Even though I have used the mp3 encoder within Sonar 8.5.2 several times since I purchased it a month ago, when I tried to export my final mix to MP3 last night and it said:

"The mp3 encoder must be unlocked before use. Please visit cakewalk.com to upgrade a previous encoder, or to purchase a new encoder"

Exporting to Wave or FLAC worked ok.

Any ideas?

I have emailed tech support but they normally take at least 48 hours to respond.

Thanks.

From what I've read here in the past - mp3 encoder needs to be licensed so you actually have to pay to activate it (small fee I believe).  Seems like most people say it's a really crappy encoder though so don't bother activating it.  Others have installed the Lame (or other) encoders to work from Sonar.
 
I also believe that if you have a ProAudio9 CD lying about you can use that to activate the encoder in Sonar - but I lost my PA9 CD years ago.
 
Myself - I always export as a wav and then convert it using Nero - I'm a dinosaur and have been using Nero to encode (or convert) my audio files for so many years I don't think I can change the habit now.

ORIGINAL: andypanda

Seems like most people say it's a really crappy encoder though so don't bother activating it.

Not sure where you got that from. The encoder that comes with Sonar works good and sounds just like any other encoder. Actually I believe it is Lame, or Fraunhofer, either way it sounds just as good as any other encoder I've ever used. I believe it integrates with Sonar a little better then reconfiguring Sonar to use free Lame. I believe I've seen other posts where reconfiguring Sonar to use another encoder make you jump through hoops if you want to change bit rate from what ever you set as the default. Not %100 sure about this myself.

That being said, there has been detailed posts here on this forum on how to configure free encoders to use with Sonar that will sound just as good.
 
For what ever reason, there is a licensing fee to activate the encoder that comes with Sonar after 30 days or what ever.
 
EDIT:
This may help...
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1255631&high=MP3+Encoder

+1 for Nero.  I also like the export options from Roxio, (10 or whatever version they're up to).

export as a wav and convert with loads of free mp3 encoder lame for one.

The encoder that the Cakewalk MP3 encoder is based off of, is LAME. jcatena, a nice SONAR user, updated the TTSLame.dll so that we can use the most recent Lame encoder version. At the time he recomplied, it was Lame version 3.98.2.

He provides updated .dll files for 32 bit and 64 bit versions of SONAR. The download links are in the SONAR Resources thread. Here's a link: http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.ashx?m=1774575

Are you kidding me?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME, Cakewalk?! 

I have bought just about every upgrade from Pro Audio 9 on and I've even bought the mp3 encoder for previous versions and X1 just told me I need to upgrade my mp3 encoder to export an mp3. 

First of all, the ABSOLUTE ABSURDITY that you cannot export in mp3 format "natively" from an audio app, especially one supposedly of the caliber of Sonar is ... beyond ridiculous! 

This floors me everytime I have to go through this.

mistergarner


Are you kidding me?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME, Cakewalk?! 

I have bought just about every upgrade from Pro Audio 9 on and I've even bought the mp3 encoder for previous versions and X1 just told me I need to upgrade my mp3 encoder to export an mp3. 

First of all, the ABSOLUTE ABSURDITY that you cannot export in mp3 format "natively" from an audio app, especially one supposedly of the caliber of Sonar is ... beyond ridiculous! 

This floors me everytime I have to go through this.

If you have paid for the encoder in some previous version it would be reasonable to have it working with X1. Having to separately pay for the encoder with every upgrade sounds weird and unfair to me. Maybe there's a  way?

I don't find it a problem that there's no MP3 encoder included. It would mean some kind of a price increase and as long as there are free ones...
I wouldn't have the guts to export directly to MP3 anyway :o) I'd have to hear the wav and make sure the export is ok.

Here we go again!!!! 

mistergardner: I do not understand your post. ProAudio 9 came with an mp3 license. That license can be used to unlock any other CW product. You did not need to buy another license. Any user that does not have ProAudio 9 and wants to use the internal mp3 encoder pays a onetime licensing fee and can use the license to unlock any CW product, forever.

X1 was the first product that did not ask for my ProAudio 9 CD, so I contacted customer support and it literally took them two minutes to email the tool to unlock the internal mp3 encoder.

For years SONAR has provided a simple way to use an external encoder from inside SONAR if you do not want to export a WAV and convert it in a separate step.