Firstly - I have used Cakewalk since version 1.0 on DOS and now have Sonar X2 Producer.  Generally I like it and have not had any serious problems with my H/W using it.   But I have been keeping an eye on other DAW developments and have recently purchased the Cubase 7 Artist version to explore some things I had been reading about.  In Sonar X2 I was disappointed when they included a limited 3rd party reverb to enhance their out of the box reverb offering. I purchased a number of Pro Channel upgrades but was not going to go for the $200 for reverb.   The things I have been liking about Cubase are :
1. Even though I have the Artist version of the reverb plugin, it is excellent and not written by a third party that may or may not be part of the next version (which is a risk of any Sonar 3rd party plugin)
2, I enjoy the VST3 support so that my Yamaha synth editor can be used as a VST3 plugin.  There has been no indication of VST3 support in Sonar
3. The s/w is cross platform (I have both PC & MAC). 
4. There is an IPAD version that has a TOUCH UI and not just Touch support.  I don't even have an IPAD (have and android tablet) but will likely have a Wind 8.X tablet someday and will only buy a touch enabled DAW if the UI is designed from the bottom up with Touch.  Not just an enablement of existing Windows controls that support touch. If no DAW arrives for a win 8.X tablet , I will likely get an IPad and Cubasis for the IPad
5. The UI is very colorful - I like having the ability to color things they way I want them.
6. Things like the Chord Track are very useful for traditional songs.  All of the electronic music compositions features of Sonar are nice but I never use them.
7. Like Sonar, It never crashes
8. After a week or so learning curve,  I think it is easier to user.
9. Midi editing on both Cubase an Sonar work well for me.  I use to make extensive use of sysex and the midi list editor but no longer use these on Sonar so I cannot comment except to say It works well in Cubase.

I will continue to keep my Sonar up-to-date since I expect interesting things from Cakewalk on touch devices but for now I use Cubase.   Please do not take this as a criticism of Sonar,  I just have different needs for my DAW at this time.    But I do agree that CW should be focusing on making their own core plugins such as reverb and try to avoid 3rd party stuff.   

rabeach

vintagevibe

Brando
, though I never understood why people feel the need to come back here and tell SONAR users about it except for the need to feel vindicated in their choice.

Peace. 

I never understood why people get so defensive when they hear that others want to leave Sonar and why they feel the need to comment about it.

I never understood why, when people see people get defensive when they hear that others want to leave Sonar and feel the need to comment about it, people feel the need to comment about their commenting. :-)

I never understood any of this.  :)
 
I do know... that both brando and vintage are good people on opposite sides of the fence.
I mean that, I have a lot of respect for both of you.
 
 

leebut


Hello,

I'm thinking of upgrading from Music Creator 6 to X2 Essentials. I agree with what the OP said about paying for demo versions. The 'demo' version of the MP3 exporter in MC6 is an outdated version of Lame encoder which is freeware. On that basis, and if the encoder is the same in Sonar X2, I'm not sure why Cakewalk is getting away with charging money to activate it. Fresh air $14.99/litre!

Because of the license agreement that the developers and patent holders of mp3 have you are allowed to use lame free of charge. Cakewalk which is a business is not. Cakewalk has to pay whether they use lame or any other encoder. And they rightfully pass the cost onto you just as every other daw developer does. That aside you are free to download lame from it's developers site  and use it instead of purchasing it from cakewalk.

Because of the license agreement that the developers and patent holders of mp3 have you are allowed to use lame free of charge. Cakewalk which is a business is not. Cakewalk has to pay whether they use lame or any other encoder. And they rightfully pass the cost onto you just as every other daw developer does. That aside you are free to download lame from it's developers site and use it instead of purchasing it from cakewalk.

Rabeach this is the most concise and accurate explanation I have ever seen on this forum. 

Maybe I missed where it was posted before but you have said it in a very few words what so many of us have struggled to get across. If I steal this and post it please don't say anything. 


I wont steal it but it is a great post. 

So....here goes nothing.
 
