KVR Audio

szurcio · Post by **szurcio** » Mon Aug 17, 2015 11:21 pm

I'm tempted to get Sonar during the current sale - upgrading from an old Studio version. But would I really need it? (I already have Cubase 8 and Studio One Pro 3). Or will I later regret I didn't take advantage of the sale? Help me fight my G.A.S. Or convince me I should get another DAW...

incubus · Post by **incubus** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:11 am

It's GAS

The real question is what is it you don't like about what you are using? Unless you go with something that is a radically different approach (live/bitwig) it's highly unlikely you'll get anything other than a week or two gas boost.

szurcio · Post by **szurcio** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:43 am

OK, thank you - I thought so. The Matrix view in Sonar is not a good substitute for Live, is it?

H-man · Post by **H-man** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:45 am

You already have a couple of Tier 1 side-scrollers (yeah I said it!). I would recommend something different such as Renoise, Usine or Bitwig. Shake up your process a little

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:46 am

szurcio wrote:I'm tempted to get Sonar during the current sale - upgrading from an old Studio version. But would I really need it?

We have no idea if you NEED it, only you can figure that one out. Have you compared the features in Platinum to the version you're using now? Is there anything there that you are having trouble living without, or just really want? If yes, then, go for it. If not, then you've answered your own question. Personally, I think Platinum is the Sonar ever and definitely worth the money, but my needs are probably not the same as your needs.

szurcio · Post by **szurcio** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:56 am

I think I would need the add-ons (Addictive Drums with 3 packs, Breverb, etc.) more than the program itself. OK, thanks for your input, guys. The Sonar upgrade is cheaper than buying Addictive Drums separately.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 1:11 am

szurcio wrote:I think I would need the add-ons (Addictive Drums with 3 packs, Breverb, etc.) more than the program itself. OK, thanks for your input, guys. The Sonar upgrade is cheaper than buying Addictive Drums separately.

Yeah, that definitely makes it pretty tough to pass up. I already had BFD, SD, SSD, etc. before upgrading to Sonar Platinum, so I didn't think that Addictive Drums would be that useful to me, but I find myself using it quite often.

anisotonic · Post by **anisotonic** » Tue Aug 18, 2015 4:58 pm

vocalsync is great, you'd get use out of that if you ever work with vocals. in general I find the current recording/comping/editing system of sonar to be superior, going back elsewhere feels clumsy afterwards. you cannot beat that comp tool, it is ultimate. it's still really lame with midi and automation, but at least it has a serviceable step sequencer. as for the matrix, it's very similar in function to live but without live's warping which is what makes it good.

Grizzellda · Post by **Grizzellda** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 6:09 am

It would be interesting to know how long they are going to support Windows 7.

lfm · Post by **lfm** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 7:44 am

Grizzellda wrote:It would be interesting to know how long they are going to support Windows 7.

It's so widely spread that I don't think that will be a problem.

They just dropped XP, if I'm not mistaken - but state that it might work, but just not officially supported. Partly because MS stopped maintenance.

XP was supported for 13 years by MS, W7 would then last until 2022 or so.

Also remember that not so much major stuff is changed in Windows. XP was v5.1, Vista 6.0, W7 6.1 actually, W8 6.2 - telling minor stuff changed since Vista. This are versions reported by Windows if running software calls. This might also suggest that even officially dropped support still runs software fine.

jinotsuh · Post by **jinotsuh** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 4:19 am

Grizzellda wrote:It would be interesting to know how long they are going to support Windows 7.

Noel Borthwick, CTO of Cakewalk said

There will be a limit for how long we officially support Win 7. We will soon stop testing on it though it will likely remain compatible for a long time

http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3267255

Take from that what you will.

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 4:40 am

I would upgrade to platinum, but that's just me. I love vocalsync. The pro channel stuff is incredibly useful. I get a lot of mileage out of the step sequencer, especially the probability per step functionality. The comp tool is great. I wouldn't have paid for Addictive Drums, but I'm happy to have it. Melodyne integration, plus a free Melodyne Essential if you don't already have it, is also essential to my workflow.

Grizzellda · Post by **Grizzellda** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 6:30 am

lfm wrote:They just dropped XP, if I'm not mistaken - but state that it might work, but just not officially supported. Partly because MS stopped maintenance.

Heh, heh

. Oh sure, it might work...and it might not! Well, it should work, but how stable, and, alas, with SONAR that is my concern.

lfm wrote:Also remember that not so much major stuff is changed in Windows. XP was v5.1, Vista 6.0, W7 6.1 actually, W8 6.2 - telling minor stuff changed since Vista. This are versions reported by Windows if running software calls. This might also suggest that even officially dropped support still runs software fine.

Sure, but due to the complexity of software in general, and the flakiness of SONAR, my confidence is not sky high here. SONAR always looks good on paper

...really good actually.

Well thanks for the info guys, I basically thought as much. They are fast moving to W10 I think. And I will just sit back and watch them!

lfm · Post by **lfm** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 8:11 am

Grizzellda wrote: Sure, but due to the complexity of software in general, and the flakiness of SONAR, my confidence is not sky high here. SONAR always looks good on paper ...really good actually.

If you are so biased from start - why do you ask?
I've had no instability issues with Sonar since X3 - and now on current Sonar Artist.

But I don't use the most advanced stuff, and run only Sonar Artist - so no stretching, audio snap or vocalsync etc. Use as tape recorder basically to hold clips and plugins and some comping and automation and done.

I made a short jump on Samplitude ProX2, but is back on Sonar again.
I tend to bounce back, again and again.

And the current policy they run with monthly updates, I like a lot. They work really hard - harder than Magix, Steinberg, Presonus, Acoustica and Cockos in my opinion of course, running them the last five years. And without own experience, looking at Avid forum only it seems Avid is not working so hard either. Cockos might come in second, they have updates the next day if anything major arise, and updates with a couple of months in between. All the major daws having payed upgrades annually - have a couple of fixes in the first months and the rest is part of next payed update if you are lucky.

Anybody going for content might go for Platinum, but otherwise Professional also has Prochannel and all the stretching stuff, if I remember correctly.
Check out new features this year what is Platinum:
http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Whats-New#start

Looking at Cakewalk forum staff often refer to Platinum, where the same feature exist in Pro - thinking of discussion over multiple event inputs(midi ports) that VST3 allow and needed for solutions like Vienna Ensemble Pro. They push Platinum for marketing a lot - where Pro do the same things and is half price annually. So look for what you really need.

xbitz · Post by **xbitz** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 8:27 am

the only major thing which is missing from Pro is the big view of the

Quadcurve EQ, and it contains only 4 ProChannel Module instead of 11 https://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Versions

if u don't want to use the ProChannel things and working with your own VSTs FXs then Pro is enough

there is nice article about it > http://www.musictech.net/2015/01/cakewa ... um-review/

--

and still there is no arranger track in it

Tempted to get Sonar during the current sale