Will try and keep this short, but I imagine might apply to many others..
 
I'm running 7.02PE in WinXP w/ P4 and 2gigs of Ram.  Works great.  Crashes about every 50 hours at most, but 1/2 of the times, I might induce, mousing around too quick.  Ancient machine, old Sonar.. but I know it WELL and it doesn't limit me at this point.  The features I use - I have down cold.   I use Superior 2 and all the Cake synths...nothing really more.
 
By my figuring, I need to invest about $3.5K to really make a useful jump.  I will NOT build my own machine. 
-$2k for a good future proof machine from our friends here
-$350+ to get me current will all the latest Sonar
-$500++ for Omnisphere as a treat and maybe something like Melodyne
I will for now clean all the old plugs I hardly ever use and start JUST with Cake's stuff.  I know their quality won't limit my efforts.
 
I could be happy with my setup now for another year or so...   but I don't like missing out on current stuff, seems I would love the ProChannel... all that good stuff.  But, I see to really do it right to spend a couple of G's if not actually a bit more.
So...it really is an investment. 
 
For those going "up the ladder" with Sonar, do you see X"2" as a significant leap from your older version?  I'm not expecting a change in the audio quality...just the ease in getting their quicker with the way Sonar is now.  Remember..is this $3500 better?

Hi mixmkr,

I'm probably not who you want to hear from.  But...  from an insider's point of view:

X1 and X2's design has been highly focused on exactly what you referenced: Making it easy to get there quicker. Less "managing your DAW" and more being creative.

The ProChannel is a big part of that.  If you click on a track, the ProChannel updates in the inspector.  Much less hunting for for a plug-in and managing windows floating over your track view.  You always have what you need, when you need it.

We also have a multidock now, which holds all of your open views in tabs.  An example of how it helps: If you double-click a MIDI clip, it shows up there. Nothing unexpected, no new window popping up, nothing for you to manage.

There are screensets.  You set your view up so that you're looking at exactly what you want to be looking at.  Save that as a screenset and lock it.  Next time you want to get back to that view, just type the "1" key, and your back.  You can have 10 screensets.

So much time has been wasted changing snap to grid settings in the past.  It's just one of those things that's constantly interrupting your creative flow.  In X2, we have "Smart Grid."  This makes an educated guess at what you're intended snap resolution is, and does it for you.  I've spent hours editing in X2 without touching snap options once.

There's also Auto Track Zoom.  You can enable this and never worry about track height management, and zooming around.

Time Ruler Zoom is also a major time saver.  It allows you to zero in on the data you want to see VERY quickly.

I've been using SONAR on a daily basis since version 2.  X1 was a bit jarring, as it was a big change, where things were moved around a bit.  So be prepared to re-learn a little.  X2 really drives it home, though.  Many things are much much easier and more accessible.  

Check out Seths "Transition Video" here, if you haven't already: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw5z9BKWD-I.  It provides a great overview of how ergonomic SONAR X2 is, compared to previous versions, and even other DAWs.

Hope this helps. 

your numbers are whacked (lol sorry but no better way to put it) ..this is NOT a $3500 decision.

there is no such thing as a future proof pc and you can get a screaming i7 machine from ebay for $800...probably 20x better than you have now.. spending more is a waste, and u can add extra drives or ssd later if u wish.

so.. its $1000 for a win7 pc with i7, 8-2g ram and 1T drive with Sonar x2 (as the upgrade from 7pe is $199)

thats $1000.. and you will have far more content and soft synths than right now...then get omnispere if u wish

really its a no brainer... 7PE is like the dark ages.... its like ..you can sail across the atlantic in a 26ft boat.. but why would you :)

As an X2 user who came directly to X2 from 8.5, let me say this: X2 was a big step forward from X1, but there's still room for some major workflow improvements:

