Sonar4 vs Sonar5

[Mizzopuma]

I agree that the new 64-bit engine sounds great. I can really tell a difference, and there is way more headroom when mixing. If it sounds this good on my Gateway P2.4 GHz 32-bit machine...I can only imagine what it sounds like on a 64-bit machine (hopefully I will know this Christmas).

[michaelprager]

I agree that the new 64-bit engine sounds great. I can really tell a difference, and there is way more headroom when mixing. If it sounds this good on my Gateway P2.4 GHz 32-bit machine...I can only imagine what it sounds like on a 64-bit machine (hopefully I will know this Christmas).

Hi There,
Aside from all of the 64-bit stuff, I have been really jazzed with the V-vocal. I'm also working on Track Templates for a few of the soft synths included with SONAR 5, such as PSYNII and hopefully Pentagon (it takes a bit of time to write these templates out, especially when there are 100's of presets). Anyway, when I finish them, they should be available to download via our website.
Anyway, dig deeper into the feature beyond the GUI and you'll find a few treasures, like the Perfect Space Convolution Reverb and clip based FX.
Thanks,

[Hybernation]

I've also been playing with track templates, to create combinations of multiple softsynths, preassigned to different midi keyboard controllers (I have 6 in a u-shape). It's very very cool. I've saved a dozen or more as "jam templates" for when the mood hits.

The COOLEST thing is being able to get that definitive 8 audio separate drum mix from Battery 2, plus a couple of effects busses, and then save the WHOLE THING as a track template. I have needed this for a long time!

[Lunatique]

W

Also i see they have imported some of the Project 5 v2 stuff over to Sonar 5 producers edition, So when I got this I knew I was taking a BIG risk, simply cause i almost have everything they added in Sonar 5, but I cant be farther from the truth, man im glad i bought this product as it has elevated what I thought a host could do for your music. And thats make it sound better.

Couldn't you have just gotten the Studio edition and saved yourself a few hundred dollars? I mean, you could still open up all the Sonar 4 PE plugs inside Sonar 5 Studio Edition, right?

[Stairsteps]

W

Also i see they have imported some of the Project 5 v2 stuff over to Sonar 5 producers edition, So when I got this I knew I was taking a BIG risk, simply cause i almost have everything they added in Sonar 5, but I cant be farther from the truth, man im glad i bought this product as it has elevated what I thought a host could do for your music. And thats make it sound better.

Couldn't you have just gotten the Studio edition and saved yourself a few hundred dollars? I mean, you could still open up all the Sonar 4 PE plugs inside Sonar 5 Studio Edition, right?

Probley so but I opted for the PE to get the full deal.

Producer Edition Exclusives

Roland® V-Vocal™ vocal processor

PSYN™ II subtractive synth

Pentagon™ I analog synth

RXP™ REX Player groove box

Perfect Space™ Convolution Reverb

Lexicon® Pantheon™ Stereo & Surround Reverbs

Sonitus Surround Compressor

Multi-format surround mixing

SurroundBridge™

Per-channel EQ

Assignable FX controls

POW-r dithering

MPEX 3 time scaling

Video thumbnail track



Cant live without the extras especialy after trying V-Vocal and the Perfect Space reverb , I was floored to say the least.
And the RXP Rex player is way cool. esp since I have a slew of Reasons Rex files on hand

[billybk1]

Couldn't you have just gotten the Studio edition and saved yourself a few hundred dollars?

Well, actually there is only an $80US difference between the SONAR 5 Studio($99) & Producer Editions($179).

[John_P]

To clarify, it's the Sonar 5 PE upgrade - from Sonar 3/4 - which costs $179.

[womoma]

The sound quality improvement is so great in Sonar 5 that you dont need "good ears" to spot it. It simply sounds fantastic.

[johnmorales]

Ah I think I have stumbled on a thread packed full of people who actually did not pay for Sonar 5.0, but got it for free from Cakewalk. In return for getting it for free, they all promise to create a thread that alternately praises Sonar 5.0 and thanks God for letting them glimpse heaven.

