Korg MR-1000 / 1bit-5.8MHz DSD portable recorder

[bobkeiser@ieee.o]

Originally Posted by reynaud

Korg has released an update to AudioGate (2.0.1) that fixes this issue.

Well, I have to say that's a relief. Works!

Thanks, Reynaud!

[Daniel Stark]

Wooooo Audiogate just got a whole lot better!!

Normalization with options for track or album peak detect....

Burn high res disks (as well as regular CD's) right from the program....

Not to mention the new dither and export options!!

This is a serious update!

Anyone else have a headphone jack on their MR-1000 that seems to be crapping out?

[CharlesCola]

Hi Daniel,

Yes my headphone amp I think - after the unit has been on for more than 1 hour I am getting quite serious white noise in the left headphone - there is no noise in the recorded material.

If I switch it off and let it return to room temp then switch on again the headphone output is fine again for another hour or so...

wish i knew what this was...

[zorf]

musicians friend is showing the mr-1 as discontinued.

[macula]

It would be quite helpful to be able to access the Korg filesystem from the computer (via USB) while recording—or, to be more precise, without having to enter "slave mode" and remount the machine before being able to record again. To prevent data corruption, such access from the computer could be read-only. If this was made possible the Korg would still not be a "DSD interface", but it would get quite close to being one in terms of workflow. One would subsequently be able to write a script that would automatically open a new (or newly modified) recording in the DAW. Imagine: You press "stop" on the Korg and the recording automatically appears in Samplitude… no distractions whatsoever.


Korg, if you are listening, please consider implementing this in a future firmware update.

[ArtInvent]

Well, I've had an MR-1000 for about a week now. I realized when I bought it that hard drives make some noise (had an old HDD multitracker years ago) but the unit clicks during recording (not playback for some reason) and it's just too loud. Now, this is probably not a big problem to most people as if you get the unit back about 5 feet and behind the mics, you can't hear it. But for me it is a problem. I'm recording my own classical guitar music (about the softest instrument there is) and I like having the unit right in front of my face - I even made a little rack for it so it sits right below the mics about 18". The clicking is quite audible. I can move it back to a table behind the mic stand, where I can still just reach the controls, which is better, but I can still hear the darn clicking a bit. I can cover the thing with a thick blanket, which is what I'm doing now - but then I can't see the display. Not exactly an ideal situation.

Reformatted the drive - still makes the clicking. It sounds like k-dk k-dk k-dk (pause) k-dk k-dk k-dk (etc). Faint, but audible. This is on highest DSD format setting. Lesser data streams, maybe it's less/not noticeable. Don't care, I'm only interested in the highest setting.

So question #1 - anyone else notice HDD clicking during rec? Is this noise common to all these units?

I had a Zoom H4 that used solid state SD cards, which I must say makes a whole lot more sense than an HDD. Now, in all other respects the Korg sounds like a revelation compared to that thing, but at least the Zoom was dead silent. If the Korg just recorded to SD cards I would be set.

I would definitely be interested in replacing the hard drive with a solid state drive. I don't even need that much capacity. Looks like you can buy a 30 or 40GB SSD for maybe $130 these days. Or a 32GB CF card for much less. I've googled and searched these forums, found some folks wondering about such a swap to get better battery life (no one with my exact problem) but it looks like a number of people have swapped out the MR-1 HDD for a CF card with a ZIF adapter and possibly also a different ribbon cable. Apparently it initializes the drive fine and installs the nec. system files automatically if the drive/card is formatted to FAT32.

The thread is at head-fi.org titled "MR-1: Can this be used as a portable player." So it's possible on the MR-1 so:

Question # 2 - I thought I'd ask here if anyone has tried such a drive swap with an MR-1000 or had any thoughts or suggestions. I'm assuming it's a 1.8" drive like the MR-1 but not even sure about that. I would even be interested in doing the Busman mods at the same time, would be nice if they offered an SSD or CF conversion as well.

[macula]

I haven't noticed any clicking (though I haven't actively looked for it) and I use the unit on top of the piano. Device manufacturers, perhaps including Korg, will often use different drive makes/models in the same production line, so I wouldn't be surprised if two MR-1000s have different drives inside. The unit has been in the market for a few years already, so changes to the internal components are not at all unlikely.

UPDATE: You could hook the unit up to your computer via USB and perform some HD diagnostics on it. Google "hard drive diagnostics" and you'll get many recommendations.

[lucey]

They are not loud. You have a bad HD I'd guess ...

[Sinewave]

Originally Posted by tsvisser

out of curiosity, what are the other programs that now support 384khz/dxd?

samp/sequoia

[ArtInvent]

Well, I finished all 14 pages of the thread I mentioned. I think one issue might be that the data stream may overwhelm some CF cards and even some SSD's. These guys are modding the MR-1 which has only half the data rate of the highest MR-1000 setting. Also they are using the MR-1 largely as portable playback devices. There are a couple of post about modded CF drives not recording properly it DSD.

But if you got a card or SSD that had an adequate data throughput spec, I would think it would work. Solid state is supposed to be faster than HDD, but in practice it certainly isn't always.

