Start by saying that I have been on GK Sonics since dumping yarga's whilst in the beginner stage. The Sonic is a fantastic beginner kite as far as ease of use, stability and safety. Had an 8m and a 11m, sold the 11, now have the 07- 8m and 07 - 14m.
My stats: age - old, weight 82kg, board Underground Flx 128x38,138 x 39, ability - questionable! Not involved in distribution or sales of any kite. 
Enter the demo 2008 V-Sonic 11m: Setup straight out of bag settings. Bridle adjustment is available via the multi point bridle positions (KPO system).Rear lines attached to last knot (of 3) on bar lines
!st flight: 13-16 knts, choppy water, Sandy Point Inlet. Board UG 128. Kite fully powered. Kite immediately felt more powerful than the 07, turning speed about the same, boost better, bar pressure same. Felt like good things to come. Unusual shape makes an impression too.
2nd flight: 25+ knts, flat water, Sandy Point Inlet. Board UG 128. Kite fully powered up, pushed my speed limit to the max on the flat runs. No need to depower. Kite very stable, turned quicker in the higher wind range. Every now and then on a transition I oversheeted and stalled the kite, frustrating. As all sonics they dont like to be choked. let them breath and they light up. Had a couple of parallel runs with a 07 11m Sonic and consistently outran him. Big boost and responsive.
3rd flight: 13-17knts, choppy water, small swell, incoming tide at Point Danger.
Board UG 128. Now before setting up I moved the rear lines forward one knot towards the bar, the same positioning as my 07. Now that made a huge difference, kite turns even faster and didn't oversheet at all. Kite was very stable, very powerful and fast. I have a habit of kiting one handed and my arms never tired, bar pressure firm not heavy. Easy to turn the kite one handed for transitions. Once again, sheet out, give the kite some air and it accelerates very fast. As the wind dropped, other 12m kites called it quits, in the end 2 kites left, me on the 08 Sonic 11m, still on the 128 board and an 08 13 m Furia the guy on a 195 directional. I cant believe the low end of the 08 Sonic, on the 07 I would have struggled at the bottom end on my UG 138. Very impressed.
Bar setup: The 08 bar is a huge improvement, the new chicken loop/safety is excellent not like the 06/07 safety which was crap. I actually changed the chicken loop on my 07 to another brand! So great to see Matt took notice of feedback.
Whilst my 07 8m & 14m do me fine, I'd love the 08 11m in my quiver, great performance and wicked look. Off to find more garage stuff to flog off on ebay. 
Thanks to Aaron for the demo, mmmmm actually I still have it, catch me if you can! 
do they:
1. zip across the window like a crazy wasp? or has that been sorted?
2. is the kite an "actual" 11m or does it feel BIG or SMALL for its size?
Am after:
* 7-8m kite that feels/flies/pulls like a 7m(i.e. i wonder if the 8m feels small?)
* a beginner kite with huge depower for the wifey(she is a girl and is as weak as piss, or is that me?)
* the same kite needs to be good for in the surf performance from 19-35knots......
any thoughts?
The crazy wasp can be controlled, I like the zip!!
The 08 11m feels small for its size.
The 8m Sonic is still a pretty punchy little kite, wifey might be better on a 7m Takoon, a pleasure to fly with stacks of depower.
airush flow sle 7m ?????
nice steady pull, very stable, tons of depower
got a mate with one for sale if interested ?
I flew the Vsonic 8m in 20-35 knots a few weeks ago at caloundra. it comes on 21m lines and is very very nice. massive boosting, great depower (i reckon i would have been fine in 40 knots on this kite and i only weigh 63kg) and very fast turning. Had the KPO in the wrong spots for the conditions, it was flaring a little bit when oversheeted hard in the gusts - should have moved the rear lines forwards to number 2.
Definately a great kite with a massive windrange. relaunch is basically automatic too, i did it three times for a laugh - each time the kite would drift downwind a bit, then fill with air and roll onto its side, then walk to the edge of the window and just sit there, ready to fly, all with no bar input at all. the new camel toe section means it can pivot up onto one sider really easy, it certainly worked well in that regard.
Forgot to add: Meerkat i was just looking at your requirements in a kite - the sonics IMHO have never been the best wave kite out there, because they generate all their power through speed. For waves you want a more "instant" response to bar sheeting. I flew a 10m blade vertigo recently and it was brilliant in the waves, i would say it's the best wave kite i've flown yet. it's a 5-line hybrid and the upper windrange was awesome, it depowered almost as much as my sonic too. much more solid power when you want it, didn't jump as well but it turned much better - like a C-kite.
needless to say i was surprised at how much i liked the kite, it is basically a C-kite feel with light bar pressure and a great windrange. They can be ordered in 1m increments too, so you can get a 7m or an 8m. worth a try anyway.
Yeah see when i kite in the waves, i need a kite to pull me out of the impending death smash of a 6 footer, because i'm doing it in 15 knots. I fly the 11m 2007 sonic because it jumps to the heavens, but for east coast wave riding it's not ideal.
I guess if you're kiting in over 20 knots all the time, the sonic 8m will do just fine, there is always sufficient power there to pull you out of trouble. For a "total depower" style kite, it's hard to beat the sonics. you can also give it to your missus in 20 knots because you know it's probably the safest kite out there today. drop the bar and everything stops.
give the vertigo a try if you have a local dealer - i'm a committed sonic fan but the 10m vertigo really was a surprisingly good kite. I am still considering buying a 7-8m for nuking conditions and megaloops. probably won't because i'm a cheap bugger though. one kite is enough for me (so long as it's a sonic )
Guys there is another wave option, the GK Trix, good in the waves, avail in a 7 or 9m, more c style/hybrid than the sonic, so many kites so little money !!!!
Re Re-launch comment by Neil, I tried a soft sand launch and the kite didnt slide it just rotated backwards then launched, pretty amazing, couple other kiters watching were dumbfounded!! The camel toe/hooknose definately lets the wind get into it faster and more efficiently.
08 Rev or Atom 7m
If your looking for a 7m, try a Rev or Atom, great surf kites, 4 lines IMO are better in the surf. Have been riding both and prefer the Atom, both are worthy of Demo.
Ride them all before you part with your hard earned cash.
If your wife is going to ride them, maybe the Atom, slightly less bar pressure IMO
