Any tips on switching from Cubase SX3 to Sonar 5PE?

[monkeymanx]

I can get it cheap enough on eBay. Yea, the cross grade is only 350 for SX3, which isn't bad. I just had high hopes for Sonar, but I didn't even think to really dive into all the midi stuff before buying it, all I did was import some of my midi tracks and play along with it.

[bduffy]

That's funny, because I slowly went from Sonar to Cubase, and I thought I'd never get used to Cubase, but you do. I guess with that specific transformation, I eventually discovered that there were more features in Cubase's MIDI (I'm talking about 3-4 years ago, Sonar people, don't kill me!!!), so that worked out. I can't imagine going to Sonar from Cubase - not because one's better or anything, but it seemed easier the other way around.

Sucks about the dongle. You can't sell Sonar? But it's not even copy protected!

[Rabid]

I've used Cakewalk since vs. 1 and still have those disks. Now with Sonar 5 PE I am considering a switch to Cubase. The main culprit is problems with my Emulator sound cards, EmulatorX and PatchMix. Acid, Live, Reason and all my other software work fine. Sonar and Project5 have to be nurtured. While I love how Sonar flows, I hate the hoops I have to jump through to make it work. If Cubase had the same copy protection as Sonar I would have already switched. As it is, I find it very handy to install Sonar on my home PC, my laptop and my work PC. I don't like dongles. They make me paranoid that I will break one when using a laptop, or have one swiped if I take it out in public.

But really, for the price of the cross grade, I may try it out.

[bduffy]

I've used Cakewalk since vs. 1 and still have those disks. Now with Sonar 5 PE I am considering a switch to Cubase. The main culprit is problems with my Emulator sound cards, EmulatorX and PatchMix. Acid, Live, Reason and all my other software work fine. Sonar and Project5 have to be nurtured. While I love how Sonar flows, I hate the hoops I have to jump through to make it work. If Cubase had the same copy protection as Sonar I would have already switched. As it is, I find it very handy to install Sonar on my home PC, my laptop and my work PC. I don't like dongles. They make me paranoid that I will break one when using a laptop, or have one swiped if I take it out in public.

But really, for the price of the cross grade, I may try it out.

Is it just me, or has the audio engine become less stable in Sonar since around, oh, Sonar 3? I remember I could grind Sonar 1/2 into the ground, running Kontakt, DXi and ReWire at, like, 80-90% CPU and everything was fine. Now I'm lucky if I don't get glitches playing back a wave file.

[kp]

Blame people who wanted gapless-ness I say - inevitably that's going to put more demands on a system (especially one that had full PDC from the get go, and throwing that away wasn't going to be an option!).

Not that I ever get glitches myself (not that I hit 80-90% CPU unless I do it deliberately) :-)

[Rabid]

I don't think it is just you. Sonar 3 worked perfectly with my Emu cards with no tweaks. Updating to Sonar 5 killed both of my PC's that use Emu Patch Mix. But, all the DAW's seem to be going through this. The competition is driving change and forcing updates out of the door before they are solid. I went to Cubase.net a few times and users there seem to have just as many problems. If it works on your hardware, great. If not, you have to be a tech to get through the problems. I would jump to Logic but I cannot afford to replace my Windows hardware.

[bduffy]

I don't think it is just you. Sonar 3 worked perfectly with my Emu cards with no tweaks. Updating to Sonar 5 killed both of my PC's that use Emu Patch Mix. But, all the DAW's seem to be going through this. The competition is driving change and forcing updates out of the door before they are solid. I went to Cubase.net a few times and users there seem to have just as many problems. If it works on your hardware, great. If not, you have to be a tech to get through the problems. I would jump to Logic but I cannot afford to replace my Windows hardware.

Yeah, and those EMU cards are little bitches. Believe me, I own one. Actually, I think Sonar's working OK at home, come to think of it...

[monkeymanx]

Cubase is just so easy to use and the GUI is very nice and friendly. I definately like some of the fx that come with Sonar and the V-Vocal... Maybe Cakewalk will do something like Cubase for the midi programming for their next release because the way they have it now is just horrid. As much as I like all the fx, it would probably benefit them to look at the competition's GUI and interface.

I'm still not sure why you arn't able to sell your software. Maybe it has something to do with the synths it comes with or something. Which hopefully I can take advantage of some of those in Cubase.

[monkeymanx]

Actually, it looks like in the forums here, it says it can be resold just with no support or upgrades for the new user. They may be a good route for me.

[GypsyJazz]

I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into here.

The most important thing when switching from Cubase to SONAR is to forget
about how Cubase does stuff and don't compare SONARs approach to Cubases....

They are 2 different programs that approach the task quite differently in some ways...

[GypsyJazz]

... Maybe Cakewalk will do something like Cubase for the midi programming for their next release because the way they have it now is just horrid. As much as I like all the fx, it would probably benefit them to look at the competition's GUI and interface.

hehehe I'm exactly the opposite..

I hate Cubases GUI and think they could
learn a thing or 2 from SONAR.....

[GypsyJazz]

Is it just me, or has the audio engine become less stable in Sonar since around, oh, Sonar 3? I remember I could grind Sonar 1/2 into the ground, running Kontakt, DXi and ReWire at, like, 80-90% CPU and everything was fine. Now I'm lucky if I don't get glitches playing back a wave file.

For me S5 is infinitely better .
I can really push S5 up into the 80%/90% area and it just
keeps chugging along....

Could never do that with S3.

[GypsyJazz]

I can't imagine going to Sonar from Cubase
- not because one's better or anything,
but it seemed easier the other way around.
Sucks about the dongle. You can't sell Sonar?
But it's not even copy protected!

hehehe I can't imagine going from SONAR to Cubase.....

The problem with selling SONAR is that it's not supported by Cakewalk.
You can sell it but they won't officially support the new owner.....
Means nothing really as they don't do much actual direct support anyway.
The real SONAR support comes from SONAR users on the SONAR forum, with only
occasional input from someone at Cakewalk.....

[GypsyJazz]

I can get it cheap enough on eBay. Yea, the cross grade is only 350 for SX3, which isn't bad. I just had high hopes for Sonar, but I didn't even think to really dive into all the midi stuff before buying it, all I did was import some of my midi tracks and play along with it.

What's your actual problem with SONARs
midi implementation monkeymanx?

[bduffy]

I can't imagine going to Sonar from Cubase
- not because one's better or anything,
but it seemed easier the other way around.
Sucks about the dongle. You can't sell Sonar?
But it's not even copy protected!

hehehe I can't imagine going from SONAR to Cubase.....

The problem with selling SONAR is that it's not supported by Cakewalk.
You can sell it but they won't officially support the new owner.....
Means nothing really as they don't do much actual direct support anyway.
The real SONAR support comes from SONAR users on the SONAR forum, with only
occasional input from someone at Cakewalk.....

Hehehe...I'm not trying to start a Cubase vs Sonar debate, no need to come to its rescue. I will add that when I switched, there were larger differences between the two hosts; now, it just comes down to which one feels right.

I'm only saying when I use Sonar now, it's harder to get into than I thought it would be, I was a Sonar-guy for so long. But that's how it goes.