Pro Tools Or Sonar

Heys guys im just gonna ask a simple question im building a home studio and im in the need for a DAW and i was thinkin in pro tools or sonar but i just dont know what to chose for one im thinking sonar for the looks and the cost and i get good feed back from ppl about the sound in the other hand pro tools cost so dam much so any advises would be nice thanks in advance

This topic gets discussed to death on a regular basis. use the search function on the forum and you'll find many, many posts comparing the two.

http://forum.cakewalk.com/searchpro.asp?phrase=pt+pro+tools+&author=&forumid=ALL&topicreply=both&message=body&timeframe=%3E&timefilter=0&language=single&top=300&criteria=AND&submitbutton=+OK+

Yeh, if anyone actually notices your post here in the Software ghetto of the board, you'll open a serious can o' worms with this question.

Having read many, many posts on this subject, let me sum up the answers you'll get.

Obviously, we're all SONAR users here and you'll quickly get the sense that everybody loves it. So don't be surprised if just about everyone advises you to go with SONAR. But a fair number of folks here use both (as well as other candidates such Cubase, Nuendo, FL Studio, Logic and others) and will tell you that each has its own strengths and weaknesses but by and large SONAR is easier to work with and capable of anything PT (or the others) can do.

And that's pretty much my take on it: SONAR can do anything PT can do, but will cost you less. You're not ever going to hear a record and say "oh that must have been done with xxxx" (fill in the blank with any DAW). All the top-tier products can make quality recordings. (Yes, there are cheap versions of ProTools, but go HD or don't bother.)

I can think of three possible justifications for going with PT:

1. You need file compatibility with other studios that use ProTools, for example you want to send your stuff out for professional mixing or adding tracks at another studio.
2. You have aspirations of landing a job as a professional engineer, in which case familiarity with PT would be a prerequisite.
3. You are a commercial studio and have prospective clients who insist on PT because it's all they know.

And a possible fourth justification:
4. You have a lot of money and want bragging rights about how much you spent on your studio.

Ummm... that said Sonar Here i come thanks for the quick replays guys

I agree with bit. You can either spend 10 grand plus on PT HD or get Sonar for around 600 dollars.

If you go with PT LE, the limits it forces on you will become obvious real quick. Sonar on the other hand, doesn't force limits on you. Also, there is the whoie RTAS, & iLok thing with PT. You start using PT, and you'll find yourself more, and more locked to PT.

I agree with bit. You can either spend 10 grand plus on PT HD or get Sonar for around 600 dollars.

That's not completely fair. You are also getting a lot of DSP hardware in that 10 grand that you'd probably very hard pressed to match on the SONAR side probaby, even if you spent $5K on some octa-quad monster.

ORIGINAL: droddey

I agree with bit. You can either spend 10 grand plus on PT HD or get Sonar for around 600 dollars.

That's not completely fair. You are also getting a lot of DSP hardware in that 10 grand that you'd probably very hard pressed to match on the SONAR side probaby, even if you spent $5K on some octa-quad monster.

Well yeah, but what I mean is, if you want PT without limits, then you have to get the full blown HD version. Now, if you have the cash for PT|HD then by all means, go for it!! but if you have that much cash, then buying Sonar for 600 bucks will be a drop in the bucket. You might as well get both.

ORIGINAL: bitflipper

Yeh, if anyone actually notices your post here in the Software ghetto of the board, you'll open a serious can o' worms with this question.

Yeah but maybe it's one of those up and coming ghettos where the artistic hipsters move in and next thing you know it's all vintage clothing shops and sushi bars and the rents double. Best to stake your claim now.

ORIGINAL: Brandon Ryan [Cakewalk]

ORIGINAL: bitflipper

Yeh, if anyone actually notices your post here in the Software ghetto of the board, you'll open a serious can o' worms with this question.

Yeah but maybe it's one of those up and coming ghettos where the artistic hipsters move in and next thing you know it's all vintage clothing shops and sushi bars and the rents double. Best to stake your claim now.

I think what Brandon is hinting at here is right,,, the Sonar forum is so crowded newbie questions and the same old stuff, that maybe we can get some good discussions going here without all that clatter.

Speaking of PT|HD core systems, and Brandon... Have you guys seen this;

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/videos/default.mspx

After watching that, you can't help to wonder how powerful a computer running 64 bit, with 128 GB of ram would be. With the top porccessors availible, I think Sonar on that machine could do anything you want 100% in the box. Top plugins, a good 24 I/O interface, something like a Mixed Logic M24 for a control surface, and you'd be set. I'd put that Sonar based monster up against an HD rig.

