To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade?

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PC Warrior
Member Since: Dec 28, 2005

OK, so I've been running seriously out of date software (Cakewalk Pro-Audio 9) for years and frankly have always been very happy with the results I get.

I can record multi-track at 24/96, have lot's of good plugins, and the midi engine is quite adequate for my needs. A benefit for me is that since this software was designed to run on a Pentium II, it's performance on my Pentium 4 is excellent. Even with a lot of tracks and lot's of plugins running, I'm hard pressed to get it to exceed 12% processor usage. Dropouts, what's that? Haven't had one in ages.

So why should I trade that in for software that will probably tax the processor more and provide a bunch of effects that I could just as well download for free from a hundred different web sites? I'd get native VST support, big deal. $40 on a piece of shareware will do that for me. I read the propaganda about floating point this and surround sound that. But my recordings sound great to me and everybody who records with me, and I've never had anybody ask about surround sound recording yet.

I can't see dropping such a big chunk of change just so I can say I'm up to date. So why should I spend $350 for an upgrade? What am I really missing that I don't know about?

Thanks in advance guys!

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Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Jan 25, 2006 04:08 pm

if it sounds good, it is good.

nobody can tell which program you used after it's playing out of a cd player.

trust your ears.

* i'm sure there's others =)

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Jan 25, 2006 06:52 pm

wow! and i thought i was stingy for not wantin' to upgrade from Sonar 3 to 5....hmmm i can say the jump from Pro-Audio to Sonar is pretty damn big...for me it's the GUI (graphic user interface)...sonar 3 is absoultely beautiful...the mixer view is 500 times better than Pro Audio. i don't think i could go back to Pro-Audio. i'd say an upgrade to Sonar 3 is definately worth the money spent. but im kinda in the same boat cuz i really see no need to upgrade to 5 just yet....maybe when XP goes 64 bit, but geez, that means a new computer! so i'm pretty content with Sonar 3.....PA just seems so 'clunkey' to me.

i gotta agree with pjk also, but i really didn't know what i was missing until after i upgraded...to me the bigest reason is workflow. everything is very easy and intuitave. i'd stumble all over myself gooin' back to PA i'm sure...although i can't think of any spicifics off the top of my head on what's lacking.

cheers

wyd

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Jan 25, 2006 10:26 pm

There's two good reasons: workflow efficiency, and stability.

Thing is, if you don't see the new program, you don't know if you'd be more efficient. =)

At least that's my dilemma, I can work pretty well around in ntrack, but I may be quicker and more robust by going to something newer, or more mainstream. Course, then again, maybe not. It may be more work for me to get things done.

Oh, the struggles =)

On a XP64 note, WYD, I'm gonna try out MS XP64 demo on my new AMD 64 system. I probably won't go that way permanent yet, but figured it'd be worth a trial. Now if I could only get a trial version of sonar 5 . . .

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Jan 25, 2006 10:31 pm

oop, never mind, I just found one

www.cakewalk.com/Support/kb/kb2005298.asp

I'll see what I can figure out. If you S5 guys know of any good ideas on what to test, let me know, as I'll be going into this blind, not having used sonar at all.

Is there a way to use S5 in 32 bit mode? to compare against 64 bit mode?

I'll be looking into it in the next few days, hardware is showing up over the next few days.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jan 25, 2006 11:29 pm

I can only tell you that having used Cakewlak products from the very first piece of software they made that Sonar 5 is a world away from Pro Audio 9. And I still have PA 9 installed in my older PC. I only have it there now to look into when a question comes up about it. It is as stated above antiquated to say the least. The look and feel and workflow in Sonar 5 is a 200% improvement over PA 9. The audio engine is vastly improved and yes, you will n otice thw sound quality differance if you have a good audio interface for sure. Speed and the FX are far and above what the past apps were. As for the native VST, indeed I waited a long time for that and am ever glad it is there now. No more clumsy wrappers to fool with and worry if they will work perfectly. The FX themselves, yes there are good VST apps for free, but they dont even come close to the high end plugs in Sonar. They do however well cover the general FX that are in there, that is not a question in my mind. But overall performance is greatly improved.

But if you are satisfied with what you have and what it does for you, then no the need is not there yet.

pjk, I believe you just set it to run in 32 bit mode rather then the 64 bit double precision engine.

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Jan 26, 2006 08:50 am

cool, board and PS and other stuff showing up today.

Chip, memory and 1 HD showed up yesterday.

Hooray!

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