With today's announcement, I am concerned for the future of my recording software.  While it may not matter for a while, a new Microsoft OS could quickly kill the ability to use Sonar.  
 
What is comparable?  I used to use Cubase but hated their tech support (non existent) and their forum members' lack of responses to valid newbie questions.  It was also a cumbersome interface (I did VST 5.? to Cubase 3 before giving up).
 
I have tried Studio 1 and sort of like it but it always seems to be missing some things.  The last time I upgraded, I could not organize my way too many plugins.  That bothered me a lot.  Don't know if that has changed.
 
I tried Reaper.  It is too crude for my tastes.
 
Fruity Loops and Reason - not for me.  
 
Cubase has likely changed a lot under Yamaha.  It is almost universally supported by 3rd party developers of hardware (where Sonar seems to get little love).
 
Studio 1 - maybe I need to go back and look again.  
 
Advice?  
 
There is no rush yet.  But it is coming some day.  
 
Thanks

I'm not even going to look into alternate DAWs until Sonar totally fails to operate.
 
When that happens, I will be moving to Reaper which, in my opinion, is the closest to SONAR in terms of GUI and what have you.

It's a bummer to contemplate. I've tried pretty much all of them, and Sonar really is the one I like the most, by quite some distance.
 
I agree with you that Reaper is... unfriendly, I think I'd call it. But it's probably what I'll go to eventually. It's very comprehensive, features-wise. Have never got along with Cubase.

This is the definitive proof that good software fails commercially and the bad one triumphs.
I can not understand how a DAW that was the first to innovate on things like 64bit, 64bit audio engines, is now out of business, no more.

I always thought that the sale of cakewalk to gibson would end in this way.

I think like you, what to choose now ?.
Actually the loyal users to Sonar have been orphaned and we do not have a real alternative, solid and secure to change.

Not to mention the hard work of changing the projects from one Daw to another.
 
Sorry for my english! :(

John T
Have never got along with Cubase.

Same here, John, I really do not like it.

Ahhh,i forgot.
This is the really BLACK friday for sonar users!
 

This is one of the reasons I have kept Pro tools updated. in case this happened 

davidt64
This is one of the reasons I have kept Pro tools updated. in case this happened 

Pro Tools? What is that?

At this point, IMO, the closest thing to Sonar at the moment is probably Studio One. I'll likely start there and if that doesn't work for me, then Cubase or Reaper are top contenders. I've tried Reaper and could make it do what I wanted, but it sure takes a lot of work to get it setup.
 
Regards,
Dan

synkrotron

davidt64
This is one of the reasons I have kept Pro tools updated. in case this happened 

Pro Tools? What is that?

its this thing that used to be called the industry standard.
I cant use Pro tools.