Yeah but maybe it's one of those up and coming ghettos where the artistic hipsters move in and next thing you know it's all vintage clothing shops and sushi bars and the rents double. Best to stake your claim now.

Maybe you're right, Bob. After all, I'M here. And I was hip, once.

Hey, don't sell yourself short. Even now, you still used to be hip, once, long ago. Don't you feel better now?

Thanks, Dean.

Hey, since you seem to have a finger on the pulse of the youth of today, maybe you can tell me what a "porccessor" is? I'm pretty sure I don't have one.

It's the electronic brain inside a famous brand of German sports car.

ORIGINAL: droddey
It's the electronic brain inside a famous brand of German sports car.

Jeez... and I thought it was something that ground up pigs - yuz learns sumfink noo every day, innit ?

ORIGINAL: bitflipper
And I was hip, once.

Hmmm... sounds a bit like those people who're always assuring others that they're "really crazy" when even in the Land of Utterly Bananas, they still wouldn't be even slightly odd.

Uh yeah - OK Dave - I believe you.

ORIGINAL: bitflipper

Having read many, many posts on this subject, let me sum up the answers you'll get.

Obviously, we're all SONAR users here and you'll quickly get the sense that everybody loves it. So don't be surprised if just about everyone advises you to go with SONAR. But a fair number of folks here use both (as well as other candidates such Cubase, Nuendo, FL Studio, Logic and others) and will tell you that each has its own strengths and weaknesses but by and large SONAR is easier to work with and capable of anything PT (or the others) can do.

And that's pretty much my take on it: SONAR can do anything PT can do, but will cost you less. You're not ever going to hear a record and say "oh that must have been done with xxxx" (fill in the blank with any DAW). All the top-tier products can make quality recordings. (Yes, there are cheap versions of ProTools, but go HD or don't bother.)

I can think of three possible justifications for going with PT:

1. You need file compatibility with other studios that use ProTools, for example you want to send your stuff out for professional mixing or adding tracks at another studio.
2. You have aspirations of landing a job as a professional engineer, in which case familiarity with PT would be a prerequisite.
3. You are a commercial studio and have prospective clients who insist on PT because it's all they know.

And a possible fourth justification:
4. You have a lot of money and want bragging rights about how much you spent on your studio.

+1

...but: 1. sending files to other studios: a work-around (albeit slightly flaky) is to export your Sonar sessions to OMFi and send that over to the Pro Tools studio.

what a "porccessor" is?

You guys are mean, I'm leaving.

Don't go, Ognis. CJ will be here any minute with an even more amusing typo...

lol @ coming to the Sonar forums and asking what we like better. Its kind of obvious or everyone would have switched by now. Pro Tools LE does serve its purposes but if we are talking options on top of options you should really get sonar, live or cubase. my only beef with sonar is that the midi options are kind of weird. I have used just about every daw out there but nothing quite like sonar as far as configuration.

ORIGINAL: Brandon Ryan [Cakewalk]

ORIGINAL: bitflipper

Yeh, if anyone actually notices your post here in the Software ghetto of the board, you'll open a serious can o' worms with this question.

Yeah but maybe it's one of those up and coming ghettos where the artistic hipsters move in and next thing you know it's all vintage clothing shops and sushi bars and the rents double. Best to stake your claim now.

best laugh i've had all day! thanks

ORIGINAL: droddey
It's the electronic brain inside a famous brand of German sports car.

i thought that was the iDrive. given my experience with macs, they must have stolen the interface from apple...

That's easier: if Pro tools, it must be the HD version. You become a DigidesignER all life long and that is actually great.
If not ProTools HD, Go Sonar 7 with E-mu Cards final "M" such as 1212M PCI or 1616M PCI.

Mastering grade 24-bit/192kHz converters - the same A/D converters used in Digidesign's flagship ProTools HD 192 I/O Interface delivering an amazing 120dB signal-to-noise ratio.

Saw the post and thought I'd chime in. As PT M-Powered user for the last three years I have finally made the switch to sonar, mine will be arriving on thursday. I look forward to diving into sonar but at the same time I am a bit nervous as I am pretty comfortable with PT. The features that sonar offered along with the cakewalk forum attitude in general was the deciding point in my decision to switch to sonar. I will still keep PTMP around as it does serve a purpose but it sure feels nice to finally break free from the digi empire......