Thanks mate don't mind spending the money but bit worried that it won't work now would u get the newer sonar and is the Sony vaio laptop I've got going to be ok to use it all on 

*double-posting*

So I think the duo capture mk2 is looking good for me ATM but any links to a mic to get and also something to power the mic? Thanks for the help guys great forum

Yes, if you use a condenser mic that needs 48V phantom power and you have nothing that can give it, you need an audio/interface that will, and also MIDI if you use that. Check the Sweetwater link I gave, just to look around, quite a few for about $100 to $140, so I really do not know what that is in pounds around what - say 50 to 75?? If you buy no Channel Strips, or anything else, than you will need all of that on the audio/interface and I have seen some there listed at Sweetwater (not the only place to buy) for around $150. Also the one you were looking at is on $79 but a better one is $99 from Roland. Drivers are very important for Windows 8, because like a sound card in the computer it needs drivers (especially ASIO) for recording and listening. ASIO4All is what some use, but that is a generic driver not as good as a dedicated driver usually by the manufacturer of the unit you may buy, so make sure the drivers really work, some do not work as good, and the ones that do were mentioned in another post. I don't really know but look up Beagle here and review his website pages on it also. (or ask him also)

Thanks mate I will review it in depth before I purchase also the Roland's come with x1 le Is it any good ? I subsume le is light addition but does it still have most of the editing tools on it like the vocal one ? Thanks

Looks good but out of my price range ATM mate its either the duo mk2 or the ex sonar 7 seems to be running ok on windows 8 but I don't know enough about it to know if its functioning at full capacity