For those interested in digital recording, Korg MR1000 mobile stereo DSD recorder is offered at a price never before seen ($1,200) for such features and quality.
With the pristine fidelity, ultimate flexibility and advanced technology of a DSD recorder, the surprisingly affordable Korg MR-1000 is the stereo recorder that ensures your location recordings and final masters are never obsolete.
The mobile/tabletop MR-1000 delivers an astonishing 1-bit/5.6 MHz, doubling industry DSD recording quality standards. This new super-rate spec delivers a fidelity that will amaze even the most jaded audio enthusiast.
The MR-1000 is the perfect tool for the professional who wants to record and archive their final mixes in the studio, while its compact size and portability make it ideal for location recording, podcasting, live music performances - even for rehearsals and song-writing sessions.
After recording and editing all your tracks in the DAW/hardware system of your choice, you can mix directly, or via an analog summing mixer, to the stereo recorder. This gives you the superb fidelity of high-rate DSD technology, which preserves all the transients, nuances, and "air" from the original recording.
Powerful software bundled with this stereo recorder enables the conversion of your DSD recordings and mixes into all of today's audio formats without degradation. Best of all, by archiving your data/mix in this new double-speed 1-bit format you're ready for the future, as playback systems and standards change.
Real World Features in a Mobile and DSD Recorder
The MR-1000 can record to multiple formats, allowing you to choose the type that matches your needs. There are three ultra pristine, high definition 1-bit recording formats at your fingertips; DSDIFF, DSF, and WSD* (2.8224 MHz @ 1-bit or 5.6448 MHz @ 1-bit). In addition to the 1-bit recording options, multi-bit PCM formats (BWF or WAV) with resolutions up to 24-bit/192 kHz are also available. The MR-1000 can play back all of these file types and more, with the newly added MP3 playback feature. Various resolutions can be played back, including bit rates from 32 - 320 kbps, with a sampling frequency of either 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. This gives you the added ability to store and listen to web ready MP3 files right on your stereo recorder. All of these functions make the MR-1000 a truly future proof tool that will be useful for recording all your endeavors in the years to come. It features a 40 GB internal hard drive, offering up to six hours of recording at the highest audio quality (1-bit 5.6448 MHz stereo), or approximately sixty hours at CD quality (16-bit 44.1 kHz).
The table-top MR-1000 location recorder includes combination XLR/ 1/4" input connectors with top quality microphone preamps, phantom power and built-in limiting. Both XLR and RCA outputs are provided for maximum flexibility.
High-speed USB 2.0 connectivity provides for fast and easy transfer of files between the recorder and your computer.
The MR-1000 can accommodate a total of 800 projects internally, and you can easily perform file management operations such as Rename, Delete, and Protect for individual songs. You can also register one hundred mark points in each song.
Designed for High Audio Quality
In order to deliver an unprecedented level of audio quality, careful attention was paid not only to the digital signal domain but also to the hardware design of this stereo DSD recorder. The input/output circuitry of the MR-1000 features ultra-high quality mic preamps. Power is supplied independently to the MR-1000's digital circuitry and analog circuitry, thus holding interference due to electrical current to an extremely low level.
Every component of the MR-1000 has been carefully selected to maximize performance. The respected Cirrus Logic CS4398 is used as the DAC (Digital/Analog Converter), and the Burr-Brown PCM4202 from Texas Instruments is used as the ADC (Analog/Digital Converter). By paying close attention to every component, the design has minimized any possible degradation of the audio signal.
Quality and Portability
The MR-1000 allows two-way operation; and this DSD stereo recorder can be powered by the included AC adaptor or by eight AA batteries, delivering 1-bit audio in a portable package that's equally at home in the studio or in the field. It comes with a specially-made carrying case that lets you record without removing the MR-1000 from the case, making it a great choice for field recording. The large backlit LCD display guarantees excellent visibility while, ensuring smooth workflow. The Almite-coated aluminum body provides strong impact resistance and stable operation in any situation.
