Ableton 7 vs Sonar 7 Producer.....

JeffreyC

New member
I've been using these two DAWs for a while now and I'm curious to get some other points of view...

I really love working in Ableton - it's simplicity and intuitive nature is excellent. However, what I find is that the audio quality in Sonar is superior. You can hear it in the play back of any track. Have others noticed this? Better sound engine in Sonar? Have there been any improvements in the sound engine in Ableton 8?

Thanks.
 
i have ableton 8 and sonar studio 8...if anything I felt it was the other way around, but in truth I think its just the general look of ableton that makes me thinks it sounds "cripser" (I have it set to the frost gui)

There's been many arguments about DAWs sounding different, and many saying that there is no difference...yet I know propellerhead basically admitted Reason didn't sound the same by addressing its audio engine in the 4th update after many user complained of that "reason sound"

also if a DAWs playback is slightly louder than anothers it can also give that false impression...


anyway I mainly use Ableton now, and will eventually tie it in with Logic...Sonar's been relegated to no more than a desktop shortcut now :o
 
I have been with Cakewalk/Sonar so long that Ableton's GUI barely makes any sense at all to me. Although I was able to map midi functions to everything in a couple of hours, it's midi features are practically useless.

Having said that, Ableton almost seems more "live" in it's nature, including it's sound. Sonar sounds like a really good CD and for me anyway, Ableton sounds like the instrument is in my lap. Maybe THAT'S why they call it LIVE?
 
I've just started using Ableton Live 8 and there is a definite learning curve after using Cubase for several years.
 
I've just started using Ableton Live 8 and there is a definite learning curve after using Cubase for several years.

yup...but once you crack it you'll wonder how you ever survived with just cubase...most casual users dont get over that curve so never realise it


though the new sonar looks pretty good...I think Ableton works best alongside another standard DAW...then you get the best of both worlds :)
 
SO, can anyone tell me if it's worth upgrading to Ableton 8 from 7? What are the differences? I get frustrated trying to copy/paste bits of wavs in Sonar - so much easier in Ableton, but I still think the sound of Sonar 7 vs Ableton 7 is smoother.
I'd prefer to track in Ableton and mix in Sonar - so maybe it won't make a bit a difference recording the wavs in Ableton, setting up the arrangement - then exporting wavs to import into Sonar for mixing.
 
well like I said earlier thats what Ive been doing...there are many smaller add ons with Live 8 but the big difference is the way it warps audio...instead of moving the timeline to the transients its the other way around...which makes more sense to me but 8 is the only version Ive really used other than a Lite one shipped with a keyboard so it should do

Id recommend it but not for that alone...there a a few other items that differ it but in truth I dont use them (amps, looper, vocoder etc)

If you've got that workflow with Live 7 it would maybe be worth just skipping an update and saving some $$$...maybe look at sonars X-1??
 
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