I have been watching these tutorials that have these special plugins that I thought was included in Expander to find out they are the Softube Mix Bundle which is not offered anymore. Is Expander worth buying without them? I wanted to take advantage of the following Expander / Gate, Compressor, more Additional ProChannel modules are available separately with more coming from Cakewalk and third parties: PC2A T-Type Leveling Amplifier ProChannel Concrete Limiter Softube Mix Bundle PC4K S-Type Expander / Gate PC4K S-Type Channel Compressor Not sure how much Cakewalk was selling this for but good grief Charlie Brown http://www.guitarcenter.c...-106730732-i2210104.gc  

All worth it. Mind you I got each module at release time when they were heavily discounted.
ProChannel fully loaded makes for a very fine channel strip.
SONAR Producer Expanded also has other features. The website has a detailed list of what's included with Expanded.

+1, Well worth it.
And, as Mudgel said, buying each module at release is the way to go...

T

I am late to this world so for a person like me should I wait for the next special to come around. For all that they offer now it will cost like $183.

BMOG


I am late to this world so for a person like me should I wait for the next special to come around. For all that they offer now it will cost like $183.

BMOG
 
You could opt to buy the Production Suite upgrade for $100, if you already have Producer, which would give you Expanded, the PC4K Expander Gate, they give you the PC4K Compressor FREE, you also get Zeta 2.1, which is a great synth.  That way the only thing left to buy would be the PC2-LA, and the Concrete Limiter.  You just missed the Softube Mix Bundle Sale for $179.  It will probably pop up again.
But, if you buy Production Suite NOW, you will get your upgrade to X2 FREE!!! ( Which would cost you $119 if you don't buy now....so, you not only save $20 but you get Zeta 2.1 also, which is a $49 upgrade, so you end up saving a total of $68.  And you get to get familiar with Expanded b4 X2 is released! 
 
Great Deal!
 
Cheers!

cclarry

That does seem like a better deal but I am coming from 8.5.3 and I have been reading and having a crash course in X1 so much so that my head is spinning trying to catch up.  Now with this package if I buy it I would have to learn X2 how much is different?  With that being said what is Zeta 2.1 and what does it do?  I see that you have waves plugins I have heard great things about those are they worth looking into for production?  Man I would have jumped all over the Softube Suite for $179

BMOG


I am late to this world so for a person like me should I wait for the next special to come around. For all that they offer now it will cost like $183.

BMOG
 
You could opt to buy the Production Suite upgrade for $100, if you already have Producer, which would give you Expanded, the PC4K Expander Gate, they give you the PC4K Compressor FREE, you also get Zeta 2.1, which is a great synth.  That way the only thing left to buy would be the PC2-LA, and the Concrete Limiter.  You just missed the Softube Mix Bundle Sale for $179.  It will probably pop up again.
But, if you buy Production Suite NOW, you will get your upgrade to X2 FREE!!! ( Which would cost you $119 if you don't buy now....so, you not only save $20 but you get Zeta 2.1 also, which is a $49 upgrade, so you end up saving a total of $68.  And you get to get familiar with Expanded b4 X2 is released! 
 
Great Deal!
 
Cheers!

It is a crap shoot and depends upon what Cake puts on sale.  The softube bundle is well worth it and there are plenty of threads about it. 

As far as the other PC modules - some really good stuff,too.  The PCA2 is great, as is the native PC EQ.  The question is whether the suite upgrade is more expensive than upgrading to X2.  X2 might include the gate, as well as the standard PC channel comp (1176) and SSL bus comp and EQ.  For me, the PC2-LA is a must have (if you don't have an LA2A emulator), so I would throw that into the must have category. 

It looks to me the producer upgrade is the way to go and you'll come out cheaper and w/ Z3TA 2 to boot.

@
@

What will X2 include?

You would need to check the old posts where the bakers were writing, but as best I can remember Expanded is included in X2.  Expanded lets you scroll the PC, add new modules (duh) and rearrange them.  PC comes w/ the EQ, SSL bus comp and the 1176 style channel comp.  I would think Cake will throw in the Limiter and/or Gate and/or SSL channel comp w/ X2 if past history is a guide.  And if you bought expanded probably another "freebie" from the above list.  All that is guess work, but it is how they paid back their bleeding edge customers by giving them some older, less popular software.  I don't think the SSl gate has been a big seller, so why not?

But we don't really know what is in X2 other than what brandon etc. have posted and what has been said in the sales literature.

@

BMOG,

I don't think that Cake is going to include the PC4K mods in X2...
those are already seperate purchases and will probably remain
as such.  What X2 will include is R-Mix Sonar, Breverb Sonar, both VST
PC Module, TH2 Producer Guitar Amp Simulatar, and the new Console
emulator as a PC Module.  With giving you all that plus the included
new features of X2 I really don't think they are going to give you the
others.

You can read more here
http://www.cakewalk.com/SONAR-X2/

Upgrade Pricing to X2
http://blog.cakewalk.com/sonar-x2-sneak-peek-upgrade-pricing/

The upgrade from 8.5 to X1 Production Suite is $199

The upgrade from 8.5 to X2 Producer is $199

If you do it now you will save yourself the $49 for the PC4K Compressor,
$49 for the PC4K Expander Gate, and the $49 for Zeta 2.1

So you'd be saving yourself $147 and get the vast majority of
the modules for the PC and Zeta 2.1

Here is the info page for Zeta 2.1

http://www.cakewalk.com/products/z3ta/

I highly recommend getting the upgrade NOW...you get more
for your money...

But I'm all about more for my money...and that's just me!

Cheers!