
If it's good business for THEM they will eventually stop developing for 2.4 in preference for the newer VST 3 anyway.  So however much the host vendor applauds the functionality of the older technology it won't be of much use when everyone has migrated to a new host that does support VST3.
 
I gather it's on the horizon though however distant that maybe.
 
I wonder if they've even got Rewire working properly in X2 yet?  That would be a breakthrough on it's own after several long years.
 
I still like Sonar and am planning to upgrade this cycle, but my reliance on it seems to diminish further as other vendors steal the march on these things.  I've been using take lanes and Rewire via other solutions for a couple of years now as there is still no one DAW that covers all the bases for me, but when I consider that Sonar pretty much was the major part of my music production flow compared to the secondary functions it has for me now I can't help wondering how well the method for prioritizing for engineering resources mentioned earlier is working.
 
I can understand how the upsell of the included semi-versions of Breverb, TH2 and R-Mix might generate some income from the faithful but I wonder how much the omission of technology such as VST 3 will put off new users coming into the fold or fail to tempt back some of those that have jumped ship in the last couple of years. 
 
However much those that don't like the idea, Sonar is certainly in a minority as far as DAWs go in lacking VST 3 support.  Not that it really matters to most.
 
Yet!

Antares Auto-Tune is VST3

...and more will come.

This is honestly a long thread. I can't read the whole thing, but I will say this: If I spend money on a plug-in and the DAW supports it (and uh...doesn't barf), great! However, I believe the DAW makers to be the monarchy that will have their way, whatever way that is. Believe me, and I say this with absolute sincerity that I have no love for any of them. So, the plug-in makers will simply have to be the flexible ones to get around the snubs. 

I spent a lot of money on Waves, Fabfilter and other plugs. I like Sonar and invested money with them but I also want all the functionality of my plugins that I paid for to. Maybe All DAWs should be proprietary with their own plugs. I'll bet if they did that they will still have to compete and keep up with the standards of the day.

What functionality are you missing from Fabfilter?

scook


What functionality are you missing from Fabfilter?

OK exclude Fabfilter. My bad.

musichoo

Blogman


New VST3 features Improved performance Managing large plug-in sets and multiple virtual instruments on typical studio computer systems can often be difficult because of CPU performance limits. VST3 helps to improve overall performance by applying processing to plug-ins only when audio signals are present on their respective inputs. Instead of always processing input signals, VST3 plug-ins can apply their processing economically and only when it is needed. Multiple dynamic I/Os VST3 plug-ins are no longer limited to a fixed number of inputs and outputs. Their I/O configuration can dynamically adapt to the channel configuration they’re inserted in, meaning that any VST3 plug-in can be surround-capable with true multi-channel processing. For example, all the new VST3 plug-ins in Nuendo 4 can work in stereo-mode when inserted into a stereo channel, but switch to 6 channels when inserted into a 5.1 channel. Each audio channel is processed independently. Interaction between channels depends on the type and design of the plug-in. In addition to their flexible audio bussing capabilities, VST3 plug-ins may also offer a dedicated event bus. Typically, this is a MIDI input for control/modulation but these busses are no longer restricted to MIDI standard only. Future plug-ins may replace the common MIDI interface with alternative methods of control. Activating/deactivating busses A typical issue with current virtual instruments is their audio output bussing system and how they’re connected to the mixer after loading. Especially virtual samplers with multiple outputs often occupy more mixer channels than need. The VST3 interface offers the possibility to deactivate unused busses after loading and even reactivate those when needed. This cleans up the mixer and further helps to reduce CPU load. Resizable edit windows VST3 introduces a new approach to plug-in GUIs though window resizing, allowing for extremely flexible use of valuable screen space. Sample-accurate automation VST3 also features vastly improved parameter automation with sample accuracy and support for ‘ramped’ automation data, allowing completely accurate and rapid parameter automation changes. Logical parameter organization The plug-in parameters are displayed in a tree structure. Parameters are grouped into sections which represent the structure of the plug-in. Parameters like “Cutoff” and “Resonance” could be grouped into a section called “Filter”. This makes searching for a certain parameters easier, such as on an automation track. This also allows assigning a group of parameters to a specific MIDI Channel input and audio output bus. Optional VST3/SKI combination As a direct result of the modular interface design of VST3, the Steinberg Kernel Interface (SKI) can be combined with VST3 plug-ins. SKI is an additional SDK that allows extremely close integration of a plug-in with a Steinberg host application, and allows functions to be carried out almost from within the application. This extends to the ability to create tracks, copy, cut, paste or process events in the Steinberg host application. SKI is provided to selected industry partners upon request. VSTXML for remote controllers Remote controllers for audio and MIDI software applications have become increasingly popular. With VSTXML, VST3 offers far more flexible control of VST plug-ins by remote controllers. Using the knobs and faders on the control surface, parameters can be recorded, renamed and edited in many ways. Parameters that cannot be edited can be routed for display purposes to the control surface, for example to show Gain Reduction on compressor. UTF16 for localized parameter naming In VST3, all strings that can be displayed to the user are in Unicode (UTF16) format. Usage of this universal character base allows the host application to display characters in localized languages. No MIDI restriction for parameter value transfers VST3 has a dedicated interface for event handling that carries a much wider range of functionality than standard MIDI events would be able to provide. This opens up a big range of opportunities for musical use cases with very high potential for innovative product design. For example with VST3 some controller events (for example, pitch) can be referred to a note event (using a note unique ID). This offers the possibility to e.g. modulate only a single note which itself is part of a chord. Audio inputs for VST instruments The VST3 interface expands VST instruments by adding the ability to create audio input busses. As a result, audio data can be routed to an VST3 instrument. A synthesizer which has a built-in e.g. vocoder effect is able to process audio data coming in from other sources as well. Multiple MIDI inputs/outputs Unlike with VST 2.x,, a VST3 plug-in can have more than only one MIDI input or one MIDI output at the same time. 64-bit processing VST3 plug-ins are generally able to process audio data in 64-bit.

 
Hi Blogman,
Thanks for the post but can you post that message again with paragaph? I m having trouble reading past your second line.
 
Thanks again
 
Sincerely
Choo Shi-Hwei, Malaysia

I'm guessing Blogman got it from http://www.steinberg.net/en/company/technologies/vst3.html

I think that the idea sonar is not going to support vst3 is ludicrous.  One of the biggest hints that is in x1 and x2 is the step sequencer.  if you look at this video from step sequencer 1 in sonar 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AkIZvZ5aXA you'll notice all cc's are mapped at the bottom of the ss as per-channel mappings.  step sequencer 2.0 has the little > button at the left of each note which brings up cc assignments and automation.  there was NO REASON to enable these parameters to be shown on a per-note basis unless Sonar is moving in the direction of per-note expression via vst 3.  unless it was a really bad ui decision, it's pointless to lay out the controls in this fashion.  


My guess is that ss3.0 will utilize those per-note parameters to control vst expression in enabled soft-synths.