1. The GUI feels bigger. The mixer channels in particular, but even the main inspector (global toolbar). 
2. The size of the mixer should scale when docked. For instance, if docked at the bottom or the top, I should have access to the full length of the volume fader, a pan pot, and the Mute/Solo buttons.
3. I'd like better effect to effect navigation (like Studio One and/or Logic) where you can be in one channel's effect and jump right to another effect in that channel directly from the plugin menu.
4. I'd like instrument to instrument navigation from the plugin menu too.
5. Better routing. I'd like to feed an audio or instrument track's output to the input of another track. Any audio out should be able to be routed to one or more audio ins.
6. One pass bouncing on multi-output instruments. If I have a 16 out Kontakt score and want to freeze it, Sonar does 16 bounces. It should do 1. I don't have that much time to wait for it to bounce. Same for something like BFD2.
7. Make Snap more intuitive. The interaction between the PRV Snap, the Global Snap, and the Event Duration items has created some confusion. I see what you guys are trying, but it's still too hard. I need to be able to use key bindings to change Snap lengths as well as event durations.
8. I need to open the "Track Template" folder to see Track Templates in the browser. I'd just like them to appear as an option like VST effects/instruments without having to open a separate folder. Same should probably be done for FX chains.
 
That said, there's some big plusses. Just off the top of my head:

1. Love drag and drop instruments/effects (might have been an X1)
2. Love, love, love keysets. These make up for some of the shortcomings about the large GUI.
3. Can't get enough of the Smart Tool
4. Full screen mode is fantastic
5. The step sequencer, arpeggiator, and matrix view all seem much more usable now 
6. Aim assist feels obvious in hindsight, but was a well thought out addition
7. Consolidated Preferences and menu items based on the view were also nice touches
8. Don't know how I lived without the FX Enable/Disable button before
9. The ability to copy screensets from other open projects was also sweet

Anyway...a nice upgrade though there's always room for improvement.

Hopefully this post helps the OP, and maybe even Cakewalk.

$2k for a good custom-built DAW PC sounds about right.  I carefully put my own PC together 2 years ago and it cost me $1400, as compared to maybe a bit under $2000 for something comparable from a custom DAW builder.  But it was a LOT of work, so I can see the value in letting somebody else build the machine.

Using your math, I'd say that this is a $2350 decision, not $3500.  The cost of the DAW PC and Sonar upgrade are the only things that matter.  If the new PC allows you to buy pricier extras (Omnisphere, etc.), that's nice, but it doesn't mean that you HAVE to spend the full $3500.

I started with Sonar 8, then upgraded to 8.5PE, and finally upgraded to X2 a couple of days ago.  I'm very happy with X2 and I'm glad that I waited until now.

So is X2 $2350 better than 7.02PE?  I doubt it, especially since you sound mostly content with your current setup.  But you'll be forced to upgrade your hardware at some point.  And you'll enjoy upgrading your software eventually.  As I see it, the real question is:  Is this the right time to spend the money?  Or should you wait a year or two?

Since X2 was a couple of years in the making I doubt if anything significant will come from Cakewalk in the next year.  So it's either upgrade now, or stick it out for a couple of years until the next significant software upgrade comes along.

Here's my experience with X2 ...

I'm running an Intel i5 Quad core with 4GB RAM.
M-Audio Fast Track Ultra
Windows 7 x64
Sonar X2 Producer x64

I can run an 18 audio track project with a few modules active in the Pro Channel on each track ... then my system dies and I have to start freezing tracks, which I usually only have to do with things like Session Drummer 3 and Dim Pro. Seems to me, X1 allowed me to run more things before I had to freeze.

So my advice, get the biggest, baddest, fastest DAW you can afford, from folks such as Studio Cat or others. I always build my own, but I'm not going to any more. I want someone I can go back to when things don't work ... and it inevitably happens. I've only had one DAW over the years that didn't give me a lick of trouble.

Bub


Here's my experience with X2 ...

I'm running an Intel i5 Quad core with 4GB RAM.
M-Audio Fast Track Ultra
Windows 7 x64
Sonar X2 Producer x64

I can run an 18 audio track project with a few modules active in the Pro Channel on each track ... then my system dies and I have to start freezing tracks, which I usually only have to do with things like Session Drummer 3 and Dim Pro. Seems to me, X1 allowed me to run more things before I had to freeze.

So my advice, get the biggest, baddest, fastest DAW you can afford, from folks such as Studio Cat or others. I always build my own, but I'm not going to any more. I want someone I can go back to when things don't work ... and it inevitably happens. I've only had one DAW over the years that didn't give me a lick of trouble.

