OK here's what I do, what do I need?

[GreyBeard]

I record my stuff (our band and other stuff) with a Fostex VF16. I dump the tracks (all 24) onto CD or ZIP as .wav files and load them into my computer and use Cool Edit for the mixdown. I think it's Cool edit 1.something or other. I'm looking for a better editing program. Here's what I'm looking at: Cakewalk Home Studio XL, Sonar for Windows, Cubase SL, WaveLab, and Sound Forge. What I would like to have better than what I'm using is effects. To me, most of the Cool Edit effects sound cheesy.

[Hobbes]

I've never used SL, but Cubase SX is really, really great. There are loads of great plug-ins available and editing is really easy. To my knowledge SL is identical in layout to SX, but just cuts back a bit on some of the features that SX offers, hence it is cheaper. I've put a description of SL below from a retailer's website, so it's not a proper review or anything.

SL offers the same real-time interactive graphic control over hundreds of audio and MIDI tracks as Cubase SX with complete session / file compatibility and identical layout and feel. Steinberg offer this better deal by cutting back on some software features like surround mixing, spectral analysis, score printing, tape saturation effect, MP3 encoding (available as upgrade) and offering 16 VST instruments (SX has 32) and 5 insert effects (SX has 8). If you desire thefeel and scope of Cubase SX, without wanting to pay for more options and overheads that you can live without, this package could be ideal for you!

I can't comment on Cakewalk or Sonar, I haven't had any experience with them. Wavelab and Sound Forge are not multi-track programmes, they are just stereo audio editors, so won't be suitable for you if you're mixing several tracks.