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Krapod
Published on 03/16/12 at 17:23
Series A-3 x00 PRO understand keyboards with identical characteristics, except for the number of octaves.
The A-300 PRO is a MIDI controller / USB 32-key velocity-sensitive and polyphonic aftertouch, equipped with 45 controllers: buttons 4, 9 re-transport buttons assignable, 9 knobs, 9 faders 55mm, 8 pads, a lever pitch bend and modulation wheels, a foot switch input and an expression pedal input. The remaining two controllers to meet the 45 announced by Cakewalk and have aftertouch .... the keyboard.
In addition to pedal inputs, there are 2 MIDI IN and OUT, a USB (power), and a power connector (DC 9V 300mA).
19 memory control maps.
2x16 character display with backlight.
Dimensions: 61x25x92 cm - Weight: 2.9 Kg
UTILIZATION
Manufacturing seems solid, black plastic of good quality despite the lightness. The knobs and faders move a little on their axes. The pads and buttons are made of rubber or flexible plastic pleasant. The pads, dynamic and responsive to aftertouch, are ridiculously small (17x17mm) and they deserved a little more centimeter. The lever pitch bend / modulation is traditional keyboards Roland, however, the modulation has a magnitude larger and therefore more accurate. As for the keyboard, which has already laid his hands on Roland synths (like me on the Juno-2, D-20, JX-10 and Juno-G), there will be no surprises. Quality is present, with a soft keyboard (but not "plastoc") and pleasant, but short keys. I would have liked a central screen, rather than left keyboard. Concerning the location of the connectors on the left flank, I guess it's more constructive to choice rationalization of production of the Series A-PRO, a bias that ergonomic.
The configuration is fairly simple, although not helped by the interface (3 buttons and a knob endless). The editor software is very practical and easy to use. All controllers (except the keyboard) are assignable to all sorts of messages on any port and MIDI channel: rating, CC, program change, RPN, NRPN, realtime, tempo, Sysex (they do that is editable software by the publisher), etc. ... One can, for example assign aftertouch to a program change, or a knob to a note message.
Level set functions to the keyboard, there are buttons split (two zones), which can play dual layered sounds 2, lower and upper, transpose and octave + / - (-4 to +5) good practice on a keyboard with 32 keys.
The MIDI features are comprehensive: A-PRO has two MIDI ports via USB or 32 channels, a function merge information received in the MIDI IN port to USB1, USB2 or MIDI OUT.
Finally, I have not encountered any issues with setting Sonar who recognized immediately.
OVERALL OPINION
I use it mainly to control my expanders (2 MKS-50 and Fantom-XR), and less often for Sonar (but it starts to seem indispensable). I chose this keyboard this keyboard for several reasons: the seriousness of Roland / Cakewalk in the monitoring of drivers and publishers, keyboard quality, usability, and also for its 32 keys (compared to 25) . I tried M-Audio keyboards that I have offended by their feel and quality of plastic. As for the Akai MPK to, I have found too expensive, with a lot of trouble, and a MIDI routing underdeveloped.
Weaknesses could be the limited memory control maps (19), anecdotal use in studio but more likely disabling live, and step back there on the A-PRO. Indeed, this series out 2 years ago, comes from Edirol PCR keyboards that seem to suffer from a lack of quality at the knobs and faders.
I recommend it anyway for its price / quality ratio to compete
The A-300 PRO is a MIDI controller / USB 32-key velocity-sensitive and polyphonic aftertouch, equipped with 45 controllers: buttons 4, 9 re-transport buttons assignable, 9 knobs, 9 faders 55mm, 8 pads, a lever pitch bend and modulation wheels, a foot switch input and an expression pedal input. The remaining two controllers to meet the 45 announced by Cakewalk and have aftertouch .... the keyboard.
In addition to pedal inputs, there are 2 MIDI IN and OUT, a USB (power), and a power connector (DC 9V 300mA).
19 memory control maps.
2x16 character display with backlight.
Dimensions: 61x25x92 cm - Weight: 2.9 Kg
UTILIZATION
Manufacturing seems solid, black plastic of good quality despite the lightness. The knobs and faders move a little on their axes. The pads and buttons are made of rubber or flexible plastic pleasant. The pads, dynamic and responsive to aftertouch, are ridiculously small (17x17mm) and they deserved a little more centimeter. The lever pitch bend / modulation is traditional keyboards Roland, however, the modulation has a magnitude larger and therefore more accurate. As for the keyboard, which has already laid his hands on Roland synths (like me on the Juno-2, D-20, JX-10 and Juno-G), there will be no surprises. Quality is present, with a soft keyboard (but not "plastoc") and pleasant, but short keys. I would have liked a central screen, rather than left keyboard. Concerning the location of the connectors on the left flank, I guess it's more constructive to choice rationalization of production of the Series A-PRO, a bias that ergonomic.
The configuration is fairly simple, although not helped by the interface (3 buttons and a knob endless). The editor software is very practical and easy to use. All controllers (except the keyboard) are assignable to all sorts of messages on any port and MIDI channel: rating, CC, program change, RPN, NRPN, realtime, tempo, Sysex (they do that is editable software by the publisher), etc. ... One can, for example assign aftertouch to a program change, or a knob to a note message.
Level set functions to the keyboard, there are buttons split (two zones), which can play dual layered sounds 2, lower and upper, transpose and octave + / - (-4 to +5) good practice on a keyboard with 32 keys.
The MIDI features are comprehensive: A-PRO has two MIDI ports via USB or 32 channels, a function merge information received in the MIDI IN port to USB1, USB2 or MIDI OUT.
Finally, I have not encountered any issues with setting Sonar who recognized immediately.
OVERALL OPINION
I use it mainly to control my expanders (2 MKS-50 and Fantom-XR), and less often for Sonar (but it starts to seem indispensable). I chose this keyboard this keyboard for several reasons: the seriousness of Roland / Cakewalk in the monitoring of drivers and publishers, keyboard quality, usability, and also for its 32 keys (compared to 25) . I tried M-Audio keyboards that I have offended by their feel and quality of plastic. As for the Akai MPK to, I have found too expensive, with a lot of trouble, and a MIDI routing underdeveloped.
Weaknesses could be the limited memory control maps (19), anecdotal use in studio but more likely disabling live, and step back there on the A-PRO. Indeed, this series out 2 years ago, comes from Edirol PCR keyboards that seem to suffer from a lack of quality at the knobs and faders.
I recommend it anyway for its price / quality ratio to compete