Sonar ($150) or Orion ($150)

[Laraka]

If you're going to look at all those, take a look at FL Studio too.
And when you've tried them all, pick the one that best suits the way YOU produce music. I own a few hosts, took me a while to find the one that works best with me.

[dervish]

I recently bought an Edirol PCR-1 midi controller / audio interface which also had a copy of Sonar LE bundled. I've been using Orion Platinum religiously for more then 4 years now as my sequencer of choice, however the other musician I work with uses Sonar 4. So because of this I have started to use Sonar LE to arrange and mix the audio I create and render from Orion, just so I can easily load my tracks into my musical partners PC and vice versa. I hate to say it, but I think I may be starting to enjoy arranging audio better in Sonar than in OP song mode, however Orion Platinum in pattern mode is still the bees knees for creating my tracks. I don't do any VST instrument work in Sonar, however for arranging audio, and using good EQ plugs for mixing, I am starting to realize that utilizing the good aspects of 2 different sequencers is becoming the way to go for me, and also is enabling me to easily work with another muso.

[james0tucson]

If you're going to look at all those, take a look at FL Studio too.
And when you've tried them all, pick the one that best suits the way YOU produce music. I own a few hosts, took me a while to find the one that works best with me.

The reason I'm looking at other hosts is that I seem
to have hit some limitations of FL, namely, those where external synths are involved.

[jouni]

The reason I'm looking at other hosts is that I seem
to have hit some limitations of FL, namely, those where external synths are involved.

I need to say that it's not the best with Orion yet either. I have 5 hardware synths and I can manage with Orion for now, but could be better workflow (and quite sure it'll be changed for the better).

[Rabid]

They are very different programs. I really Like Orion Plat, but I also like Sonar Studio. (Or is it producer. What horrible naming.) Anyway, if you want to mix hardware sounds with software instruments I suggest Cakewalk. If totally software, try before you buy.

Robert