Protools Vs. Cakewalk Sonar 2.2 XL

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bluesignal

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Hello all. I have decided to get into the "Firewire" based recording and want to know what everyone's opinion is. Should I go with the Digi 002 with protools LE (at a sticker price of 2200) OR go with the new Tascam Fw-1884 (1200 sticker price) with Cakewalk Sonar XL? I already have Cakewalk and I am pretty cool with using it... But everyone that I talk to about comparing the two only can tell me that protools is the industry standard. Well Duh... I know that, but what are the reasons I should spend 1000 bucks more to get it??? What can protools do that Cakewalk can't??? I am running a Dual P4 2.4ghz system, with a gig of ram. I am running XP, so I don't think that my computer will care either way...

Could someone please just shoot me a quick message just telling me the basic pro's and con's of both??? I understand that most of today's pro studios are using protools, but more and more are getting cakewalk. I know that the studio that I work with has both, so I really don't see portability to the studio a problem. Any help would be great... Thanks a bunch. Rock ON!

Pete
Bluesignal@gmx.net
 
well, with protools, you have protools, and it's console, with a generic digital console you have any soft you want, mostly, but i'm not sure if protools soft is all that can run on there console? someone help me out here...

*so I really don't see portability to the studio a problem.*??

i don't think you'll be lugging around the protools console, it's pretty beefy from the looks of it, imho that is... less your protech "on the road"...

peace...
 
Fusion2 said:
well, with protools, you have protools, and it's console, with a generic digital console you have any soft you want, mostly, but i'm not sure if protools soft is all that can run on there console? someone help me out here...

*so I really don't see portability to the studio a problem.*??

i don't think you'll be lugging around the protools console, it's pretty beefy from the looks of it, imho that is... less your protech "on the road"...

peace...
Click to expand...

Look at the Digi002. If that is what you call beefy. I am not talking about a full on HD setup or a Studio 24... Just the small 002. I am really looking for the pros and cons of the software. The hardware is a no question... Tascam's fw-1884 is better all around. Other than it says tascam and not digidesign.

That is what I am beginning to realize... The extra 1000 that I would sink into the digi002 is just for the name. A friend had a great idea, get a DigiDesign MBOX (Sub 300 on ebay) and use that just when I HAVE to port something into Protools... And I think that is what I am going to end up doing... Little round a bout way, but it'll work for me, and I am still 700 bucks ahead... Can we say new Mic???

Thanks for the opinion... Rock On.
 
I would think that if you are into MIDI at all you would want to stick with Sonar.
If you are strictly audio only it is a toss up of features, ease of use and "wow factor" of saying you are using Protools.
I personally don't like Sonar for audio only recording. I have used every incarnation of the Cakewalk products from about 3.0 on up to Sonar 1.1 and liked it for the MIDI features but always was disappointed with the audio hiccups.
There are other programs out there that are much better for audio only. Samplitude blows the pants off both Cakewalk AND Protools in my humble opinion.
I am sure there are those that disagree.
 
I bought the MBox and am loving it. I bought it with portability in mind and know what you are saying. You would like the ability to take your project with you to any studio (which is most likely going to be running ProTools) and get to work. I'd check out the mBox. If you don't like it, you can always return it....30 day return policy at guitar center.
 
You should keep Cakewalk. For one, version 3.0 is coming out next month and it looks GREAT.

Two, if you've used it this long you're used to it and you know how to run it.
 
I would say.... stick with Sonar.

Here are a few reasons.

You are already acclimated with Sonar.

Sonar 3.0 is coming.

Digi 002 is not the same as the ProTools used in the studio.

You save yourself some money. :)

Peace...

spin
 
Actually, Pro Tools is Pro Tools. Pro Tools LE, which is what comes with DIGI 002 is just a lightweight version of the stuff you find in the studios. The difference is that you only have 24 tracks and not as many of the ultra expensive plug-ins. It's the exact same software otherwise. It's like buying a BMW base model, with no options. The cool thing is you can start a project at home and take it into the studio and not have any sort of compatibility issues.
 
