Well, as I am not the one who has all the answers....
First you need a good mind to trouble shoot, and read, and understand what you want out of your doings..,,,And then how to get or do is important , and reason for also to ponder why...if it comes to wanting it with sonar x2?...Hmmm...might be a issue to update eventually to...x3, and so on...until lifetime updates eventually are paid...for to get it doing for you...you need a pc...so they said, is all you need, no no no you need windows os?...well you might have to get a sound card with multiple inputs....Call her maiden marry if you wish?....And follow the instructions well.....And you will be in troubled waters asking ....WTF happened to my tracks???...when they vanish, or...the audio drops the driver for...Or, it just bugs out on you.., or the project gets corrupted by unknowns.....In this effort you seek to find answers for what equipment do you need?......The one given you is the mind and the body, and the life is in you...Not the machine....Is it a true answer you seek here?
Is all said here and there it will do for you..?...Consider using your head and body more so to make, or get to the founders of mayhem and RND is your baby to pick a choice or choose one of your liking...To prove it works or not is your choice to make...And less troubles will be with you......Surely?..or Sherly?...Ok, caller what you want to?....lol
I think a good audio mixer kind of setup , with onboard effects, or sends or inserts would do you wonders...usb or others are available with problems ...and hardware external effects tied to sends and returns and inserts, and back up machines of tape tied in, and other PC or computers working in unison to save save save the day...all working for you..might be a stretch in the wallet or your budget, if you have one for it, if you cannot figure out what you need.....
How are you going to figure out how to use it?...might be a already telling tale...most have here and there with it....So why bother?....adventure?....Just had to ask...before sending you hunting for...the buy buy buy listed ...Motu, and others are now making...Allen & health...and others no doubt .M audio, to the extreme best of the best..all say do some of making a good audio mixer/audio interfaces with PC connect for multiple in and outs...small or large is up to you....Is likely your best move to consider.
Why?...external effects tied to inputs, sends or inserts, reduce cpu load...internal built in the mixer is like also...so you monitor the mixing desk or board, and PC outs...and most is not all is outsourced to external gear...although some do use plug ins...and now you have the best of all of the sort...to sort out.
And routing...and so on...and power to run it..and payment for it...is your baby .....So, lots to say, lots to consider...cost seems to be the deciding factor in most of this....Or you win it doing remix contests?....
So they say many are on this wide path now...Look into the problems with it....And think hard about it...It can be rewarding to solve for, or make it be as it is...Or just learn how to make music first...with a instrument of your liking....And play....It sure cuts out all the other stuff...when you get to making it be...less of a cost, you reward yourself with the Truth...it is less trouble!
Just keeping it real for you before hand, and I am sure most will say...yeah!.
Cheers!