RE - B3's soft synths: this either proves the subjective nature of sound and music or, for the truly cynical, I guess it proves my stubbornness. I have GSi's VB3 AND NI's current offering Vintage Organs, (and others) I prefer the former to the latter. Full disclosure - I never had NI's B4 version, which I think is what you meant MarioD, so that one MIGHT or might not be better.
I am not alone in this either - at least as of a year ago (Nov '13)
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=395972&start=15As to rest of topic - I guess we'll "agree to disagree" again.
We all have different HW, PC's, work, and work flows. I GET that some folks, for whatever reason, have recording, playback and rendering issues using BIAB or RB. However, others do not (or very little). And NO it's not exclusively because I/we USE nothing but RT's.
I don't really use RT's. When you think about it, PG didn't even produce/distribute RT's until BIAB 2008 (RD's BIAB 2007) and even then the first year there wasn't a lot - so it's not like RT's have been the only reason BIAB runs.
Sure, I (we all) play around with RT's.
But, in general, I do my thing my way, which is essentially all MIDI, with a lot of help from BIAB styles & song progressions, using a LOT of synths (internal and yes external as well).
So I think I fall into that HEAVY MIDI user pile, I don't even use loops. And, so FAR I have NOT needed 64 bit, or I would have installed 64 bit Sonar before now. I sure as heck would not sit here and make work harder on myself last 4 years (all the longer I've had 64 bit PC) out of spite, just to await this discussion.
I only just installed 64 bit Sonar Platinum a few weeks ago because, well, that is going to be all there is shortly - 64 bit DAW SW, so I may as well get on with it.
Honestly though, I do not write movie soundtrack sized scores either. I do very K.I.S.S. songs: 4-5 tracks of blues, rock, and jazz - and one of those tracks is my guitar.
Finally, and this is just out of curiosity: what is a NOT inexpensive soft synth?
Dim Pro? ST 3? Garritan (and libs) Kontakt 5 (with NI and 3rd party hand picked add-ons like Session Horns, etc.)? Komplete Ultimate? SpectraSonics Omnisphere? what?
Larry