forkol
I would tell the history of Project 5 another way.  It was not the pioneer, it was Cakewalk's answer to Ableton Live, and although it was a good product, I think the (initially) fast pace of feature development of AL, and the fact that they were in Mac space and had lots of producers/dj's using it doomed Project 5.

 
Actually it was Cakewalk's answer to "I don't need all the stuff in SONAR, I want to make beats." It was basically a subset of SONAR, but oriented toward virtual instruments (more like a hybrid of Reason and SONAR) as opposed to Live's orientation toward loop-based arranging. 
 

But, I'm glad to see that you seem more amenable to adding enhancements like the one's mentioned by the OP than you have in the past. At least, your gravitas should at least give more credence to these types of features than the rest of us can seem to muster by putting in a Feature Request.

 
I don't know where you get that idea that I haven't been receptive in the past. Among other features I've mentioned wanting to see are a "drum machine" mode for the MIDI PRV, Matrix View improvements, and updates for Cyclone (which I believe is fundamentally ideal for this sort of thing). I've also written multiple tips on how to get the most out of loops in SONAR, how to create loops, and made loop libraries specifically for beats-oriented music (which is a lot of what I do). Please don't misinterpret my suggesting workarounds for the lack of particular features with not wanting those features. 
 
As to gravitas...I wish! I have to get in line with the rest of you. The vast majority of my suggestions don't get traction.
 

Anderton
 
I think the difference is that equalizers, compressors, reverb, and similar plug-ins are accepted as essentials that every user of a program needs. Therefore they need to be included in the program. It's like back in the hardware days, mixers had EQ and often compressors built in, even though engineers had outboard racks with more specialized versions.
 
Generally the more variations there are in a product category, and the more each one concentrates on a particular specialty, the more that implies it's a choice that should be left up to individual users. I can picture someone saying "I don't want Addictive Drums, I don't use drum modules" but not saying "I don't want EQ, I don't use EQ." Beats-oriented stuff, as Cakewalk found out the hard way, was in that minority space many years ago...but I think it no longer is. It hasn't reached the "necessary" level of EQ, but it's a big part of how music is made today.

Agree with this.  But, I think it's getting to the necessary level in order to grow you customer base, or at least stay at parity.
 
The problem is, Cakewalk dosen't seem to be keeping parity with other DAW's in regards to such features.  Cakewalk has updated EQ's, compressors, synths, even given you a new Drum Machine and Melodyne. However, it's sampler (Dropzone), loop construction, and MPC-style playback (Cyclone) haven't been really updated in more than 10 years to a more modern feature set.  Cakewalk even got rid of VSampler, and did not finish Beatscape.  Contrast that with Logic, Studio One 3, and Ableton Live, who have updated their samplers several times in their product lifetime. 
 

Anderton
Beats-oriented stuff, as Cakewalk found out the hard way, was in that minority space many years ago...but I think it no longer is.

If you are talking about the failure of Project 5, I would not agree with this assessment.  As mentioned in my previous post, P5 failed because it was too little, too late.  By the time P5 came along, Live and FL Studio were already the dominant DAW's in the beat-oriented space, and by no means would I consider those DAW's occupying a 'minority space', even back then.

forkol
If you are talking about the failure of Project 5, I would not agree with this assessment.

 
I'm not. I'm referring to SONAR being the only program other than Acid that could edit and create Acidized loops, the sophisticated REX playback options, incorporating REX file playback into soft synths, etc. Remember, I said "many years ago," more specifically, the early 2000s. 
 

I would consider an integrated sampler to be a "basic" DAW feature.  I'm surprised to read this conversation as I assumed all versions of Sonar includes a basic sampler.  I assumed sampler features would either be consistent, or would be enhanced, as one went up the Sonar chain.
 

I think that they should have bought Vsampler and tricked it out....IMO

The "ideal" Solution for all of us would be a "one Stop Solution".... and here comes the main Problem: These "One Stop Solution" looks different for (i guess) everyone of us, depending on the Kind of Music they do, using mostly Hard or Software and so on. If Cakewalk (or any other Developer) would put EVERY possible feature in his Produkt to suite EVERY Musician/Producer, the Price would go way up and the Space used on the HD would be out of the Accepteble Range.
So, it´s alway compromises you have to make an find Solutions on how can you achieve what you want.
I take myself as an example:
I do mostly Loop and Beatheavy stuf ( Making Drone/Dark Ambient myself and Mixing the IDM/Rythm n Noise Project my Wive does). So, for my own Music i need a System thats versatile with Loops and other Audio Recordings (manipulating, cutting, strechting, layering and so on), for the Mixing Work i need a Solution thats good at that. Starting with a Pure Hardware and 4-Track Tape Recorder Based Setup somewhere in the 1990s i missed that "Hardware-Feeling" while Recording but had no Space to put a decent Recorder in our Livinroom where our Setups residing. I knew Sonar for a long Time as a friend of mine used it for several Years (and i could use it at his Home to Mix my Stuff), it got interesting for me with the Integration of the Pro Cahnnel and affordable with the Subscription Model and, off course, the Lifetime Updates. So i got my Copy and i use it since then as a "Tape recorder" with the ability to edit the recordings in deep Detail afterwrads.
If also checked the capabilitys of the Matrixview. Nice, but not what i need for my Stuff. So, i used Ableton Live Lite for that (That came free with my Launchpad Controler) until Bitwig was announced. I Played with the Demo since Version 1.0 and bought it at Version 1.0.6.
Now i had the Solutions i need....and another Problem. Bitwig does one Thing, Sonar the Other, is there any Chance to "integrate" Bitwig in Sonar to use both at the Same time? Took me some time and efford until i found what i needed and now i run all Sampling Stuf and most VST Synths in Bitwig, Loop and Mangel my Stuff there and record Bitwigs Output direct in Sonar for further Editing and Mixing, all on one Singe Notebook.
Ok, now you can say:" Most stuff that Bitwig does Samplewise, Sonar does as well". That´s correct, but both are specialized on one Task. It´s, for me, a PITA to use Sonar in a Live Situation and its also a heavy task to get the Sound out of Bitwig that i get out of Sonar (that analogue feel i mean). Funny Side-Fact: Price-wise it was cheaper that way then getting Live Suite and a Second Hand Recorder (that would do the Same).
 
