Comments on: Cakewalk SONAR 6 Arrives: Audio Quantize, Dynamic Controllers, 64-bit Vintage Warmth, More

By: Justin

Justin — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 21:14:01 +0000

Just installed Sonar 6. So far so good. A lot of the bugs in Sonar 5 seem to have been fixed.

By: Adrian Lesher

Adrian Lesher — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 22:52:19 +0000

I picked up ProTools M-Powered, and my experience sent me running back to Sonar.

It’s very particular about the motherboard and CPU you use, and there is not a 64 bit version. I have Shuttle with an SIS bios, and ProTools won’t work properly with it. I also don’t like ProTools GUI.

Another weird thing about ProTools, the only option equivalent to Freeze tracks is a bounce feature, but this can only be done in real time.

About the only things I like about ProTools M-Powerd are some of the processing plugins, and the intuitive, versatile and great-sounding Xpand! synth.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 23:35:38 +0000

Wilqen.

I agree that the 32 bit version of Sonar 5 is stable. (Seems to be anyway.) 64 bit mode is not the same as running the 64 bit version, which just doesn’t work! I use MOTU 896’s plus the NVIDIA sound that’s on my motherboard.

I’ve used EMU / Creative soundcards on and off for years. I’ve had nothing but trouble with them so I’m never going back.

By: wilqen

wilqen — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 04:18:54 +0000

Jarred, - Yes I have had driver probs with the E-MU. Spec: the latest driver/app patch set (1.82?) wouldn’t install, just gave an error mess.E-MU suggested a “virgin’ install, in other words delete the pathmix app and the driver, then reload from the 1.82 update patch, not the disc. It worked approx 5 months - until the audio dock began acting up, which un-fortunately is now not only kaput, but out of warranty. I already mentioned the install issues oh, and my daughter’s boyfriend bought the lap-top ver - 1616m - which he cannot get installed/working either. he is now working with E-MU cust serv.I have had no probs with Sonar 5, I have only a 32bit mach, but use only 64bit mode. I have been pleased with it and the previous versions as well.no driver probs. Sonar 3 & 4 were like wise very stable, no problems

By: jarred

jarred — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:31:25 +0000

what soundcard do you use?, just curious

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 18:11:41 +0000

I’m running a dual core Athlon 64 with 8GB memory a 2TB RAID. Yes I built it myself. But, the problems I have are specifically with Sonar 5 64. I can run the 32 bit Sonar 4 on the same machine without any issues. Although I’ve not used Sonar 5 on my 32 bit machine (You can’t install the 32 bit version on XP64) there doesn’t seem to be a problem. I too have used Cakewalk since V3 and this is by far the worst release I ever seen. What really annoys the hell out of me isn’t that users maybe in denial, it’s that Cakewalk are in denial. I use a whole host of other software on this machine. Only Sonar 5 64 gives me any problems.

By: jarred

jarred — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:58:21 +0000

did you have any problems with emu drivers?
or any emu related software?

By: wilqen

wilqen — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 02:42:19 +0000

No, not less stable.Pro Tools is stable, it has that.Sonar seems both deeper and easier in the functions I use, at least. And the price of the HD gear & TDM plugins are obscene. After working with Sonar the software just seems clunky, none of the LE interfaces compare in price and/or features, I think almost all the other sequencers are better, even if simple and quik is your style. The only things I liked were the plugins, but they weren’t “better” than Native versions, at least not what I was able to use. HD does sound good, but not $6k to $13k better- no way!

By: jarred

jarred — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:53:33 +0000

i have an emu card as well, 0404, (same drivers and software as 1820-so the same potential problems). and 2 days ago i rolled back my emu drivers ; now i’m using the first version, from original cd. things seem to work now.so guess it wasn’t sonar. at least not this time.
this is not the first time when updated, new, supposedly better version works in a worse way. i went back to sonar 5.0 as well.
everything is smooth.
i’ve never used pro tools personally.
are you saying it’s less stable than cakewalk?

By: wilqen

wilqen — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 00:54:29 +0000

Dear jarred, you may be right, my tone might have been a LITTLE condescending, however, I thought I read your post correctly. As in: “funny how most Cakewalk users are in denial”, or “cakewalk forums are full of angry people”. I guess I took that somewhat personally, since I could be included in “most cakewalk users” and “the forums”.As far as computers go I do build my own and am damn proud of it. Some of the things I have ran into trying to make different brands, or types of components, work properly, would seem ridiculous at the best of times and downright criminal at others. But thru the years I have learned (maybe the hard way) that almost always (at least with Wintel) the most reliable part of the process is the software sold by medium to large companies, not Windows, or the PC platform, whether bought or built. Two years ago when I upgraded to Sonar 4 it was on a new and fresh (winXP) computer. I had several problems installing my then brand new E-MU 1820m audio interface. To make a long story short-the problem started with Sonar crashing (because of the audio interface) and ended (after several days) with the culprit identified as the audio interface. None of it made sense in any way I or either Cakewalk or E-MU’s techs could determine. Only after I installed the audio card in PCI slot #4 (an E-MU tech’s hunch) did it all fall together and work fine. It was frustrating, especially since it started with Sonar crashing, and ended with Sonar not being the problem at all. Your post reminded me of my experience and frustrations. It seems to me that WINXP 64 has the bugs that cause Sonar to crash. At least any problems I have had with Sonar have only occured in the WIN 64 OP, not in the reg WIN 32 OP. By the way - you didn’t comment back about my remarks concerning Pro-Tools?