Cakewalk Sonar 8 Producer Edition

This recording software requires very little schooling to use. Similar to garageband's ease of use.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I used this on an older toshiba laptop and was able to record without much latency at all! Sometimes i do need to restart though (which is the case with every recording software).

OVERALL OPINION

I've utilized Sonar and Cakewalk recording programs for years. However, with the recent garageband market takeover, one may ask why they would choose this over it or why not just get protools? As a user of all of the above, I can state with confidence that it's ease of use is in between garageband and protools. It offers lot of the perks that garageband does such as built in loops (that are actually pretty usable). It comes with guitarrig 3 which is a fantastic guitar amp plugin. I've personally become a lazy engineer at times because of it. For instance, instead of throwing mics on my marshall, i'll just program the mic I would have wished I had plus choose from a multitude of different amps and cabs.

My suggestion is to purchase this if you don't have a mac with garageband yet don't want to purchase protools and all the additional components you would need to work at the level Sonar offers. Plus it's going to run a lot cheaper than protools!

Installation without problem, it is long because it takes enchaner DVDs, but at the same time it is a product of the asset: the wealth dlirante everything that comes with (Samples, plugins etc).
- The Gnrale config is simple to operate by Sonar with Tascam DM4800 o l I galr a little. But once it's done ... happiness.
- The help file is a model of its kind. Simple, clear and prcis. There is everything. In passing mention for Cdric, the type of paper France, which responds quickly and well. Is precious.
- Crashes everywhere with 8.0x versions, much better since the SHIFT 8.3.

ADQUATION / PERFORMANCE

I attacked directly with a big project: soundtrack of a drawing anim 10 minutes, 5.1 ct very rich atmospheres and sound effects. I t obliged to buy a powerful machine (Dell Precision quad-core) to hold the shock. And made it! Despite the video, the hundreds of clips and effects, and surround, the occupation of proc not Exceeds 60%. Hat.
No sound card in the computer, this is the thing that makes the DM4800. 32 output tracks, both in between, it's perfect.

NOTICE GLOBAL

I use it full time for two months, after having test version of valley bottom for a month. This is my first "real" kind of software (before I climbed under Acid) and each day I pat of what we can do. The possibilities of elastic edition are amazing, and you can configure everything exactly as we like.
Marigolds:
- I have known difficulties with certain video formats that do not want to import
- The most powerful gnre dithering about the noise. Strange. So I stay in "triangle" and the fact very well
- Make an export with video + sound is very long. It's weird. It is better to export the only sound, and paste it on video with an ad hoc app is much faster
- Go, regret ct dition: when clips overlap and you have activated the 'fade' fade curves crent automatically. has it's good. But if one card later clips, wrap them do not change. has unfortunately.

For less than 500 TTC, I find this absolutely and totally gnial pro. My work is diffused in a room of cinema with 150 seats with a big sound system and the result is terrible.

- The installation is done it without problems?
Yes easy installation, no questions it rolls.
- Have you experienced any incompatibilities?
Not because I was not able to run the product.
I am a regular Cubase, and have a sound card config with external enclosure E-MU 1616, also used in its configuration.
After 1 hour of trial and error, trying to understand the tutorial, I give up!
- The general configuration is easy?
N / A, failed to make it work
- The manual is clear and sufficient? ...
Hooo not. I rolled out the first tutorial is written in French bizarre, full of ambiguities, and difficult to understand. probably a translation problem.
In the tutorial is asked to load a file that is not where indicated, I had to go back in Windows Explorer to find it. Amalgam between version, this synth is "Cyclone" after the tutorial speaks of "TTS-1", etc.. etc., lack of integration evident quality!

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

- What is the configuration of your computer? (Motherboard / CPU / Ram / Disk / sound card ..)
AMD 6400 dual core. 4 GB of DDR2 Ram, 250 GB hard disk, sound system E-MU 1616 PCI.
- The software works he correctly on this configuration?
It works quite well, a nice interface, but ... no MIDI sound.
- What performance? (If quantifiable)
it looks to turn properly, loading fast enough.
- This software + hardware is stable?
Yes

I put 2 because of the problem setting sound output and clarity of the non-tutorial about it.