This post is probably not going to be popular, but I feel the need to post it anyways.  First, take a look at the sig.  I have been a Sonar user since Pro Audio 9.  I am a fan, hence the reason I am still visiting the forum.
 
I bought a VS Studio system when it was released.  I adopted X1 on the day it was released ( a pretty big mistake on my part, as it crashed multiple times in front of a grammy winning songwriter), and had quite  few bugs and glitches, but I fought through.  I upgraded to X2 as soon as it was released, and had a few more.  And for some reason, even after the updates, I still had totally random craziness on my system (midi ports switching themselves, screenshots flipping around, etc)  Not full blown crashes mind you....just bugginess.
 
Then began the prochannel upgrades.  I have to say that it ticked me off a little that Cakewalk was spending their time developing a proprietary plug system, but not working on the VST3 industry standard.  When the debate heated up (AGAIN) about VST3, Noel chimed in about how VST3 was not needed, and that you could do everything with VST2 that you can do with VST3, so Sonar did not need VST3.
 
Then Cakewalk released their CA-2A Leveling Amplifier.  Guess what.  They included it in VST3 format......a format that they themselves won't even adopt.  I felt a little like I had been slapped in the face, having felt a little dumb for asking for VST3 (I want to use my Yamaha Motif with the VST3 editor). Am I the only one that found this strange?
 
I decided to give Cubase a go.  I LOVE IT.  I just finished a project with 38 tracks (30 of which are stereo VST), gobs of VST effects and instruments, 5 ms latency at 48k.  I ran it for 5 hours during one sitting last Thursday night, and it did not even hiccup.  I have not been able to run Sonar like that since 8.5.  It is not hard to learn, once you decide to commit.  
 
Let me reiterate....I am not here to cause problems.  The only reason I still visit the forums is to help and keep up with any updates that are out.  Sonar will always be my first love.  But I have to say, Cubase is working EXTREMELY well for me right now.

Hi bigboi,me too in X2a with 72 tracks,6 busses with 9 z3ta instance and prochannel on in 55 tracks and many third part plugs on the bus.X2a is a beast and you can see my spec much lower than your.Best

J4R10

thunderkyss


J4R10, 

Have you tried the X2 demo? 

No, I haven't. But I think it's fair to give X2 to a chance, so I'm going to try them both (Cubase 7 and X2) as soon as I get my mixing project done. I think it's just too risky to install X2 this moment (I've been mixing this album about two months now). One month to go 'til the deadline, so after that.
 
 

There is absolutely zero risk by installing X2 alongside X1. It's a completely separate installation.

Bristol_Jonesey
 
There is absolutely zero risk by installing X2 alongside X1. It's a completely separate installation.

I do not doubt your word, but I guess I'm just a little bit too careful right now as I'm almost done with mixing this album. What IF something weird and unpredictable suddenly happens. :O
 
Sonar X1d works nicely, but two weeks ago I purchased Waves Vocal Rider and found out that I can't use its sidechain option on Sonar. Luckily someone at the other audio forum told me about HoRNet Autogain. :)

When you're ready to take the plunge, we'll be here waiting to help break your fall

I've got mixed emotions about moving from Sonar to Cubase. I've been so locked in to Sonar for the past 12-13 years in some ways it will be nice to have a change of scenery, but I do feel sad about it. I think both products have got strengths and weaknesses and it will be interesting to see how they compare. I will post back on my findings once I get into it - I'm not writing Sonar off. I've made too much of an investment in and I think with some TLC it could be amazing. The basics are there but the execution needs some work. The lack of any bug fixes for 6 months is the main reason. Most of the tickets I've raised with Cakewalk are either classed as 'not a bug' or 'intended' - unfortunately X2 is not working well for me, in places, and I don't see any sign of Cakewalk changing. By contrast Cubase have released 4 major patches in the same timeframe - fixing and adding things as they go. It's as if the tables have turned. Cakewalk were always the responsive ones. The fact that touch was even considered for X2A shows me that they are not focusing on the important stuff. I suspect there will be a X2b and it will come out around the same time as W8.1. We'll see :)