You’ll need a dual-core CPU and 2GB RAM at least, but, as ever, a faster system always ensures a smoother ride.īefore looking at what’s new in X2, let’s recap what SONAR does. Windows 7 and 8 are supported, though XP and Vista, now rather long in the tooth, are not.

Installation itself is fairly straightforward and you can customise the process to choose which of the many plug-ins are installed an Easy Install option includes everything, though it bumps up the bare bones 4.5GB installation to 20GB. The full application installer is an approximately 6GB download – and that’s without the optional included extras that power the many bundled instruments. We have looked at the flagship Producer edition here, but Studio and Essential versions also exist, each at a lower price and with an accordingly tailored feature set. Version X2, then, brings yet more tweaks, workflow enhancements and other goodies, as well as some new plug-ins and tools. As the interface had long been identified as an area in which SONAR was playing catch-up with the competition, this was welcome news. The last major update – X1 – introduced a totally new user interface known as Skylight.

Manufacturer: Cakewalk > Price: Producer – £385/ Studio – £169/ Essential – £79 (See website for upgrade prices) Contact: Roland – 01792 702701 Cakewalk’s SONAR, now owned by Roland, is one of the industry’s longest-running DAWs, having been around for almost as long as it has been possible to make music with computers. Cakewalk’s SONAR, now owned by Roland, is one of the industry’s longest-running DAWs, having been around for almost as long as it has been possible to make music with computers.

Review cakewalk by bandlab