Bub, your system should be capable of a lot more than the load you describe (Unless you're running multiple instances of huge ram-hog VSTs like Omnisphere, Superior Drummer 2, etc)...
 
Which leads me to my next point... You need more ram.  My system can handle about the same as what you describe (roughly), and it is ancient compared to yours (Specs are in my sig).  Note that I have 8GB of ram.  That is the key. 
 
If you use soft synths (and it seems that you do), upgrade your ram to 8 or 12GB -- you'll definitely notice a difference.
 

I haven't looked into this fully with Sonar yet but can you choose how many cores it uses? When I used Pro Tools it would crash less if I set it to use 4 cores instead of my available 6. I guess because you're then reserving 2 cores for the OS? 

see my specs below. Sonar run ok on that (not as efficient as reaper, but certainly FAR better than let's say studio on. The only thing with my system is that cpu usage is weird. It's been explained by cake many times but it's still weird. I will draw hard on the first core (I have 8) and then start moving things over to other cores as the project gets bigger. Some hosts peg the first core leaving the others largely unused (hello, S1? :P ) Anyways, newer machines are faster so you should be able to get a good i7 and the trimings for far under the prices you are mentioning. I have 8 GB of ram and for me it's enough (even with stuff like SD, omniphere and trilian all at once.

mixmkr


Will try and keep this short, but I imagine might apply to many others..
 
I'm running 7.02PE in WinXP w/ P4 and 2gigs of Ram.  Works great.  Crashes about every 50 hours at most, but 1/2 of the times, I might induce, mousing around too quick.  Ancient machine, old Sonar.. but I know it WELL and it doesn't limit me at this point.  The features I use - I have down cold.   I use Superior 2 and all the Cake synths...nothing really more.
 
By my figuring, I need to invest about $3.5K to really make a useful jump.  I will NOT build my own machine. 
-$2k for a good future proof machine from our friends here
-$350+ to get me current will all the latest Sonar
-$500++ for Omnisphere as a treat and maybe something like Melodyne
I will for now clean all the old plugs I hardly ever use and start JUST with Cake's stuff.  I know their quality won't limit my efforts.
 
I could be happy with my setup now for another year or so...   but I don't like missing out on current stuff, seems I would love the ProChannel... all that good stuff.  But, I see to really do it right to spend a couple of G's if not actually a bit more.
So...it really is an investment. 
 
For those going "up the ladder" with Sonar, do you see X"2" as a significant leap from your older version?  I'm not expecting a change in the audio quality...just the ease in getting their quicker with the way Sonar is now.  Remember..is this $3500 better?

I have used Sonar 7.2 PE. I still have my copy. There was a noticeable difference in audio quality just going to Sonar 8. Sonar x2 is a significant leap from X1 first with auto zoom and other work flow enhancements. Things are done at a faster more intuitive pace. but since you have Sonar 7 let me give you a few highlights in your upgrade. I will give you 10 reasons to upgrade.


1. Dimension Pro full version (if you don't already have it)
2. Rapture Full version (if you don't already have that)
3. session Drummer 3 (much better than session drummer 2) The steven slate kits alone are awesome.
4. TH2 producer addition. If you play or record guitar this thing rocks!
5. Breverb- This is a great sounding reverb
6. Pro Channel
7. FX chains- The new FX chains in X2 will fit in the pro channel
8. better export. The mix sounds better after it is exported (don't know why that is or what they have done to improve it)
9. Console emulation (let me just say OMG) 
10 R-mix

and the list goes on


The latest version of Sonar x2 P.E. will only cost you 199.00 This is because you are already a Sonar 7 PE user and that would be the upgrade price for you. 


http://www.store.cakewalk.com/b2cus/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=10-CXSP2.00-20E

Spending 2 grand on a computer to run Sonar is kind of steep. I can build one for 1,500.00 max If you shop around you can find one with good system specs for around 1,400 to 1,600. That would be more than enough under the hood to do what you need. I only spent 800.00 on mine and you can see my system specs below. But you would want an Intel i7 not an AMD. My computer works fine but if you are talking about spending the kind of money in your budget numbers you might as well get the best


So now we are looking at 1,800.00 to 2,200 tops with the computer and Sonar X2. (depending on where you get your computer) With the extra cash you could buy another monitor or maybe Ozone 5. and still stay within your 3.5 k budget.