So I am looking at buying the PCR- 800 and I see on cakewalks home page the A-800 Pro.   Can anyone tell me if one is better than the other.  Is there something new and improved with the A-800 pro?  I need something that is extremely easy to interface with.  I am a guitar player who is just starting to get into this midi stuff, my attention span is next to nothing and I don't like taking alot of time learning new things.   Basically I just want to play guitar.  I want something that has capability to expand with me and my learning curve.  And will play nicely with vista 64.  Thanks for any suggestions.

Great question.  I would suppose that you aren't going to get many responses since the A-800 isn't out yet.....but I could be wrong.

No one will know for sure until the A-PRO series is released in April... some info...

Cakewalk A-PRO Series... http://digifreq.com/?DFBL1182

Edirol PCR-800... http://digifreq.com/?PCR800

Scott

--
Scott R. Garrigus - Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series. Get Sonar 8 Power - Today! Go to: http://www.garrigus.com/  - http://www.musictechshop.com/ - http://www.cooltechshop.com/

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I don't know about the A-800, but I can tell you that I bought the PCR-500 and a PCR-300 on Monday at Guitar center who buy the way are blowing the PCR's out. I paid 149.99 for the 500 and 99.99 for the 300. The only difference between the 800, 00, and 300 are the number of keys.
Anyway to answer part of your question, the PCR was plug and play. Don't get easier than that. To use the ACT feature it is very simple also.
Hope this helps...

I just checked and they appear to be all sold out.  Another case of a day late and a dollar short.  I wasn't aware the A-800 wasn't out yet.  Thanks for your input guys.  If anyone sees a site with these on clearance let me know, Please.  Thanks for your input

+1 on the PCR-00 series, very easy to use and has more buttons and knobs to twiddle with then us guitarists could ever need.

I can confirm it works great with Windows 7 x64 so Vista shouldn't be an issue.

I'd like to think the new series would be better still, but it wouldn't be the first time a company has released an 'upgrade' that was really a downgrade.

Physically go into a Guitar Center. It's not on their website but the stores still have them.

I'm in the LA area and the GC on Venture still has the PCR 800's.

From what I've seen of the new controllers, there isn't anything that compelled me to buy one over the PCR. Like I wrote earlier, it has 8 less drum pads on it. And I love my drum pads. The more the better. Couple that with the price drop and my choice was made for me.

I will say this; I do prefer the display on the A-PRO controllers. But, that wasn't enough of a factor to change my mind.


Lateef

samson is right. You have to physically go to a store. I drove 104 miles round trip for mine...

I called my nearest guitar center, they had one of the 500 series left and are putting it on hold for me.  I will pick it up tomorrow.  It is about an hour away but I think it will be well worth the trip.  They were sold out of the 800 but the 500 should work for my needs.  I still am not sure how much I will be using this midi stuff but it seems like sonar uses it an awful lot and I feel like I am missing on something by not having it.   The only other time I have used midi was an fcb1010 controlling a vox tonelab.  That was extremely helpful Thank you all for your help.

I'm wondering if the control of Sonar is any better in the new model and how is it better?