Feature:
In terms of instruments Sonar has filled their one missing gap by introducing Beatscape with Version 8, a dedicated rhythmic powerhouse. Still, many other DAWs have more bundled content (Ableton with a massive 48gb, and Logic with...god knows how much). This shouldn't deter you though! Guitar Rig LE was also another necessary add on, as almost every other DAW has added some form of decent guitar-processing plugin. With Sonar 8, it feels like I could produce, mix, and master an entire album using just what the DAW has to offer. Still, a more customizable guitar plug-in, and a better focus on live performance would vastly enhance Sonar's overall appeal and use (a la Logic's Main Stage, or an Ableton-like interface).

Quality:
Second only to Reason in terms of stability now I believe. The bugs are minimal, unlike with previous releases. Authorization is an absolute breeze, and no dongle or "interface" scam.

Value:
Sonar is just as feature laden as Cubase, far less expensive than Ableton Suite, and more expansive and deep than Reason or Fruity Loops. Indeed, only the new Logic Pro gives Sonar a run for its money in terms of bang for buck.

Desirability:
Sonar has a less polished interface than Cubase or Logic, albeit far less dreary than Ableton, but looks aren't what counts. Sonar is a top quality DAW now, capable of everything its competitors can do and more, and with the sort of instruments, effects, and tools that people need to create great music. Working with Sonar 8 is a pleasure, and with the new Beatscape, TS-64, and Tube Leveler plug-ins how can one resist?

Sound:
Cakewalk Producer 8's sound engine is PRISTINE. Nothing will go unnoticed with the 64 bit sound quality. Having used the current version of every other DAW out there, Sonar has really stepped up the game and beaten their competition here. The built in plug-ins also sound great. Rapture is an absolute beast! Rich analog, filthy, warm, whatever you need. Dimension Pro is simply one of the best synths out there with something for every (and I mean every) genre of music out there. Beatscape kills, the preset kits are so good that you'll never want to use anything else for your tracks! Of course, Pentagon is also here, and exceptionally rich sounding synth, and the dirt PSYN II! Guitar Rig LE was genius add-on, and the Amber True Pianos module sounds better than the Boston grand we got for 20k upstairs! The processing plugins are first-class, and you can churn out a professional level mix using the provided channeltools, TS-64, ect. in no time! Sonnitus plugins also sound great, and will help you achieve equally professional results every time.

Ease of Use:
Sonar 8 has been VASTLY improved in terms of ease of use. Arming tracks on the fly, the new Instrument Track feature, and more enhanced compatibility with audio and MIDI devices means that unlike so many other DAWs, you'll spend little time figure out HOW to get things to work, and more time playing and making music.

Support:
Sonar's support is second to none. They reply quickly, succinctly, politely, and are more than willing to work with the customer regardless of how trivial the issue may be. I might even go so far to say that they treat you almost like family.

Overall:
Sonar 8 is a powerful, professional level program that will help you achieve every one of your musical goals. I will be a Cakewalk customer for a long time as they have kept the quality up, and continue to expand and improve with each update and release. Using Sonar is fun, musical, and aside from improving the live/performance aspect there is little that can be done to improve this product.

Feature:
More than I know to do with. I record raw audio for bands and solo artists, I never use groove clips and very rarely MIDI instruments so there's a lot I haven't been able to explore yet. But pretty much anything you want a DAW to do, Sonar 8 will do it! No track or effects limitations like some others (pro tools). Once you get the hang of the layout and the features you can dish out good music fast!

Quality:
Simply can't beat it. I want to own a professional studio in the future (I'm only 20 years old) and I absolutely plan on basing it around Sonar, I just love it way too much to part with it. Sure DSP processing in Pro Tools is helpful, but intel's CPUs are getting better faster, and with DSP effects by SSL and UAD the DSP track processing will soon become obsolete. Just a note, track counts at high sample rates don't tax CPU's very much, it's the effects plugins at high sample rates that do.

Value:
$500 is a steal for this quality of a DAW program. Completely capable of epic pro standard recordings.

Desirability:
Couldn't live without it.

Sound:
Sonar's audio engine is bar none the best in the business. They were the first to incorporate end to end 64-bit processing and it shows. Very pristine sound, you definately better have a good mic collection to go with this DAW because it has got one heck of a pristine engine.

