I have been using Cakewalk products for a while now and love them. I think computer based DAW workstations are getting more and more affordable and stable. MacAllcock is right though, you will need a pro quality sound card to be able to get good quality sound out of the computer. ASIO based cards are the best. I use an ECHO Gina card. Also, having the ability to add plug-ins is some thing you can't do with hardware units.

It also depends on the kind of computer you have (processing speed, RAM and HD space/speed). Make sure before you buy Sonar, your computer meets the requirements of the software.

Over the years I have used cakewalk stuff, I have learned that having a dedicated PC for audio is the best thing. I also recommend having a dedicated second HD for Sonar only.