I've had Windows 7 on my PC and now Windows 8.1 on the same machine.

There is definitely a bit more performance under 8/8.1, I can now lower the latency from 256 sample to 128 sample without crackling.

 

Actually registered to leave my voice here .

I've been running Windows 8.0 since it came out (30 bucks for an official license, I thought I might as well go legal), and the 8.1-preview when it was available. Only recently (one week ago) re-installed to the proper final Windows 8.1. Been using x64 Windows since the special XP x64 came out, but been only into DAW / audio stuff for 1.5 years so I was using Windows 7 x64 at that time.

I've used Presonus Studio One 2.6 (let's call it a long trial period), and have a legal Reaper. I'm more into guitar stuff so I never used any soft-synths, but I have a legal EZDrummer license, a kinda-legal Superior Drummer license (unused license from my work that I used on my personal machine. So a valid license but officially not ment to be used outside the office), I have used Kontakt 5 for Abbey Road drummer stuff + Slate drums 3.5 stuff. And I use a lot of free amp sims and impulse loaders and other guitar stuff. And ehmm. I'm 'trying out' the complete Waves bundle. I'm a Nebula fan and have an official license for it, and I once bought a cheap Line 6 GX guitar-interface which came with PodFarm 2.5 (for which I bought an extra amp-pack). My normal audio interface is a Steinberg UR22 and I've used a Focusrite 2i2 (which is now used with my laptop, also running Windows 8.1 x64).

All work fine and I didn't have any issues what so ever. The Windows 8.1-preview I ran without any 'start-menu-tools' just to try to get used to it, and it worked OK. But in the end I did install 'Classic Shell' again, cause I'm also a programmer I'm used to working with 16+ apps and windows open so the little start menu is just burned into my workflow .

I disabled 'UAC' (that 'allow this action' dialog) completely with a registry tweak, which breaks any 'Metro' apps. But since I'm on the desktop and I don't care about the apps this works fine. In Windows 8.0 this tweak would break certain basic Windows stuff (like the 'open this file with...' dialog) but in Windows 8.1 all desktop stuff still works. So by installing Classic Shell (which gives a good nice Windows 7 start menu emulation with proper search box and run box, boots directly to the desktop and disables any 'hot corners' and charms and other stuff), proper disabling UAC (which disables any metro-apps and gives all applications write access where they need it) and turning of Windows Defender (I just hate it :P) I get a perfect Windows-7 like desktop experience which I find a joy to use and use daily to code on, hobby-with-audio on and game on.

If you mostly use a single app on your desktop (a friend of mine for example only starts League of Legends, Starcraft2 or Steam ) the new Start menu is just fine. If you only work with one app starting that app from a fullscreen start menu or from a little startmenu in the corner makes no difference. If you use a lot of open apps / windows and you might be set in your ways with Windows 7 it's no shame to disable Metro and install Classic Shell.

Stuff that works in Windows 7 x64 works just as well in Windows 8.1 x64. The graphics-drivers are the only drivers that got a new model, so where you might find that older Windows 7 drivers do not work OK. But audio, USB, heck even SATA and RAID stuff: The driver model is exactly the same, every Windows 7 x64 driver should work fine on Windows 8.1 x64.

But do note that (as said) I'm not using any obscure old Windows XP-era soft-synths or the likes of that. All of my plugins are modern x64 versions with no bridging needed, and everything works fine. The more older stuff you use, the more likely you are to get into problems, but I find that only logical.
If you are forced to use Windows 7 drivers for a PCI audio-interface for example it all depends on how neatly those drivers were written. I had no issues, and if the driver is OK it should work fine under Windows 8.1... but you never know how buggy some drivers actually are. So your mileage may vary is the nutshell. Try it out, there is no shame in Tweaking Windows 8.1 quickly to behave more like Windows 7 and see how you like it and how it works for you. You can always downgrade later.

Even Windows 7 I didn't use without some tweaks (disabling Defender, disabling the search-indexer, disabling superfetch, disable any 'homegroup' stuff and 'windows media player sharing', disable UAC). I apply the same tweaks to Windows 8.1, only UAC needs a regedit-tweak and I use another regedit-tweak to disable the Lockscreen (to get a regular password prompt instead of any 'slide to unlock' stuff), and I install + configure Classic Shell. That's the only difference to me.

So, my advise: try it. Like any supplied OS it might be full of junk from the manufacturer which needs to be uninstalled, but you might end up thinking its just fine. Downgrading can always be done later and no matter how good your are at PC stuff, it's always a hassle and time consuming . On the other hand, I'm not trying to convert everyone to use Windows 8.1. I understand people think it's junk, and like the previous poster said: If you have BSOD after BSOD it's clearly not the OS for you, which is OK too. Everyone has a different experience with it, so try it.

 

Well, Windows 9 is coming in spring 2015.

But I want to mention that I have the feeling that the(most) devs updated their software much faster to support Win8 compared to XP/Vista to 7. Maybe that's because they have a similar basis, dunno.

 

There is nothing wrong with Win 8. If you don't like the way it boots up to the start menu then change it to boot up to desktop.I for one NEVER use the start, I keep everything in my taskbar. And for all of you having problems with warez, all I can do is shake my head and wonder what you did wrong, especially the guy that had to do a restore after installing Sonar x3. It's not even cracked. It's serial based. I have Ableton, Studio One and a shit load of plugs and like dipje above me posted.I have never had a problem.

 

I was the same. I was upgraded my DAW system and was trying to avoid windows 8 at all costs. Being a lover of windows 7 and all. But literally after a day of using 8 i fell in love with it. And I havnt had any windows 8 related issues with my software/hardware or anything! Everything worked from the go. And a hell of a lot better than win7 even though I loved it.
Ive yet to regret a single thing about windows 8.
(Reaper is my DAW of choice if you couldnt have guessed xD got about 20different VSTis and about 20 kontakt libraries. No issues anywhere.)

 

On Windows 8 now and though there were some small issues, I love it and can't understand why it gets so much hate. You can get it to function exactly like Windows 7 if that's what you want too except it will have WAY better features such as: better security, more out of box compatibility with USB3, better task manager, better file transfer dialogs, etc.

I tested some music stuff albeit breifly with only a few plugs and it was fine except for JP6k which didn't work.

 

Out of curiosity... Were you using a USB 2.0 device in a USB 3.0 port?

That seems to be the source of some folks issues...not necessarily the OS, but conflicts with USB 3.0 and older drivers/devices.

 

I haven't had a single BSOD with Windows 8 and though I do have a compatibility issue with one external everything else has so far worked flawlessly. Also make sure to update your BIOS for better system stability.

 

Afew weeks/mayby a month into my Windows 8 now.

Still no issues, ive got a USB2 in a USB3 port and its working fine.

I the Bsod is Maudio related. Just.. pro tools/avid/m-audio doesnt sit right on windows from my experience.. regret buying the damn thing.
I had BSODs all the time because of them.
Now im onto Focusrite interfaces and reaper.
Although I did just buy A M-Audio Keystation 61es. I cant see that doing any harm.

Windows 8 64bit

 

I have a laptop with windows 8 and I have installed and used ALOT of plugs with no problems including d.a.w.s only problem I heard of was sylenth but that was fixed cause it runs fine I also have jbridge 32 bit plugs and to be honest work better than on my studio windows 7 computer windows 8 does take some getting use to but for me didn't take long and I was up an running