I've actually been out of my studio for quite some time because of other obligations and have been using a mix of Reason and Sonar on this computer for small projects but it's given me time to really think through what I'm going to do. I think I may end up selling my VS system and going with a touchscreen setup and possibly a new audio interface. Honestly, I can only see issues down the road with the 700 as Cake has all but forgotten it exists for the most part and when X3 is announced and released, I feel it will be the final nail for VS700 users.

At the moment I've been trying to look up decent large format touchscreens to see if this is even a viable option. While I like that Cake is supporting touchscreens, I feel it may be one of these issues they seem to enjoy putting themselves in where "We've added this new feature. It's sparkly and exciting but it's absolute rubbish when being actually used". It just seems to me like Cake has a very bad habit of haphazardly adding features. I would certainly want to test it and see how well it works before jumping the gun.

The other and more important issue is that I'm not sure touchscreens are where they need to be to make this an option right now. All things considered, touchscreen monitors are still in their infancy. Granted, they have been around for a long time, but they were used mainly in business settings. It's only really the development of tablets/smartphones/Windows 8 that large format touchscreen monitors have become a focus for consumer use. That being said, most of what is on the market right now is less than impressive. Most of them sit around the 100ms response time which is completely unacceptable for this type of work. It would make mixing on a monitor an absolute nightmare. However, early last year Microsoft started working on playing with a screen that had a 1ms delay which was very responsive and stayed right with the finger which would make it a viable option for mixing and working in a DAW. I believe part of that technology was used in their Surface tablet which has below 12ms touch latency (which is bloody incredible for a consumer product), but it would be too small for any real work in a DAW. This video shows the difference and importance of touch response time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOvQCPLkPt4

Audio interface... there are tons of high quality ones to choose from. I just need to research that a little more.

I'm heading for the SSL Matrix with something like the new Appollo 16 from UA and two Phoenix drs-8.  I just hope the VS will work with Sonar until I can afford all this.... which is in SOME years... 

So next step for me is absolute high-end, so I need the VS for at least 4-5 years.   

I'll probably stick with X2 until then, or I'll upgrade if the new versions of Sonar support the VS.  Which I really hope will happen....

Interesting stuff..... I wonder about touchscreens a little particularly when you have large projects loaded and the potential delays etc. The idea is still interesting but personally I think it is some time away and I'm another user who is stunned Cake are 'chasing a dream' as a method of marketing as opposed to making sure users who have committed are kept on board. Not sure about venturing in to new territories when the old and proven ones are not sorted out properly yet... oh well. No doubt Cake and Roland are worlds apart in terms of where each are heading.
That SSL Matrix would be incredible! Around $22k is also 'amazing'....

I'm prolly with you Dyo in that the VS gear will need to hang around a little longer, just hope the future X upgrades don't force me away from it.

Cheers.

I don't really see the touchscreen as something that would cause much in the way of delays for large projects. It will only respond when and where it's told to via touch, so There wouldn't be too much data going through the screen at any given time just like with touch response on the VS700 faders. They will only respond where there is actual interaction between your finger and the fader.

I do wonder how well touch really works with Sonar though. It's a new feature and new features in this program seem to turn into disasters.

http://www.audiotechnology.com.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/S3L-Avid.jpg

Seems like 'some' mobs are still expanding their empires?

Interesting looking surface?

Another interesting package...: http://www.harrisonconsoles.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=24&Itemid=67

There are some interesting features but a load of pain to get it working with the 700C.

Is anyone out there actually expecting further 700 series support from Roland/Cake? Seems like we only hear crickets nowadays??

Cheers all....at least the 700C with X2 is functional at present for the main part.

Does this setup
Look awesome or what?
 
The Shire Studios, Halifax, Canada.

 
 
 

Whoah....does look killer for sure. Love the integration....those surfaces do look pretty good.
 
Great share!