OVERALL OPINION

- How long have you use it?
1 hour
- What is so special that you like most and least?
least, impossible to find a way out a MIDI sound.
- Have you tried many other models before buying it?
Yes, I essyé Cubase
- How would you rate the quality / price?
Version of the devil, not paid, fortunately ...
- With experience, you do again this choice? ...
NO!

- The installation is done it without problems?

Yes, the installation went smoothly, although a bit long (normal given the amount of samples provided).
I am a purist and the fact that unlike Cubase, Sonar can be installed as many times as you want, and no need to connect a Dungl (1 USB port busy) every time I find it very friendly from Cakewalk. They do not consider their customers as potential pirates. I can freely install Sonar Home Studio on my PC but on my laptop when I travel, no binding activation. Cakewalk thank you.

- Have you experienced any incompatibilities?

With my PC no computer music (3 sound cards). on the other hand on my laptop (Inspiron 6400), the integrated sound chipset (Realtek) is inconsistent (indicated by the message at the start of Sonar). But it still works using the synths (but higher latency).

- The general configuration is easy?

Sonar 8 self-configuring audio interfaces. But I had trouble with two sound cards connected simultaneously using the ASIO drivers: they select on each interface "Line 6 UX1 ASIO" when I select "M-Audio Delta Audiophile 192."

- The manual is clear and sufficient? ...

Very clear, yes, fairly thick and French. The beginner will not be confused.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

- What is the configuration of your computer? (Motherboard / CPU / Ram / Disk / sound card ..)

Quad Core / 4 GB OCZ RAM / HDD Sata Seagate 500GB 32MB cache /
Sound cards: integrated chipset (to flee) / M-Audio Delta Audiophile 192 / Line 6 UX 1 (used as preamp)
XP Pro 32 bit

- The software works he correctly on this configuration?

Yes but some unexplained crashes. It is important to make backups regularly. Otherwise, the software is stable and open 20 projects do not slow your system (memory management, well-designed).
A few audio dropouts, especially if the processor is requested by another application. There are also audio dropouts with my MIDI Keyboard Controller M-Audio Oxygen 61.

- What performance? (If quantifiable)

Sound Card M-Audio Delta 192 and ASIO drivers, the performance is there. With my other 2 sound cards, the latency is unbearable.

OVERALL OPINION

- How long have you use it?

About 3 weeks.
But 10 years ago I had to use Cakewalk.

- What is so special that you like most and least?

I like: the interface, many opportunities, well-designed ergonomics, the VST that are quality, price (I went through a Sonar HS 7-99 € and 279 € maj, which I Sonar 8 Producer is to only € 378), exchange mail with staff from Cakewalk on my purchase. I also like the ability to install / use Sonar Dungl without a USB connected, that is the demo version (you know what you buy as opposed to competition).

I do not like is the fact that for 10 years, Cakewalk's interface has not changed dramatically, including the partition editor: very light (especially for a guitarist - the support of the bend, pull-off or tapping example would be perfect). I do not like unexplained crashes, and the mismanagement of the drag / drop between tracks (this show 4 out of 5 times !!!). The audio editing is minimal, I would have liked a real wav editor like Cool Edit Pro / Adobe Audition.

- Have you tried many other models before buying it?

Sonar Home Studio 7, really well for a home studio enthusiast or for limited use.
An old version of Cubase and I hated the interface.

- How would you rate the quality / price?

Very good. Less expensive than Cubase and especially less restrictive. The tools provided with version Sonar 8 Producer well worth the cost compared to the Studio version.
I love the promos and the "upgrade" not that expensive.

- With experience, you do again this choice? ...

Yes in a heartbeat. But I await a better partition editor (especially for scratch) and audio to version 9.