Thanks for all the info here everyone!

We'll I tried the online demo of Sonar 8. Glad I didn't pay for it. Seemed less pro and more bells and whistles. Crazy busy software for me. Really cluttered but I'm used to the more clean look of PT.

Cubase is looking more promising for me. Thanks for the link hueseph. I'll try that download and hope it doesn't give me a nasty virus. I'm doing everything on a test machine anyways, and if its for me, I will no doubt buy it.

Is there a professional version of Pro Tools available that I don't have to buy their interface? I love PT layout.

I think that cubase link must be a demo of the 64 bit version. Doesn't work for my software, don't waste your time on it. If its a crack version, we should remove the link here.

cubase 5 looks pretty interesting. Maybe they will come out with a demo, until then, hmm

Pro Tools, Cubase Pro Tools, Cubase Pro Tools, Cubase Pro Tools, Cubase

I don't want to get caught up in the BS hardware racket that digi it using to sell their software. I love their software, hate their locked into digi hardware BS. Been there, done that.

Cubase hasn't had a functional demo since SX1 to the best of my knowledge. Cubase 5 seems a much better version than C4, which I did not upgrade to from SX3, although to be fair, C4 as it developed added a lot of functionality in later upgrades, particular the update to 4.1 which added the sidechaining and extended routing capabilities, and 4.5 which offered a beta version of 64 bit. Cubase updates are non paid which is also nice.

Personal choice and biased for sure, but I would take C5 over PT8 any day of the week in terms of overall feature set and not being tied to average proprietary hardware.

Hello..
Does any one have a link for the online Sonar demo of 8?

Ive been wanting to try out sonar as it looks really cool and would like to see what the other daws offer..why not?

Other than that i am a big time midi user
being that i use only komplete 4 and cubase 4.5, l must say l'm 100% satisfied with using cubase midi and its workflow, lve been using it for almost a year and trust me i have only seen the tip of the ice berg on that. would l change anything on its midi OR audio? No.
honestly now that i look back if i hadn't purchased komplete 4 for 500 bucks before i got cubase.. i wouldnt have got it.
I would have only gotten Battery 3 thats it. the vsti's cubase carries leave me constantly working inside the box .

Prologue which is one of the cubase synths is like going to guitar center and playing all their key board synths. i love it.

Akoustik piano from NI is a good choice for pianos, but since the 4.5 update . it comes with two pianos sample kits you cant deny .

When it comes to audio recording, its so simple i doubt PT makes it simpler (although i heard the routing is simpler on pt compared to sx3..whatever)

The plug in effects.. such as studio EQ on cubase is supposed to be a high end console modelled eq, im just delving into since i just use the standard eq. so i wouldnt know to much about it.
as far as the rest of the effects , im still learning how to add effects to audio in general so i cant say much about em , other than i assume you must know how to work standard effects to use them to their limit. and being you have for ten years on PT im sure you will know how to use anything you get.

The Sonar 8 demo is here

Antress

Just be aware that not everything is included in the trial version and I don't think this is based on the very latest version 8.3.1.

That reminds me to mention for anyone interested that the official support for Sonar I believe is second to none. As with any software undergoing major improvements, bugs will creep in. The Cakewalk team do seem exceptional at recognising problems (including discussing them on their forums) and reacting pretty quickly to sort them out. When 8 first came out, yes there were a few problems but these have been tackled and even more features added resulting in the latest version 8.3.1. From what I have read about Cubase support I'm glad I use what I do!

As we should perhaps all recognise, such support can be a major factor in any purchasing decision.

Delete

I'm surprised at the OP's comment about busing/routing. I am under the impression that Sonar has far more flexibility than Cubase. This could well be wrong but it still surprised me!

Delete SEE THE EDIT!

Maybe the OP has made the decision already but I would still stick with my original idea of asking the "switchers" on each forum. The Sonar forum actually has a sticky for people who have moved from other DAW software and you may find some interesting points of view there.

EDIT: DOH, why did I read BUS instead of BUSY! OK "Crazy busy software!" I've been using this stuff for a while and carry my set up across the updates. I don't even know what Sonar looks like "as shipped" nowadays so it may look busy out of the box. While it may well be busy due to lots of "bells", I find that those "bells" are very useful and powerful tools and do not see anything that makes it unproffessional as you suggest!

IMHO it is the operators, not the software, that do more to define pro or not!

SeniorFedup wrote: Hello..
Does any one have a link for the online Sonar demo of 8?

Ive been wanting to try out sonar as it looks really cool and would like to see what the other daws offer..why not?

Here is the link:

Antress

Cubase is pretty weak for FX IMHO. C4 and 5 have added some quality.

Best PC plugins 1) Samplitude/Sequoia 2) Sonar *adding the full Z3TA+ synth was a nice touch, nice convo reverb and channel strip based on Kjaerhus's Golden Audio Channel.

Best Mac 1) Logic er.... 2) Logic ....

Logic probably has the best overall package. Space Designer, Ultrabeat, Sculpture Synth and it's new compressor are all stand out.

Cubase 5 though now has a decent convolution reverb and the vari-audio and pitch fix plugins, the compressor and EQ were improved in C4. Protools LE's basic plugins are not that great unless you get an upgrade to Bomb Factory 2 etc.

cubase for sure. why? i own it.