I'm trying out the PT demo.
Doubt I'll purchase but interested to check it out.

...I poked around a bit and found two or three vendors selling the bundle for $369 (including an advertised free upgrade to v7).  I must say, this is a tempting opportunity.  I wasn't even considering jumping into these waters, but at this price ... Hmm!!!!...
 
Exactly what happened to me. 
 
That's what I paid with free shipping. 
 
Interestingly, this guy alone has sold 17 just this month alone, and 30 since May 1.
 
When I got mine, there was just 1 left.
At that time 24 had been sold.  Now it shows 30 sold - none in stock. 
 
He's sold out now. And that's just one vendor! 

...But to be fair, he has posted in 'Software - Discussion focused on non-Cakewalk audio software'.
 
Garry...
 
+1 Garry.
 
...I'm sure poo tastes well to some? I like Sonar...
 
???
 
Good for you, I guess........whatever........
 
I like Sonar too, but I now have 3 DAWs, as is mine and everyone else's option so long as they pay the funds for a legitimate copy. 
 
On the other DAW forums, Steinberg, Presonus etc. other DAWs are openly & freely discussed, so I don't see the problem here. 

jimusic
...But to be fair, he has posted in 'Software - Discussion focused on non-Cakewalk audio software'.
 
Garry...
 
+1 Garry.
 
...I'm sure poo tastes well to some? I like Sonar...
 
???
 
Good for you, I guess........whatever........
 
I like Sonar too, but I now have 3 DAWs, as is mine and everyone else's option so long as they pay the funds for a legitimate copy. 
 
On the other DAW forums, Steinberg, Presonus etc. other DAWs are openly & freely discussed, so I don't see the problem here. 

another +1 for Garry...

I have 5 DAW's....and I use them all....without exception...

X2 is my favorite for Workflow and interface...if I could get ALL my needs in X2...I wouldn't have any others..but I can't...
that's just the reality of it...

Cubase is my fav for features...miles ahead....especially in the MIDI and scoring Dept of the PC based DAW's

MixBus has an awesome (Harrison) sound...it's only Audio, no MIDI..but it sounds spectacular...

Acoustica Mixcraft Pro Studio (a highly underated DAW IMHO), while being 32 bit, as is MixBus, is a very useful tool..(PT just
recently went to 64 bit).

Studio One 2.5 has some really strong points...while (to me) the interface is a little clunky, it is a strong contender

I also have all the freebies...I try them all, to see where they are going...AND to maintain an "objective" outlook and opinion...
I try all the demo's...just Demo's DP8...if the interface had been better I might have bitten..it's an awesome DAW, but it was
even clunkier (to me) then Studio One...

I went from Cubase 5 to ProTools 8.4 and then to 9, and from ProTools 9 to Sonar X1....trying to find the ever elusive "all in one" DAW...

(When Cubase 7 came out...I upgraded from 5...and GLAD I did...)

I finally realized that I'm not going to find that...I've realized that you have to be "objective" and use the tools provided for their
STRENGTHS.....to get to where you are going....

And YES, this is the Software forum....so all discussion about ALL THE DAW SOFTWARE, and OTHER SOFTWARE, should be relevant, ...
and, GUYS...EVERYONE is entitled to talk about, and find what WORKS for THEM...so please, be civil, and don't bash others for what they
want to talk about...just because the discussion isn't about Sonar doesn't make it problematic...unless YOU make it that way..

...and, GUYS...EVERYONE is entitled to talk about, and find what WORKS for THEM...so please, be civil, and don't bash others for what they want to talk about...just because the discussion isn't about Sonar doesn't make it problematic...unless YOU make it that way...
 
+1 - well said.

I wish I could demo cubase without having to buy a dongle . If I don't like it why should I have to buy a dongle I would never use . Seem like a waste money and time . I can download the demo . But I have to order the dongle and wait . I kinda don't wanna spend $400 and hate the software . Or $30 and hate the demo. Then I don't wanna spend $30 on a dongle and then like cubase and have to spend more money to get the full version with another dongle . To bad they don't give you a credit ..

Don't know the exact date but they're releasing Elements 7 as a non-dongle demo.
 

djjhart@aol.com
I wish I could demo cubase without having to buy a dongle . If I don't like it why should I have to buy a dongle I would never use . Seem like a waste money and time . I can download the demo . But I have to order the dongle and wait . I kinda don't wanna spend $400 and hate the software . Or $30 and hate the demo. Then I don't wanna spend $30 on a dongle and then like cubase and have to spend more money to get the full version with another dongle . To bad they don't give you a credit ..

 
I feel your pain.  I had a Syncrosoft dongle left over from Gigastudio (remember that?!) and amazingly it worked and was already registered at Steinberg.  (They purchased Syncrosoft)  If I didn't have the dongle already I don't think I would have tried the demo.  However now that I know that it is a far better tool for my orchestral needs I would gladly buy the dongle.  There are things that Sonar does far better and that I miss but for orchestration and manipulating libraries Cubase 7 beats out even Sibelius IMO.

djjhart@aol.com
I wish I could demo cubase without having to buy a dongle . If I don't like it why should I have to buy a dongle I would never use . Seem like a waste money and time . I can download the demo . But I have to order the dongle and wait . I kinda don't wanna spend $400 and hate the software . Or $30 and hate the demo. Then I don't wanna spend $30 on a dongle and then like cubase and have to spend more money to get the full version with another dongle . To bad they don't give you a credit ..

I struggled with this very dilemma for a while.
The decent thing for Steinberg to do would be to offer a discount or rebate or something.
 
It's a bit disconcerting to have to buy the dongle just to try out their product. You'd think they'd want you to try it without reservation or any hesitation whatsoever - but no.
 
One suggestion to me was to buy the dongle, thereby having an extra one in the event of any problems, especially since they seem to be cheap pieces of crap, but instead of buying the first one & then getting another one if I went for it, I just did my homework and spent a week, reading, learning, investigating, etc.
 
Because I do a lot of MIDI, I liked what I saw overall, and just went for it. 

cclarry
It's well worth the money.  I use it.  It's feature set is vastly "above" X2 ( I shall again suffer the WRATH OF THE CAKE-ITES )

Hope you're right, because I pulled the trigger on this one.  The Halion 4 was just frosting on the cake, but I'm looking forward to exploring that as well.  But even without it, $369 seems like a fine price for Cubase 7.  Funny ... a week ago the thought of purchasing and learning another DAW was the furthest thing from my mind.  But I kept hearing how Cubase had the best MIDI capabilities and the thought of becoming a Cubaser did cross my mind from time to time.