1-bit Technology Equals Pristine Fidelity
1-bit recording is the latest advancement in audio, and has been adopted for use in the critically acclaimed SACD recording format. It offers a frequency response of DC to 100 kHz and dynamic range of 120 dB. This uncompromising fidelity, low noise floor, extended dynamic range, lifelike imaging and analog quality depth has been praised by top experts. But there are other important advantages to the format of this stereo recorder that are of benefit to all recording professionals, regardless of their tracking platform.
Future Proof Flexibility
Today's state-of-the-art 24-bit converters use high-speed 1-bit conversion to capture audio, using real-time decimation and other processes to present the data in the desired bit depth/sample rate format. The beauty of the MR's bitstream format is that it uses the original 1-bit data, without the need for the other processes. What comes in comes out, with no manipulation needed.
As files are converted and reconverted between various bit depths and sampling rates, there are possibly degrading effects, depending on the sample rate conversion algorithms. The critical issue is that files mixed and mastered in today's state of the art high-resolution audio may be insufficient for tomorrow's formats. Archiving your final mixes and masters in a 1-bit system allows you to bypass these issues, and preserve your music with both the highest fidelity and in a more "universal" format. That data then can more easily be converted at a later date to the bit depth/sample rate format of your choice without compromising the integrity or fidelity of the data. You can even convert to newer formats that will be adopted in the future, be they multi-bit or a further migration to the 1-bit format.
Korg’s free AudioGate 2.0 software is your bridge to translating your MR1000's DSD recordings into different file types; as well as to importing files from a variety of sources.
For Version 2.0, you can now import and export in the following formats: WAV - BWF - AIFF - MP3 (export Windows only) - AAC (export Mac only, Flip4Mac WMV required) - Apple Lossless (export Mac only) - WMA (including WMA Professional and WMA Lossless – export Windows only) - DSDIFF - DSF - WSD. AudioGate 2.0 also adds FLAC file support – the most popular lossless form of data compression.
DSF (DSD Stream File)
This is a DSD file format supported by some Sony "VAIO" personal computers (models with the "Sound Reality" engine) sold since September, 2005. This format is already supported by software such as "SonicStage Mastering StudioVer.2.0" and "DSD Direct," and it is expected that increasing numbers of software titles will support it in the future, including shareware and freeware.
WSD (Wideband Single-bit Data)In addition to editing features like gain, fade, balance, and DC cut which AudioGate previously included, you’ve now got some new ones. “Normalize” automatically adjusts so that you can export files at their highest level without clipping. Plus, we’ve not only improved the output level range from ± 24 dB to ± 60 dB, but we’ve also expanded the peak level metering for better visual monitoring.
This is a 1-bit audio file format created by the "One-bit Audio Consortium." It accommodates all formats of one-bit audio data without limitation of channel number or sample rate. The "One-bit Audio Consortium" was established in 2001 with the goal of contributing to the advance of audio through research, development, and popularization of 1-bit audio technology, and its work is currently supported by more than sixty members.
AudioGate 2.0 ensures that you get great-sounding results when you down-convert from one sample rate/bit depth to another. It now includes standard TPDF (Triangular Probability Density Function) dithering, plus Korg’s own enhanced “AQUA” dithering that closely follows human hearing characteristics for much more musical and natural sounding results.
You can use the tools listed above and now burn your own audio CDs, complete with CD-Text. But since you’re recording with an MR Series recorder, we know you are into the latest and highest quality technology out there. We’re right there with you. Now you can use AudioGate 2.0 to create DSD audio discs (1-bit/2.8 MHz) that preserve the superior audio fidelity that only 1-bit recording can deliver. You can play these enhanced discs in a variety of devices – Sony PlayStation, VAIO computers, and certain stand-alone DVD players.
Mac: AudioGate_v2.0.1
Windows: AudioGate_v2.0.1