SPINSTERWUN said:
I would say.... stick with Sonar.

Here are a few reasons.

You are already acclimated with Sonar.

Sonar 3.0 is coming.

Digi 002 is not the same as the ProTools used in the studio.

You save yourself some money. :)

Peace...

spin
Click to expand...

Actually... It's just the Light ver. They are the same. Yes, the hardware is different... But it's completly compatable with both the LE and "Pro" protools...
 
Hey,
Not to beat a dead horse...The Pro Tools stuff is true. You "can" take it to a studio to work on it/finish is up for you. Which you have to pay for. Other thing everyone leaves out is all the fx, etc that you have to pay for in Pro Tools environment. Yeah MBox, DIGI's, etc are a cheap way into Pro Tools but there is no entry level plugin suite or anything for the LE version. You're stuck paying the same price for expansion that full Pro Tools people pay. And from what I've heard from other people LE comes with the same limited number of plugs you get with Pro Tools free. Sorry, I don't hate Pro Tools or anything. Just seems people don't deal adequately with what's going to happen to you down the road once you get into it. If you'll have more money to spend over and over down the road go ProTools. Otherwise stick with what you know. I'm by no means an expert so I will understand if something's off in this post. My .02,
Paul
 
With Sonar you can automatically save your wave files in a project folder and open them in ProTools, so cross platforming is easy. If you wantto take your tracks into a pro facility at some point.

I am used to the Sonar interface, I think proTools interface is way harder to understand.

Maybe just me?
 
SPINSTERWUN said:
.....Digi 002 is not the same as the ProTools used in the studio......
Click to expand...

What I meant by that statement, as it has already been pointed out by our other members, is trhat you'll be purcahsing the LE version of ProTools.

Yes, you'll be able to start the pre-production of your project at home, but the changes they make at the studio will not be reproduced at home once you open the project. If you are already comfortable with using Sonar, then you should stick with it (plus, you can export you Sonar project as an OMF file, so ProTools can read it).

Peace...

spin
 
tmix said:
Samplitude blows the pants off both Cakewalk AND Protools in my humble opinion.
I am sure there are those that disagree.
Click to expand...
If there are, I sure haven't found them.... Samplitude is simply amazing!!! :cool:

-tkr
 
I'm using Sonar and have had no problems transferring to Pro-Tools.
 
SONAR BABY!

I work with a guy who is a beta tester for them.
It is so slick.
Hold out and go Sonar 3.0 dude.
-Reco
 
I would not get the digi002 I would get the 002 rack (i did)

the control surface is nothing more then a big mouse (almost a $1000 mouse) Get the rack there is nothing wrong with mouse mixing and you can use the money you save to get an extra monitor.

I think pro tools is the easiest software to use, but PT could use some more MIDI editing features.

PT is still by far my favorite
 
maestro_dmc said:
With Sonar you can automatically save your wave files in a project folder and open them in ProTools, so cross platforming is easy. If you wantto take your tracks into a pro facility at some point.
Click to expand...

Hello everyone,
This is my 1st post. 'Been havin' a look around in here and I like how helpful people seem to be without some of the usual elitist or smart-ass comments and attitudes I've seen in other forums. It feels good in here.

I totally agree with the Maestro on this one. The forward thinkin' people at Cakewalk realized that it'd be very useful to give Sonar more cross platform abilities. When the 2.2 update came out, among other things, it included the new ability to save your files as OMF files which, as Maestro said, enables you to bring up your Sonar project files in any Pro Tools system. Pretty cool huh? So far, everything I've read indicates that Sonar 3.0 is awesome.
 
tmix said:

There are other programs out there that are much better for audio only. Samplitude blows the pants off both Cakewalk AND Protools in my humble opinion.
I am sure there are those that disagree.
Click to expand...

Please

What could possibly make one software program better than another in tracking wav files? Or are you talking about tracking? Does it have something to do with the 1's and 0's in the programing?

If I used samplitude next to sonar and tracked identical parts in each would I hear a difference?

dana
 
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