Roland A-300PRO MIDI Keyboard Controller review

The A-300PRO is the 32-key member of Roland's discontinued A-PRO controller family. It combines a short keybed with a surprisingly broad control panel, rather than minimizing the whole device to the smallest possible travel keyboard. This assessment draws on Roland's US product listing and shared English manual; it is not a hands-on review, and it makes no claim about a used unit's condition or software entitlement.

A compact key count with a full control surface

Thirty-two velocity-sensitive keys with channel aftertouch are enough for one-handed parts, bass lines, short riffs and note entry, but they leave less room for two-handed passages than a 49- or 61-key controller. That is the defining trade: the A-300PRO keeps the case to 23-7/8 inches wide while retaining eight pads, nine knobs, nine sliders, a two-line LCD, transport controls, a bender/modulation stick and pedal inputs. The width is the body measurement, not the space needed around the USB, MIDI and pedal connections.

The keybed is described by Roland as responsive and capable of aftertouch; the specifications do not identify a weighted action type. I would not turn those phrases into a promise about playing feel. If key action is central to the choice, try the exact unit or compare it with a retailer that permits a return.

The pads have a documented pressure response

Roland's page identifies eight velocity-sensitive Dynamic Pads, and the shared A-PRO manual includes a PAD AFTERTOUCH CURVE setting that maps pressure on the pads to aftertouch data. That makes this more expressive than a keyboard whose pads are documented only as triggers. It is a separate capability from the A-300PRO's channel aftertouch on the keys. The product page describes the panel as assignable, but a control count alone does not promise a ready-made map for every DAW: the A-PRO Editor and control maps are part of the workflow, so confirm that the required software is available for the computer you use.

The manual lists the usual split and dual keyboard controls across the A-PRO family. This can make a small 32-key range useful for paired sounds, but it does not create extra physical keys. A split arrangement still has to fit into the existing span and requires deliberate channel and note-range setup.

USB and MIDI DIN are two different routes

For computer work, the A-300PRO connects over USB and can be bus-powered. The exact USB connector shown in Roland's product image is Type-B, not USB-C. The product also has MIDI IN and OUT sockets. With the A-PRO's MIDI I/F setting enabled, the manual describes computer MIDI arriving over USB and being passed to a sound module at MIDI OUT. Roland's support instructions describe switching MIDI I/F off for a direct controller-to-hardware route without a computer. These modes are useful, but they should be configured intentionally rather than assumed to mirror the same data to every destination.

There is also an important power distinction. USB bus power suits a host-connected session; a hardware-only setup without a computer needs the separately sold compatible AC adaptor or another supported USB power host. The original box list names an Ableton Live Lite serial card and a CD-ROM, but a current used seller may not supply them, and the card does not prove a transferable or still-usable license.

It is a controller, not a sound module

Roland documents the A-300PRO as a MIDI controller with USB and MIDI connections; the reviewed specifications do not list audio outputs or an onboard sound engine. For computer instruments, the computer or interface must handle audio. For a hardware synth, that instrument produces the sound and must connect to a mixer, amplifier or headphones through its own audio output. MIDI sends performance and controller data, not an audio signal.

How it compares within the family

The A-500PRO keeps the eight-pad, aftertouch and large assignable-control layout but expands the range to 49 keys and a 33-1/16-inch body. The A-800PRO offers 61 keys at 39-1/2 inches. The A-300PRO is the clear size choice if a 32-key range is sufficient and desk width matters; the larger models are better candidates when sustained two-handed reach takes priority. The A-500S also has 49 keys, but it is a simpler surface with no documented pads or channel aftertouch and a different battery-power option.

Practical buying checks

Roland's page marks the A-300PRO discontinued. It does not establish current availability, price or condition. Before considering a secondhand offer, check the exact model label, all 32 keys, pad response, knob and fader travel, screen, buttons, USB port and MIDI IN/OUT sockets. Confirm whether the correct USB cable, AC adaptor, software media or serial card are present, but do not value the old license as guaranteed. Finally, confirm that the current computer supports the available A-PRO driver or a usable generic mode. It is a thoughtful small controller only when the host and hardware routes fit the actual setup.