Is there an upgrade path from Logic Pro 9 to Logic Pro X?

No... there is no upgrade path. LPX costs the same now or actually much less that it used to cost to upgrade from a previous version of Logic to the next major version. Logic Pro X also costs about the same or less than it costs to upgrade other DAWs... though major versions. So, the reality is, buying LPX will cost you about the same or less than it would have cost to upgrade either Logic or most other DAWs in the past especially when you take into account the initial and often much higher cost of these DAWs.....

You can open Logic Pro 9 projects in LPX but not the other way around.

Therefore to exchange projects with your friend, in both directions... your friend needs to update his version of Logic to LPX for $199... or you could export audio stems and have your friend import those into LP9 but frankly, thats a time comsuming business and it's simply better to get up to speed and ho ahead and buy LPX in the long run if you and your friend intend to spend much time working on joint projects.

If you feel this policy of Apple not to offer upgrades but to charge the same or lower price for the full version as they used to charge for the upgrade version is wrong... please feel free to contact them to make your feelings known.. but trying to do so here, will not achieve this aim for you..

As to why that would be, please read this...

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-5671

Cheers!

Great Response! Helped me as an on looker.

So..

I have an older iMac. OSX 10.6.8

Can I upgrade my Logic 9 to X on this system or do I have to purchase another computer?

This thread is over 4 years old!!

What System? You don't say what model your iMac is?

If your iMac is capable of running 10.11.x it will be able to install Logic X.

Feel free to do as you wish. Had you taken the time to read the document I linked to, you would know, it matters not to anyone here...

Did you read ANY of The Art Of Sound's quite comprehensive response?

my friend with Logic Pro 9 can send files to me but they cannot accept files created with Logic Pro X.

Which is exactly what i said earlier....

You can open Logic Pro 9 projects in LPX but not the other way around.

Apple wouldn't even give me a refund on Logic Pro X (purchased just 3 days ago), which is useless to me now.

There are no refunds from the App Store... That is what you agreed to when you purchased a license for LPX.

Your choice is simply for your friend to update to Logic Pro X or use the audio stem process I outlined earlier (Not something i would recommend doing for any period of time)... or spend even more money on purchasing two copies of a different DAW... and taking the time to learn them and spending time converting over what your friend has already created... and hope your friend hasn't been using the internal plugins found only in Logic Pro... otherwise you have even more work to do...

The reality is, the sensible solution is simply to upgrade LP9 to LPX for $200... (and think of it as the upgrade price even though you can buy the full version for the same amount but that really doesn't matter does it?) Less outlay, less time lost and less hassle, but as always the choice is yours...

I have never, EVER, encountered a software company that treated customers that way.

Then you haven't been in the computer business that long...... 🙂

Seriously though, you haven't been treated that badly...

You bought LPX at a price that is basically a steal.... and your friend bought LP9 at the same 'deal' of a price.. compared to what Logic Pro used to cost ($1000)

You can 'upgrade' from LP9 to LPX for $200 which is much cheaper than it used to cost to upgrade from , say LP8 to LP9... and the same price as it cost to upgrade to LP9 via the App Storeprior to the release of LPX

The alternatives at this stage would cost you much more money......time.. and hassle..

The only things that truly frustrating is the timing of your friend's purchase of LP9... For that he has my sympathies but it happens... Some people who bought Logic Pro 9 within a month of Logic Pro X being released were given refunds on the LP9 purchase if they bought LPX... Your friend just left it way too late.... Apple has since stopped such refunds.... and you didn't do the research you should have done before you jumped in and bought LPX... Unfortunate but sadly true.

Again, you and your friend have my sympathies for whatever they are worth... but at least the obvious solution is still cheap compared to what the alternatives could cost you now and in the past!