scook
I don't think it requires Cubase, just a VST2/3 host see https://www.steinberg.net...c/specs_downloads.html

It doesn't. I have Halion Sonic 2 and run it in Sonar quite a bit. It's a good synth.

Cool thanks scook and TD75 - I will check it out further...does it need a USB dongle to run?
 
@TD75  does it indeed have the guitars and basses from the motif line?

 Kontakt is the best investment.  Why waste time with the others. 
 
 BTW I do believe there was a sampler in Project 5.  VSampler is still a great sampler for it's age. It had an auto loop function.

joden
Cool thanks scook and TD75 - I will check it out further...does it need a USB dongle to run?
 
@TD75  does it indeed have the guitars and basses from the motif line?

It does require an eLicenser to run - I bought the Absolute VST instrument collection (for no much more than the price of Halion Sonic 2 itself) and it came with an eLicenser included.  Regarding the guitars and basses - I'm not that familiar with the motif line to be of help here.  I did look at the packaging and website to see if it was stated and most I could find was that Halion is based of Yamaha's motif technology - none of the included sound patches list motif in their name.  Sorry I can't be of further assistance.  Hope that helps.

No probs TD what you have advised does help - I might send an e to Steinberg. e-licensing is okay...I just loathe dongles (and iLok in particular!!!)
 
@Kitecrazy, thanks but I already have tried Kontakt, I don't like it much to be honest (not the sound so much..... more how it all works) plus it is uber expensive to go into with no upgrade/crossgrade paths.

TD75It does require an eLicenser to run - I bought the Absolute VST instrument collection (for no much more than the price of Halion Sonic 2 itself) and it came with an eLicenser included.

 
It needs to be noted right now that Halion Sonic 2 by itself DOES NOT include the dongle. That's what I'm assuming since I bought the first one and it didn't come it. The cool part is that you can use you Halion Sonic 1/2 license with Hypersonic 2 (if you can find the installation files/discs). Hypersonic 2 is easily one of my all time favorite VSTi synths.

If you don't like DimPro try TTs is a general midi synth, tho I don't like its sounds.  It does work, tho.  Or Roland's Groove station or whatever it was called that came w/ P5 and later SONARs.  It is probably as close to what you are asking for and is a lot better sounding than TTS.
 
But it sounds like what you want is a hardware rompler.  You should have bought the VS-700 w/ the built-in Roland synth.

You could check out the E-Mu soundsets for Dim Pro on digitalsoundfactory.com. I got the complete set for a hundred dollars a few years ago and I use it all the time, especially the PX-7 kits.

You could also try Zampler. Although it is free it has some nice free sound libraries in the download page.
http://www.zampler.de/

I owned Halion Sonic from steinberg, i also had the IK Multimedia Sampletank 3SE
both is junk along with most of ( 85%) of emulations or synth's........not good enough
nasty mids, lack of treble, detail , bad sample(s) and recording ( EQ, mic, image, frequency and so on )

Junk sound in +  ( EQ, compressor, Limiter and hours of work ) = better junk out ( but still junk )

I gave away both for free...

A test you can do is to take an instrument  and play it loud
if you feel it is an unpleasant sound, and after a while even worse, then its no good.
( our ears is one of the finest instrument's there is )

When you can listen to an instrument at louder volume for some time
and after a while still like the sound, then it's all good. 

A song / mix ( this should be enough )
If the sounds used are good enough you can actually be satisfied
by just adjusting the volume and pan all the tracks..... maybe with just a little eq
like a band playing using a simple mixer.... and that's it.

Do we need to reach for EQ, compressor and tons of plugins to make " huge adjustments "
then there's something wrong with the instruments, sound, technique or recording.
start all over / redo the recording / use other instruments, mic's or whatever.

one of the usable " Instrument " that may be and is good enough
is Native instrument Kontakt 5 sample player and the libraries there
but it wont be cheap... we get what we pay for...

I want it myself, but can not afford it now.

I agree that cakewalk should make, a good GM Instrument within sonar
that's good enough, so the user can release his song, sounding professional
not midi or like child toys music instruments.

I buy less and less, now..... its mostly about money now these day's
tons of product's at a mid ranged quality.. , but it wont help.

They actually made better sound in the earlier years , lets use Roland D-50 as an example
old but excellent sound and detail, for many years.