I've been using Sonar 8.5 for a year and it seems that it does weird shit at random - like working on a tune for a few days, saving it then going back a week later and then it wont load. Also it crashed when you try to open a file created in version 8.0 or 8.3 and try to open it in 8.5 - you get error messages/file incompatible messages - whats the point of an upgrade if last months files dont work =- its for THAT very reason that I have to keep BOTH 8.3 and 8.5 simultaneously on my computer. I bought Pro Tools 8 M powered and that is by far a much worse piece of shit than Sonar. Pro Tools wont run unless you REMOVE INTERNET EXPLORER 8 and DISABLE DMA memory!! Fuckin GARBAGE programmers!!! They have these problems because AVID is so uptight about dongles and security that have to write this huge piece of code so no on can get in with out the dongle - as a result Pro Tools is awful. I was going to check out Cubase 5 or REason Record. I tried Ableton Live demo and I hated the interface so dont even bring it up I refuse to use that program completely. SONAR didnt have version 9 ready this year at the NAMM show - I wonder why - too many bugs still? The users are now the beta testers? SHould we submit our bug reports will that be helpful to Cakewalk? Give me a break.

Werll I have Pro Tools 8 and I dont like the way it takes over the entire environment adn its operatino is a bit lousy to me. My fav is Samplitude and I use v7.0 although they have upgrades up to v.11 now - my version works great and I cant see spending the bux (599) to upgrade. I was going to try Reason Record (On Windows 7 not mac!) because I already have Reason 4.0 and they sell record to registered reason users for only $149. I am interested also in Cubase 5 but this summer $500 is beyond my ability.