Cubase is so darn expensive though

rlared
Cubase is so darn expensive though

it all depends on what version you go for.. I don't like the .5 updates though, it just seems to be a way to get more money out of me, on a regular basis. i do like studio one also, but each has good bits and each has bits I don't like.
 

update from 9 to 9.5 is $60.  And Gibson/Cake was asking it's loyal users to pay $250, which they discounted to $199, for a subscription which you weren't even sure what the updates were going to be.

I plan to stick with my current Sonar install until my DAW dies. I believe that there will be a purchaser for Cakewalk at sometime in the future. It is a very mature platform and my main concern would file compatibility and portability. I will slowly keep editing and exporting finished tracks to wave files as they're finished. I've had good luck with Samplitude as well as Mixbuss. I've had a difficult time adapting to Reaper. My hopes are that a seasoned VST company will pick it up. I don't have a lot of faith that MicroSoft will pick it up - but the bigger concern is that they will not stay true to the course if they do.

rlared
Basically I'm just wondering if I should keep Sonar Platinum and just not worry about it, or retire it to the grave now and go with another DAW.  

Retire it now.  The sooner you move over to something else,  the better off you'll be.  Sooner or later,  Windows will do something that will make Sonar unstable,  and when that happens,  you want to be ready.  It will happen eventually.  Someone already mentioned Cubase,  and I highly recommend it.  I also like Studio One 3.  You can't go wrong with either.  Cubase does seem expensive,  but I didn't buy it at full price.  I was given a scaled down version for free with my Motif XF,  and updated to the full version at a discount.  The good thing is,  to get the latest full version was only a $60 upgrade,  so I now have Cubase 9.5 Pro,  and I really like it.  It's a rock solid veteran program that can handle just about anything you want to throw at it.   

I've been using cakewalk since the mid nineties, but lately i've been growing unhappy with it. It is still my favorite mixing environment, but editing has fallen behind quite a bit. I've been involved in a few collaborative projects the last couple of years which forced me to get up close and personal with Pro Tools 12 and I must say that, as clunky and inflexible ad it is generally as a working environment, the editing of multitrack audio in it is just so much easier and more intuitive and straight forward; while the rest has gotten steadily better over the last couple of versions, it is no longer near impossible to mix in-box with it. I'm horrified at the thought that I'll have to now transition the studio staff (for all of whom Sonar is home) to another daw, that will suck. But since we already own Pro Tools for collaborative project compatibility reasons, and because it is still mostly the industry standard which will make collaborative projects easier, I'm guessing that's the way we're gonna go.
 
I think the only program which has both Sonar's flexibility and "homey" feel as well as Pro Tools' quick editing and proper track groups editing is probably Logic. But switching to Mac is not an option for us, as apple no longer makes suitable hardware. There is no way to push the RME RayDAT card we use as an interface into any mac that apple currently makes, so that's that. Funny but true - apple is no longer an option for professionals  And after this, there is no way I'm not gonna take a chance on a "small" program to be the backbone of the studio again. How do I know that presonus will not go belly-up and the same thing will not happen with Studio One? So it's either steinberg, which has Yamaha's might behind it, or Pro Tools. I seriously dislike Cubase's interface and heavy-footed approach, so I guess pro tools it is, especially that we already own it...

Remember last year (I think), after the big annual Windows update, lots of Cakewalk products were not working anymore. I'm a little bit scared because Microsoft hasn't installed the 2017 Windows Fall update on every PC in Europe (including mine), and maybe SONAR won't work well in a few days... And there is also the activation problem (I plan to change my PC within 2 years).
 
So I've decided to look at the market and decide which DAW will be mine in the future. But I will certainly wait a few months to see:
- if SONAR still works.
- if Cakewalk or SONAR is sold to someone.
- if there are special crossgrades from other DAW brands.
- if another DAW implements a way to import SONAR files (yes it certainly won't happen, unless someone from Cakewalk gives them the technical information and/or is hired by them).
 
For the moment, my choice is Cubase. The price is insane (but there is a SONAR crossgrade) and I don't really like the customer policy of Steinberg (with the USB dongle and so), but it's a jewel for people like my that are more MIDI/synth heroes than guitar heroes. And it has the feature that I have always been waiting for in SONAR : the chord assistant (AMAZING).
 
Craig will choose Studio one, a good choice but Craig certainly plays more guitar than he uses MIDI (I know, in fact, he can do all in the music field ;-) ). He also likes Mixcraft, it seems cheap and efficient, but that's from a quite unknown company and I want something serious and lasting now.
 
Like Craig, I think it is important too to choose now a crossplatform software. I don't like Apple and won't buy one but consider that it's a big con to use a software that is not available on the Mac, the reference platform for music creation.
 
The interesting and funny thing when you compare DAWs to SONAR is to look at the new 2017 features. For example, REAPER has strong innovations like VST3 support and FX parameters operations and control grouping... How powerful it is :-D

HI:)
 
I want to go on with Sonar as long it will work. I don't need more functions or Instruments, I'm really happy with it!
 
I can "Freeze" Windows in my studio, so hopefully it will go on.....
 
For sure I'm looking which Option for the next DAW ist the best, but it's not easy. the Design of Sonar is the best of all DAWs to work with!! 
Perhaps it would be nice to have Studio One or Reaper with Sonar Design:)
 
Bassman.
 

Basseman
HI:)
 
I want to go on with Sonar as long it will work. I don't need more functions or Instruments, I'm really happy with it!
 
I can "Freeze" Windows in my studio, so hopefully it will go on.....
 
For sure I'm looking which Option for the next DAW ist the best, but it's not easy. the Design of Sonar is the best of all DAWs to work with!! 
Perhaps it would be nice to have Studio One or Reaper with Sonar Design:)
 
Bassman.
 

I've started to migrate to Reaper and it's very customizable. I've started playing around with layouts and have a layout which mirrors fairly closely what I have in Sonar. Reaper also has screenset support so you don't really lose anything besides a few Sonar-only plugins and the pro-channel.
 
 

Cubase 9.5 pro... 325$ crossgrade. Craps on the $200 studio one 3 pro crossgrade I also own.  Then again, thats just me...