There is no "One Stop Solution" and i guess there never will be, but if you´re spending some Time on the technical Side of things you can get your "Dream System" Set up and running the way you want. Just go to the Shop and buy "a DAW that does everything" doesn´t work.
 
 

Astartes
The "ideal" Solution for all of us would be a "one Stop Solution".... and here comes the main Problem: These "One Stop Solution" looks different for (i guess) everyone of us, depending on the Kind of Music they do, using mostly Hard or Software and so on. If Cakewalk (or any other Developer) would put EVERY possible feature in his Produkt to suite EVERY Musician/Producer, the Price would go way up and the Space used on the HD would be out of the Accepteble Range.
So, it´s alway compromises you have to make an find Solutions on how can you achieve what you want.
I take myself as an example:
I do mostly Loop and Beatheavy stuf ( Making Drone/Dark Ambient myself and Mixing the IDM/Rythm n Noise Project my Wive does). So, for my own Music i need a System thats versatile with Loops and other Audio Recordings (manipulating, cutting, strechting, layering and so on), for the Mixing Work i need a Solution thats good at that. Starting with a Pure Hardware and 4-Track Tape Recorder Based Setup somewhere in the 1990s i missed that "Hardware-Feeling" while Recording but had no Space to put a decent Recorder in our Livinroom where our Setups residing. I knew Sonar for a long Time as a friend of mine used it for several Years (and i could use it at his Home to Mix my Stuff), it got interesting for me with the Integration of the Pro Cahnnel and affordable with the Subscription Model and, off course, the Lifetime Updates. So i got my Copy and i use it since then as a "Tape recorder" with the ability to edit the recordings in deep Detail afterwrads.
If also checked the capabilitys of the Matrixview. Nice, but not what i need for my Stuff. So, i used Ableton Live Lite for that (That came free with my Launchpad Controler) until Bitwig was announced. I Played with the Demo since Version 1.0 and bought it at Version 1.0.6.
Now i had the Solutions i need....and another Problem. Bitwig does one Thing, Sonar the Other, is there any Chance to "integrate" Bitwig in Sonar to use both at the Same time? Took me some time and efford until i found what i needed and now i run all Sampling Stuf and most VST Synths in Bitwig, Loop and Mangel my Stuff there and record Bitwigs Output direct in Sonar for further Editing and Mixing, all on one Singe Notebook.
Ok, now you can say:" Most stuff that Bitwig does Samplewise, Sonar does as well". That´s correct, but both are specialized on one Task. It´s, for me, a PITA to use Sonar in a Live Situation and its also a heavy task to get the Sound out of Bitwig that i get out of Sonar (that analogue feel i mean). Funny Side-Fact: Price-wise it was cheaper that way then getting Live Suite and a Second Hand Recorder (that would do the Same).
 
There is no "One Stop Solution" and i guess there never will be, but if you´re spending some Time on the technical Side of things you can get your "Dream System" Set up and running the way you want. Just go to the Shop and buy "a DAW that does everything" doesn´t work.

Sorry, but I really don't think including a decent, modern sampler in Sonar is asking for "a DAW that does everything".  All the major DAWs include them nowadays.  It's becoming pretty standard.

If i´m not getting it wrong a decent Sampler in Sonar would be the "one Stop Solution" for the OP.
 
If i got him wrong fell free to correct me :-)
 
I´m no native English speaker, so the Post has gotten longer than maybe nessesery (sorry for that).
 
The Point is: What a user needs he/she will most likely not find in one Single DAW, all of them are somewhat specialised. So there´s mostly solutions/workarounds to find and use.
 
I agree that an overhaul of the integrated Tools in Sonar is much needed (Dropzone and Cyclone for Example). But even if they get an overhaul they (for my oppinion) are still scratching the surface so to say. That goes not only for Sonar but also for the Other Linear orientated DAWs as Studio One, Cubase and so on.
If you have the Money you can buy Upgrades for the Tools (The editor for the Studio one Sample Player for Example) to get more features out of them, but what comes "out of the Box" is in all Major Daws (as long as they´re not Loop orientated like Ableton and Bitwig) somewhat rudimentary. As i said: Just my 2 cents
 
EDIT: Ups, sry, you are the OP

So true, Sonar really need a sampler. I just burn $599 unnecessary buying komplete 11 that comes with kontakt sampler. I am still using sonar 8 and slowly migrating to sonar platinum. I use vsampler a lot and cakewalk bought over the company and thrash it? Unbelievable

I've been using Cyclone for years as a Sampler, since Sonar 5 when it first came out I think.  I  used Keyboard and or a Trigger Finger Pad controller to trigger the samples I'v placed in it.  SOS Magazine did a great Tutorial on using Cyclone as a Sampler.  That was one of the reasons why I got the M-Audio Trigger Finger which Iloved using until the second update for Windows 10.  
 
Cakewalk Cyclone in SOS Magazine