Hi All
 
I wonder if you guys could help me with this one (especially those using Sonar commercially)
 
I want to write and produce "Top 40, Pop" music demos - ie commercial type songs to pitch for artists
 
I have also been approached to record and "produce" radio ready demos for other people
 
I already have publisher interest so I want to take my demos to the next level so I have around £200 (GBP) to improve my set-up and I fancy getting a 3rd party plug-in suite to compliment what I already have in the excellent Sonar X3 Producer arsenal (I also have the plugins from 8.5 and X2 producer editions)
 
I have Komplete 8 (not ultimate) that has given me new toys but I am looking for something to take me to the next level (I completely understand it is more about learning how to use the tools and I have a pretty good understanding of everything I already have)
 
So....
 
I have identified the following as possible contenders in my price range:
 
Waves Gold Bundle 
 
Ozone 5 - I could stretch to the Ozone and Alloy bundle for around £260 if it is considered a "must have"
 
T Racks Deluxe Bundle
 
Does anyone have any experience of these and/or any other recommendations to compliment Sonar X3 Producer's stock plugins
 
I do everything "in the box" so I want to get the best I can from the outset so I can invest some serious time using a set of professional tools that will hopefully last me a long time

My view would be don't purchase another plugin unless you actually need it, otherwise you end up being a collector rather than getting something that might actually be of use to you. Spend your time getting into the insides/outside of all the plugins you have and Sonar. It's very much an individuals choice IMHO on where you end up spending the money... I would subscribe to Groove3 myself.
 
I actually enjoy removing plugins more than installing them nowadays, I have way too many and many do the same thing.

Much depends on what you mean by "taking it to the next level." It sounds like you mean mastering.
 
Between Komplete and Sonar, you have pretty much everything you need except for high-quality multiband level maximizing and diagnostic tools. IMHO no one does multiband level maximizing better than Waves. The best diagnostics will be from a dedicated digital audio editor like Wavelab. 
 
What Ozone will give you is a suite of mastering tools in an efficient, integrated package. IOW you don't have to cobble together a collection of diverse plug-ins to do what you want, they're all in one place. Their Exciter (controlled distortion) module is very useful and I sometimes find it more appropriate than standard EQ to change tonal colors. Their level maximizer is also excellent, maybe not quite up to the Waves plug-ins, but very close. All the other modules, including EQ, have multiple options and are excellent.
 
However this brings up a crucial point, which is that mastering using these tools is a very deep process that is all about subtlety and really knowing how to use the functions to their optimum potential. All these products have presets but you will find them useless because mastering parameters have to be tailored soooo carefully to the particulars of a given project. Your best strategy might be to use a professional mastering engineer if you want to take your sound quality to the next level while you learn the tools and techniques used for mastering. You could probably be making good use of them in about a year although like music, mastering is something you can never learn 100%.

I must admit I'm a "learn to use what you've got" girl. You can throw all your money at the most expensive plugs on the internet if you like, but if you don't know what to do with them it'll still sound like amateur night at the local primary school.

The best engineers don't use certain equipment because "it's the best", they choose things that give the sound they're after. If that means $2000 for a compressor then so be it, but it could also be a free compressor if it gives the sound the engineer is after.

The important part is the ability to get the sound, not what you use to get it.

I hoped I had closed off the "learn to use what you've got" comments in my original post

Whilst I completelty respect this view I wanted to see if there was anything in these plugins (or others) that I am missing - Craig's reply has been very useful in this regard

If we all stuck to the "stick with what you've got" we would all still be using our hardware 4 track tape machines ;-)

I wondered if there was anything in these plugins that would help me be more efficient and effective

+1 to Groove 3 - I have spent a year going through their vids

I just fancied playing with something new to see if I can improve my mixes

I will investigate all options thoroughly but thought I would ask fellow Sonar users for their experiences/recommendations

I think the point is that there isn't a magic group of plugs you can add to Sonar, or any DAW to make the ultimate setup.

Personally I like the FabFilter suit, but there are those that don't. It's not what you've got, it's what you do with it.

I don't disagree - but you also need to have something before you can learn what to do with it

I am interested to hear what people are using and getting good results with

FabFilter is a name that has been cropping up as well - why did you go for FabFilter stuff over and above the stock Sonar stuff?

I also agree you need to find the right mix of plugins for what you want to achieve - and I am looking for advice and guidance for choosing these - in a few years I hope to narrow these down to some key ones that I know inside out - however to get there I need to "kiss a few frogs" before I find my Prince I guess!

@ALEX - and then I can reply to posts like mine saying it is better to uninstall plugins ;-)

But I'm still not clear why you want these plug-ins, or where you feel your existing setup is deficient. It's much easier to make recommendations if you can specify your needs.

Ah hah, that's another important point.

I don't use FabFilter over and above the stock Sonar plugs. Of the FabFilter stuff, I love the gate, compressor, limiter and eq because of the controls they have, but I use them as required not by default.

To be honest I always go for the built in pro channel stuff first, because it's right there. If I don't get what I want, then I look to FabFilter. Especially the FabFilter eq because it can work in m/s natively.

I like Fabfilter plug-ins but on a budget MeldaProduction offers great value for the $$$. Add to it, free upgrades for life and (like Fabfilter) simple license file copy protection, they get high marks from me. Both companies offer fully functional demos. Fabfilter has been known to create custom bundles when asked.
 
Whatever you decide watch for sales. Right now iZotope is in their by current version get next version free with Ozone. MeldaProduction cycles through their plug-ins offering them at 50% off. If history is any predictor MeldaProduction bundles will go on 50% off later in the year. Some of the gems in the MeldaProduction line up are the MMultiAnalyzer, MDynamicEQ and MSpectralDynamics. Most every vendor will provide their best pricing at the end of the year, starting in late November.
 
These types of topics are covered in more detail in the Software forum below http://forum.cakewalk.com/Software-f83.aspx