I need to get on that list. I'm tired of shelling out cash for updates. It'd be nice to get it for free as some of these guys obviously do. People who pay for things rarely are so effusive and forthcoming with endless praise and worship. LOL

I did decide to buy the update though, since it came with what I really want the Roland Vocal pitch correction plug in. The other extras were very cool too, and worth the update price. I just got it today and will install it soon.

If just one of these high praises turn out to be true. I'll be so happy. What I'm really hoping for is to avoid the pitfalls mentioned by those who also purchased it like sudden crashes and other issues that none of these people seem to experience. Of course it's rude to complain when you get the software for free LOL

[Toonyfish]

Loving the upgrade too! V-Vocal is amazing. Perfect Space is great. I've always wanted to get Pentagon 1. The overall sound does appear to have more depth to me as well.

Toonyfish

[Stairsteps]

yes its a great piece of kit thats worth every penny depending on what you do for a living, If your like most of these ppl here who are dreaming of making it big one day well this is a good investment.

If on the other hand you come here worried or crying about how it works for some ppl but not for others or wonders why ppl praise something thats obviously working for them and giving them little to no problems well if thats your focus you need to hold on to your cash and spend it on T2 or something less expensive even podium is a good program from what I hear.

But to try to come up with corny ass lines like "Aww I got to get on that list where there giving away free stuff so I can come on a web site and kiss ass all the way to Austin and back I think your worried about money too much and should hold on to what you have, Half of the things Sonar5 can do I bet most of you dont need anyways, im into all facets of music production , from the creation process to the production end and im shooting for the stars to get into this industry, Im not afraid to say its been a life long dream of mine to not only play music but get rich from doing it too, So to say is Sonar5 expensive? well that depends on what your after and how much your willing to spend to get it done.

Can another cheaper program achieve the same results? Well in most areas yes , But do they offer a great tech support and web support? Do they constantly update and improve Err bugs or code to make it better?

Great companys dont abandon there product even if it dosent work for some and for others it does, that a position in this industry of ours I would assume you knew about

You see code is never complete they leave it open for future improvements , Try to upgrade a Neve or simular hardware, Its never gonna happen, this and any host is a godsend compared to just 15 years ago, when you have to shell out thousands of dollars to achieve what you can in your home studio.

And it amazes you that some of us old school guys come on here talking up about Sonar5 or any other host for that matter when and I'l repeat 15 years ago youd have to pay over a hundred thousand dollars to do what most of what these hosts do today and when we find one that actually improves Sound quality and functionality it somehow amazes you that were happy with that fact.

Im sure there will be bugs in here somewhere but if you think there is bug free software Think agian,is all got a mess of bugs we just learn to live with the quirks.

[whyterabbyt]

Ah I think I have stumbled on a thread packed full of people who actually did not pay for Sonar 5.0, but got it for free from Cakewalk. In return for getting it for free, they all promise to create a thread that alternately praises Sonar 5.0 and thanks God for letting them glimpse heaven.

Which DAW company is it that you and your 'compelling arguments' work for again?

[bduffy]

The sound quality improvement is so great in Sonar 5 that you dont need "good ears" to spot it. It simply sounds fantastic.

Not to seem adversarial (I was looking forward to hearing this improvement!), but I just tried an A/B comparison between SONAR 5 and a 32-bit host running the same composition and I can't hear a lick of difference between the two! You guys must have "Golden Ears" or something...

[jens]

Roland® V-Vocal™ vocal processor

Pentagon™ I analog synth

RXP™ REX Player groove box

Perfect Space™ Convolution Reverb

which of these (if at all) work with other hosts?

[bnmoore]

Roland® V-Vocal™ vocal processor

Pentagon™ I analog synth

RXP™ REX Player groove box

Perfect Space™ Convolution Reverb

which of these (if at all) work with other hosts?

The V-Vocal opens in hosts that support DX plugins. In my case the GUI was larger than the host I tried it in (Audition). It's listed as Cronus. FWIW I thought this one was supposed to be locked to Cakwalk products.

With the Pentagon I it seems to depend on whether or not you install the 64 bit version of SONAR 5. In my case it's still a VSTi with it's own DXi wrapper.

The RXP is a DXi. It does work in Forte Ensemble and I imagine it would work in FL Studio although I haven't tried it.

Perfect Space is a VST plugin. It has worked in everything I've tried it in.