 | Edirol PCR-300 Midi Keyboard Controller |
| List Price: | $299.00 |
| Price: | $199.00 |
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from and sold by BESTSELLER21
Average customer review:
Product Description
The Edirol PCR300 is a 32-note velocity-sensitive MIDI Keyboard Controller with 50 assignable MIDI controllers, 18 velocity pads, a crossfader, a software editor, MIDI input and output, and both sustain and expression pedal connection. Optimized for...Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #2491 in Musical Instruments
- Brand: Edirol
- Model: PCR-300
- Dimensions: 9.00 pounds
Features
- 32 velocity-sensitive keys, now with aftertouch
- 50 fully assignable controls, and editor software (Mac and PC)
- New, unique crossfader feature
- High-quality keyboard mechanism, and durable, stable body
- 'Cakewalk Production Plus Pack' included (SONAR LE, Project 5 LE, and Dimension LE)
Customer Reviews
Edirol PCR
I have 7 Roland pieces of gear other than this one. They are all
superbly engineered and accompanied by the worst manuals one can
imagine.
This PCR control surface integrates in Cakewalk Sonar 7 flawlessly--but you would never know it reading the Cakewalk Help files.
If you order this item, load it to a direct USB port, not a hub.
When booting the computer, do not boot other USB music devices until it
has booted.
When used in Sonar, you simply select it in Options, Edirol PCR 2
IN, Edirol PCR OUT. Select Edirol PCR 1 in a track to record from the
keyboard.
Hitting the Dynamic Mapping Button brings up the surface controller from the Tools menu.
When you load up a synth or use it as a mixer surface for audio,
all the mapping has been done. Just move the controls and watch the
values change on the track screens or Synth window.
Ignore all that mapping nonsense. Cakewalk has done it.
And you can make it learn new stuff in ACT--read the help file or watch the video on Cakewalk's site.
In Project 5, this thing is an entire orchestra control.
It would be nice if Roland actually hired people to write manuals
that made some sense. It's a big joke among many of us that use Roland
gear.
Great with SONAR ACT
After spending months and hundreds of dollars on MIDI controller
keyboards to use with SONAR's ACT technology, I had given up. I spent
months trying to get either my KORG Kontrol49 or M-Audio Axiom 49 to
work as (reasonably) well as an ACT controller without luck. Purchased
the PCR-300 and laughed at how easy it was to simply plug and play to
get full control of SONAR. Forget all the custom mapping and templates
supplied by KORG and M-Audio to work in SONAR. Full trasport, track and
plug-in control pretty much right out of the box. Now, until they come
out with a MIDI controller that has 200 plus knobs, buttons and
sliders, you will have to "page through" ACT settings to access ALL of
the controllable parameters, but all the major ones are available at
your fingertips from startup. With Roland owning both Edirol and
Cakewalk, I'm glad they got their foot in the door with this one.
The rotaries are nice and silky, buttons are a bit "shallow" (would
like a bit more give on those) and the sliders are traditionally thin
and loose feeling. It's hard to find a controller with the same
silkiness and resistance on the sliders as they have on the rotaries.
In summary, the ease of setup (and relief from previous hardship) and the decent build make for a welcome investment.
Excellent Steal
Well to start off I do think this product is excellent when you
actually get it to work with your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation, VI
(Virtual Instrument or whatever. A little bulky for my taste but it
does the job. Definately a lot better than the EMU X board 25(Waaaaaay
better but lots cheaper with more LE software to try if you are
starting out). If you are on a strict budget less than $$$.$$ +
shipping & the time naw you better off saving that your $$(except
if shipping is free). If you are in Hawaii its a steal these guys dont
keep nothing in stock here. sheesh. You don't have to take my word for
it but its worth it.
PROS:
Controls are on point: smooth movement, nice rubber padding, and
they are 2 tone Black silver and none of them are disabled and can be
assigned to multiple tracks with out affecting the one you are not
currently manipulating.
Lots of (50) controls basic fuctions for music: play, record, stop
etc.. never can find a pause but oh well, aftertouch, knobs, sliders,
change octave up/down, pressure/velocity sensitive pads, wieghted keys,
some products have that springy feel to them and you here that sound
like and old spring board but not this one.
50 fully assignable controls, and editor software (Mac & PC) compatable & yes with 32&64bit OS.
Come with a great start up pack for jumping right into music
producing Sonar LE (record Audio & MIDI) great tool, Project 5
(Make beats) kind of difficult too use but with a lil time it will grow
on you,Dieminsion LE nice (for funky sounds)synth.
Now for the bad part:
Cons:
When it came to updating the drivers it tells you where to go and
what to do in such a broad manner, Like for example turn the knob. (it
has like 50 of them come on) For some strange reason or another my help
file didn't work. So I googled forever (3.5 hours)until if I found
someone who went through the same issue that helped out and after that
it was fine. but this was the biggest complaint so far besides the fact
you have to pay someone to update it for you if you cant do it
yourself. Whatever! But a good product overall.
Small con, but depending on the design of your home or project studio the inputs on the side might be a hassle.
Need more info hit me.