Ease of Use:
I'll admit, Sonar 8 is very very in depth. Maybe not as simple looking as Pro Tools, but it's capabilities outweigh that by far. It's like riding a bike, it takes time but it's worth the learning curve! I moved from Cubase (VERY simple user interface) to Sonar and it took me a year of recording people and working with it to really get it down, but now that I do I'm soooo glad I switched!

Support:
Haven't had to contact them, the help section works great for that.

Overall:
If you are on the fence with your possibilities for a DAW, get off it! You have to spend tons to get a Pro Tools system worth having, then you are limited to more expensive pro tools effects, more expensive interfaces, and limited compatibility. Sonar has everything you need and with more compatibility than any other DAW. It even has an export function that in one step exports all the individual tracks to a folder as WAV files to take to another studio for mastering if they use somethinhg else such as pro tools.

Feature:
The features on this thing are endless, the editing tools which are so intuitive and flexible, the fact that you have unlimited audio and midi tracks, the fact that you can throw in video clips clean the audio in the video, the busses, the immense amount of audio fx, the feature list is endless, but the best feature is the improved mix engine, which runs 10 to 20 times more efficient on your machine, using less resources of your cpu but delivering the same power, not only that but it works PERFECT with vista, no issues what so ever.

Quality:
The quality on this thing is amazing, you know that cakewalk puts their best foot forward on their releases, I've been a protools user for years, but discovering sonar was a blessing, having a powerful machine goes for anyone, you will never go in to a protools HD rig and see a macbook, you will see a 8 Core Mac Pro with many gigs of ram, so if you want efficiency invest in a powerful PC, they are inexpensive, and easy to maintain. Thats all you need for Sonar, a high grade PC.

Value:
The fact that you get great tech support, a great DAW, several FX, Dimension Pro, Guitar Rig LE, Unlimited tracks of Audio and Midi, A full on beat of a program that doesn't eat your CPU memory, and all this for 499.99? its a no brainier, Protools requires their hardware and an extremely good PC, i had a pc of 1 gb of ram and pentium 4 with an mbox mini, i couldn't even run Protools, i used my mbox mini with sonar 6 at the time because even that was more efficient. I moved on to an RME fireface and sonar 8, and haven't looked back once, as a musician entering the software realm the DAW is where it starts, buy this product, learn it, use it, and you wont be dissapointed.

Desirability:
This product is sexy, the design of sonar is very modern the look of the mixer is very sleek and the colors mesh very well together, you cant possibly not like how this interface looks. Protools looks like something from the 60's like before color TV was invented, yet a majority of people use it, but sonar, they try to improve the look of the DAW as much as possible so that not only does it run amazing, but it looks amazing as well.

Sound:
64 bit Floating engine?, That's the highest quality available on ANY DAW, and you get it for 499.99, You get 42 Audio FX, you get Guitar Rig LE for anyone who doesn't want to mic there amp, you have FX that sound realistic and GOOD!, You get Dimension PRO, which has an abundance of patches for every type of music, You get to bounce files to OMF, meaning someone who sends you a logic, cubase, or digital performer file, you can open it in Sonar 8, and you can bounce the file to send back to them, so the sound, and flexibility is amazing !

Ease of Use:
This program is easier than people say, people don't sit long enough to understand that, Everything is programmable if you like protools shortcuts you can set the shortcuts to protools on your sonar, its simple, you can share files with logic, cubase, and DP users, you have an easy mixer with easy routing features, this program gives you everything without complexity, all you have to do is give it a chance, and you will not be dissapointed.

Support:
Cakewalk has the best support out of all the software companies, being they have a forum, where the employees look at the problems, and implement them in the software is great, they go to the source which is us the consumers, and figure out ways to make their product better, releasing upgrades, and bringing out better versions every year. The tech support for someone who has sonar is great, they will stay on the phone with you until you are up and going, and if you have to call back that is no problem, Cakewalk is trying their hardest to make the customers happy, and that's something that's important especially for someone who's just starting this music thing.

Overall:
I don't think ill ever leave cakewalk they are a brand that cares about their users, and thats important in a world where no one is trying to give a helping hand. I've tried many DAW's and none of them offer the features, and ease that sonar does. This is the best thing for the price, its worth so much more. All the content sonar users can agree how amazing this piece of software is, and how underrated it is. People give it a try, you will definitely be satisfied.