It depends on what midi features you need to get the job done well. I am a live player and it records all live in parts well. You can quantise anything, alter velocties, note positions, start points, durations etc. You can step time notes in. There a many midi operations that can be performed. You have all the normal midi event options in terms of editing. You can draw in automation over any number of midi parameters. You can scale things up/down and transpose anything. You can slip tracks either to play early or late. You can now edit multiple midi parts at once on the same page.
 
I find it controls all my external synths beautifully. Midi timing is tight and plays back perfectly to the click and is not influenced by how hard the audio side of the program is working. You can set up a loop and jump midi tracks all on the fly gaplessly and either record, rehearse and play over existing midi data. (Sonar wont allow this for some reason) Not sure how much more midi you need.

 
There is no event list for getting in and pulling out rogue information. There is no means of using third party midi plugins which is a shame. But for me it still kicks ass midi wise and has never held me back ever.

Jeff Evans
 There is no means of using third party midi plugins which is a shame. But for me it still kicks ass midi wise and has never held me back ever.

Jeff, Is that limited to the Artist version only or do none of the Studio One versions allow third party plugins? If I could not use my normal vsti's that would definitely be a deal breaker for me. Perhaps I have misunderstood your statement "no means of using third party plugins"
 
Kind regards,
Rick 

Rick - I can answer that.
 
The higher versions of Studio One will scan and use your 3rd party VSTs.
 
You may have to add the path, but that's it.
 
I'm not entirely sure if it is in the Producer version, but I have that ability in the Professional version for sure.
 
But unlike Sonar & Cubase, there is no built-in bridge in Studio One for your 32 bit plugs - in any version .
 
Your only option there is an outside bridge like 'jbridge' - about $20.00
 
Looks like the top 2 versions will support 3rd party plugs. Check out the versions in this link.
 
http://studioone.presonus.com/what-are-the-versions/
 
 

I was referring to third party Midi Plug Ins not audio. All third party audio VST's are fully available of course. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Midi Plugins like Franks Midi Plugins. There are some interesting processes contained within those plugins. This is where Sonar is strong for me. It allows me to get into midi data in other ways not possible inside Studio One.  I also think the Midi Event page in Sonar is good for finding data that may be causing trouble as well. But overall I find the midi data is handled very well in Studio One and satisifies what I need it do about 99% of the time. 
 
I run a Unitor 8 hardware Midi interface off the serial port and it works a treat. With 8 sep Midi Out ports and only 6 powerful hardware instruments in my setup, each gets a whole midi port to itself. If each instrument is only handling one midi channel at a time very low latency is possible and I like the feel of it.

 
 Thanks Dave,Stickman,Mike,Jeff,Bill, Eddie,cclarry and lawp.
 
 Appreciate your insights.Thanks for your comments.  For the price of a mediocre plug-in I can get Studio One 2 Producer,although not as sweet a deal as when the Professional version was out for the same price. From what I'm reading some of you say, it makes a good complimentary program to Sonar. 
 
  Since Sonar started out as a midi program , I guess that explains its strengths in midi although it doesn't appear that  Studio One 2 is a slouch regarding midi either. I don't think the price of admission to "get in the game" is high especially if there are improvements coming along soon.
 
 Jeff are you sure the Professional version of the program is 64 bit? I was pretty sure only the Producer version was 64 capable. I run a 64 bit computer and this is important to me.It looked to me as if only the highest version offered 64 bit capability. This seems a bit like they're shooting themselves in the behind on this. I  own Sony Acid Pro 7 which is way overdue for a rebuild. I had thought that it being 32 bit wouldn't interfere with rewire but it does. 32 and 64 bit rewire don't play well together,so trying to rewire a 32 bit program into something like Sonar X2 64 is a no go. I would like to rewire my DAW software together and directly input and sync tracks from one to the other without needing to add yet another program to make that work. This avoids importing files manually and saves a ton of time.
 
 I had thought I would use midi a lot so I am set up for it, but in the end I seem to be recording a lot of audio. The only midi I work with is basic. I seldom, if ever, build a song with midi as the general construct. I might use it here and there more like a ****e than a main course, so I don't really need extensive midi at this point. 
 
 Even though I have T-Racks and Ozone for mastering I like what I'm reading about the metering capabilities for mastering in SO2.  Ideally a person could take two good DAWS, rewire them together and use the best of each if your computer can handle it.Even for track transfer it would be great.
 
 It seems like SO2 has come up with some novel ideas regarding soft synths. I'm not seeing the weakness there yet, at least for midi on an intermediate level.If there are some decent plug-ins in SO2 it can't hurt to scan them and load them into Sonar. I don't think I would buy it just for the plug-ins though.

And yet another update, now 2.6 with fixes and additions.
Presonus sure keep it rocking.
 
 
Garry
 

Guess I was lazy in my previous post...
 

Jeff Evans
Midi is fine. I have quite a large midi setup externally and it all works a treat with the external hardware.

 
OK, I wasn't lazy on this point... I still have two racks of MIDI synthesizers, and one rack of MIDI enabled processors, and I still use them. And that's on top of the usual virtual instruments, which are still MIDI targets, or at least behave as such in most DAWs.
 
My major concerns about MIDI in Studio One are:
1) hardware set up - Sonar is a little more complex, but a lot more flexible. I'm still finding ways to streamline external MIDI device management in Studio One, and I am confident that the next release will address it, but for now I find Sonar easier. Not every one will.
2) CC Data - neither sequencer handles CC data as well as Bars&Pipes<G>, and I really wish they did. For me (again just me) to move from one platform to the next this is an area that I have to see as a major improvement.
 
My other concern is that Studio One is no better at conforming to a specific tempo map than Sonar.
 

Jeff EvansThey are not late to the game. The original coders worked for Steinberg  back in the 80's so they have a wealth of experience.

 
Apologies, but the company has said as much, they are the most recent product to hit the market, in fact they use that as a way of differentiating themselves. I think being late to the game has worked to their advantage... the programmers did work at Steinberg, and as a result they know a few things to avoid<G>!
 

Jeff EvansIt can do many things Sonar cannot. eg jumping midi tracks on the fly when looping/recording/playing etc.. Best takes/layers/comping available. Great automation. etc true gapless engine. It goes on.

 
I've never been one to worry about the gapless thing - just not in my workflow, but it is rock solid, even if you aren't pushing it. I would agree that the comping and take management is awesome, and better than Sonar X2 for now. Automation needs some work, I think (see above), but it works.
 

Jeff EvansIt is not feature laden. That is the whole point. It has a solid framework that just works right now and they expect you to have many third party plugs that will work with it usually perfectly eg synths and extra plugins.

 
I like the fact that it is trimmed down, although I think integrating Melodyne was a wise choice. In fact I really don't see the point to the content and tools that are included, but I've been gathering my collection of trusted plugs for a while. For someone just starting out they make a lot of sense.
 

Jeff EvansIt is one of the most reliable and stable DAW's in the world right now.

 
Agreed. And if Sonar disappeared tomorrow I would move over to Studio One without blinking.
 
But the OP asked if the grass was really greener, and I don't think it is. A different shade of green, but not greener.

yes it's 64bit

Sonofagun... I just received an email from Presonus detailing changes to V2.6. They may have already addressed at least a couple of my issues!

After reading the v2.6 update list I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Producer version. If it works out for me I can upgrade to Professional for less money than if I bought Professional outright...
 
Thanks for all the help guys.
 
Kind regards,
Rick