[Schaap]

I have two units, no clicking or noise here.

[ArtInvent]

Well thanks for a couple of those responses. I'm going to try and get this fixed under warranty.

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by ArtInvent

Well, I finished all 14 pages of the thread I mentioned. I think one issue might be that the data stream may overwhelm some CF cards and even some SSD's. These guys are modding the MR-1 which has only half the data rate of the highest MR-1000 setting. Also they are using the MR-1 largely as portable playback devices. There are a couple of post about modded CF drives not recording properly it DSD.

But if you got a card or SSD that had an adequate data throughput spec, I would think it would work. Solid state is supposed to be faster than HDD, but in practice it certainly isn't always.

so... which ones are good? anyone knows??

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by lucey

Yes it's a simple mod ... but yes it's surface mount critters! I went back and forth with Busman to get a sound I liked, which is the mod he offers, but there are many options that are all more open on top and cleaner on the bottom than the old TL072 or similar that's in there.

What did you choose?
what are the choices?

thanks!!

[JBVries]

Originally Posted by Reptil

What did you choose?
what are the choices?

thanks!!

Bump

[Reptil]

I had the Busman mod on output and input, not the SSD harddisk.
Haven't gotten to use it in anger, but so far (recording on the two bus of the mixer) the results are good. Nice quality sound, both in 1 bit and 24 bit recordings.

I'll report back once I got more to tell you.

[bcgood]

I love mine!!!

[hendrikus]

Originally Posted by PMoshay

All the new Korg MR Series recorders COME INCLUDED WITH "Audiogate" SOFTWARE.
The software works with PC and Mac

With PC You mean only Windows!
PC = also Linux - but not working on Linux.


Gr Hendrikus

[Mats H]

Originally Posted by hendrikus

With PC You mean only Windows!
PC = also Linux - but not working on Linux.


Gr Hendrikus

Nothing else audio wise (with very few exceptions) works for Linux anyway, so why bother? It's not a profitable market.

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by PMoshay

The Mic pre was designed by a notable high end gear tech out of Nashville with the intent of it being able to capture as much dynamic range as possible and as clean and accurate as possible. After talking to many of the people who would be prospective users of the MR-1000, it seemed like most people had a favorite mic pre setup that they would use in combination with the MR. The consensus was to make the pre neutral & natural so that the engineer could color the track later if desired, but capture stuff with as much dynamic range & clarity as possible and keep the MR-1000 under 50lbs and battery operated if desired.
FYI - The line inputs do not color the sound at all, what you hear is what you get.

My experience differs. Todd Garfinkle (MA Recordings label) brought one over from Japan to have me go through it.

I found the preamp design lacking. The front end buffers for the ADC is a special JRC part, a low quality opamp with a switching function, hardly audio grade. There is no substitution for that part, it's a special pinout. Therefore the ADC section is cloudy and dark.

I had better results with the DAC. I used a BurrBrown OPA1612 opamp and removed a couple el caps, bypassed the rest. The playback is better than the record function, a non-starter for me.

The concept was good on this, but the bean counters or the technically deaf in Japan had too much influence in this product to be worthwhile for me.

[Greg_KPX]

Originally Posted by bcgood

I love mine!!!

same here!

[matyas]

Originally Posted by Greg_KPX

same here!

I really like mine as well. I just wish the hard drive were bigger. I've read about people installing larger drives in it. Has anyone here ever done it?

[DSD_Mastering]

Just bought one of the newer Black MR2000s units and it has a 160GB drive.

I put a 160GB drive in my older one with no problem. The hardest part is finding a drive with the correct connection.

[matyas]

Originally Posted by DSD_Mastering

Just bought one of the newer Black MR2000s units and it has a 160GB drive.

I put a 160GB drive in my older one with no problem. The hardest part is finding a drive with the correct connection.

I have the MR-1000. Is it the same drive connection? What is it, 1.8" IDE?

[matyas]

By the way, for all you Korg MR series fans, AudioGate 2.3 was just released yesterday. Currently in the process of downloading it.

[c1ferrari]

Originally Posted by matyas

By the way, for all you Korg MR series fans, AudioGate 2.3 was just released yesterday. Currently in the process of downloading it.

Please let us know what you think, if you get a chance

[matyas]

Originally Posted by c1ferrari

Please let us know what you think, if you get a chance

So far, doesn't seem to be too different from the previous version. But that's not a bad thing. I dig AudioGate!

[king2070lplaya]

Originally Posted by matyas

By the way, for all you Korg MR series fans, AudioGate 2.3 was just released yesterday. Currently in the process of downloading it.

Are there new features, or is this just bug fixes?

*bug fixes. Darn iPhone typing.

[c1ferrari]

Originally Posted by matyas

So far, doesn't seem to be too different from the previous version. But that's not a bad thing. I dig AudioGate!

Does it sound any different

[DSD_Mastering]

Originally Posted by matyas

I have the MR-1000. Is it the same drive connection? What is it, 1.8" IDE?

Yes, same