Topic: Kenwood MGR-A7: The First PCM Voice Recorder from Kenwood.

[ben9999imsc]

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news_details.php?id=15439


can that Wolfson WM8985 digital amplifier compare to rh1 ??

[OFOTD]

There looks to be a line input but this deck its limited to 16bit recording only.




SPEC:

Flash Memory:           2GB
Head-phone Output:   6.0mW+6.0mW (16Ω)
Line Output Level:       700mV+700mV(10Ω)
Sound mode:             BASS/POPS/ROCK/JAZZ/DANCE/VOICE/CUSTOM SOUND
Play:                         File: MP3: 32kbps~320kbps (CBR/VBR)
                                     WMA: 32kbps~320kbps (CBR), 32kbps~355kbps (VBR)/WAV
                               ID3 tag / WMA tag: ID3 tag Ver2.2, 2.3, 2.4
Recode:                    File: WMA: 64kbps, 96kbps, 128kbps (44.1kHz)
                                     WAV: 16bit (44.1kHz, 48kHz)
                               Mic-mode: mono / stereo 2mic / stereo 3mic
                               REC EQ mode: Voice/Vocal/Music/Noise Cut/Low Cut1/Low Cut2
Language:                 Japanese, English, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Spanish
Interface:                  USB2.0/11, Head Phone plug (3.5mm), Mic-Input (stereo/mono)
                               Line-input, Line-Output, SD card Slot ( accept SDHC), AC Adopter
Power:                      Build in Rechargeable Lithium-ion
                               USB Rechargeable
AC:                          100 V *( CAN NOT RECHARGE IN EUROPE, ONLY ACCEPT USB RECHARGE)
Stamina: Play:            MP3 (128kbps): 19hrs
                               WMA (128kbps): 19hrs
                               WAV (44.1kHz):  19hrs     
             Record:       WMA (128kbps): 12.5hrs / build in mic and build in memory
                               WAV (44.1kHz):  12.5hrs / build in mic and build in memory
Dimensions:              52.7mm×100mm×18mm
Weight:                     95g
Accessories:             AC adopter, USB cable, Head-Phone
OS:                          Microsoft® Windows®Vista Ultimate/Vista Business/ Vista Home Premium/
                               Vista Home Basic/XP Professional/XP Home Edition
                              USB1.1/2.0 USB port ( Recommend 2.0)
Color:                      Black / Red

[Ozpeter]

I think this one breaks new ground in having labels not only for "left" and "right" but "centre" too.  Well, ok, "center" US style.  Should help the most spacially-challenged users no end.

Does look very neat, though.

[dogmusic]

I think this one breaks new ground in having labels not only for "left" and "right" but "centre" too.  Well, ok, "center" US style.  Should help the most spacially-challenged users no end.

Does look very neat, though.

It actually does have a centre mic.

[BayTaynt3d]

Let's hope L & R are hypers then, heh...

[sunjan]

There looks to be a line input but this deck its limited to 16bit recording only.

Flash Memory:           2GB
Record:                    WAV: 16bit (44.1kHz, 48kHz)
                               Mic-mode: mono / stereo 2mic / stereo 3mic
Interface:                  SD card Slot ( accept SDHC), AC Adopter
Power:                      Build in Rechargeable Lithium-ion
AC:                          100 V *( CAN NOT RECHARGE IN EUROPE, ONLY ACCEPT USB RECHARGE)
Stamina: Record:        WAV (44.1kHz):  12.5hrs / build in mic and build in memory (less when providing power to external mic?)
Dimensions:              52.7mm×100mm×18mm
Weight:                     95g
OS:                          Microsoft® Windows®Vista Ultimate/Vista Business/ Vista Home Premium/
                               Vista Home Basic/XP Professional/XP Home Edition

Here are the frequency curves and microphone specs if anyone is interested:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.kenwood.co.jp/j/products/home_audio/personal/mgr_a7/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=13&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DKenwood%2BMGR-A7%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:sv-SE:official%26hs%3DqhV

Main drawbacks and questionable specs:
No field-replaceable battery?
No 220V version for Europe
No Mac drivers
File split after 2hrs (seamless???): http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.kenwood.com/faq/mgr_a7/faq_rec.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3DMGR-A7%2Bsite:kenwood.com%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:sv-SE:official%26hs%3D8Oq%26sa%3DG

Are larger cards than 2GB supported?
NO?!
http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.kenwood.com/faq/mgr_a7/faq_sd.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3DMGR-A7%2Bsite:kenwood.com%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:sv-SE:official%26hs%3D8Oq%26sa%3DG
YES?!
http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.kenwood.com/faq/mgr_a7/faq_rec.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3DMGR-A7%2Bsite:kenwood.com%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:sv-SE:official%26hs%3D8Oq%26sa%3DG

Left/Right/Center can't be adjusted individually:
http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.kenwood.com/faq/mgr_a7/faq_rec.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3DMGR-A7%2Bsite:kenwood.com%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:sv-SE:official%26hs%3D8Oq%26sa%3DG

Currently selling for $350 (BIN) on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300167761311

If it was me, I'd throw in $50 more and get an R09 or PMD-620 instead.
Or if I was strapped for cash, I'd probably spend my $350 on an H2, H4, RH1/MZ-M200 or Iriver before the Kenwood.

We need to know how the internal mics and the AD sound like, how much juice it gives to the external mics (can I feed a 3-mic mix into the line-in jack?), whether the recording will switch from the internal flash memory to the SD card automatically after 2GB.

Main selling points:
tiny form factor (superst**lth)
3-mic-mix
build quality and UI looks good
potentially competitive price (should hopefully drop once it's launched globally)

/Jan

[OFOTD]

Con to this player is that its only 16bit.    Major issue there.

You don't have to worry about 2GB seamless splits because you'd have to record for like 5 hours to even get to that point.

[Ozpeter]

It actually does have a centre mic.

Well that will teach me not to make clever remarks. 

Presumably when the centre mic is on, the effective stereo width reduces?

And when it's running in mono mode, indeed you really need a centre mono mic for best results.

I take back all I said!

[dogmusic]

Presumably when the centre mic is on, the effective stereo width reduces?

That's right. There are three mic modes:

1. Center mic only. (narrow field)
2. L + R mics only. (very wide field)
3. all 3 mics at once. (less wide, perhaps 120 degrees)

The mics are apparently isolated from the body of the recorder, which I imagine would significantly reduce handling noise.

The recording times are given in both stereo and mono formats. An 8 GB SDHC card recording in mono at 16/44.1 provides 23 hours recording time.

It is disappointing that it is confined to 16 bit, but if the ADC's (there are two independent ones for L and R channels) are really good, then 16 bit on this unit may be more usable than 24 bit on, say, an H2.

I think this Kenwood is interesting, especially if you're in for the "long haul"  .

[BayTaynt3d]

The fact you can run mono on the center mic will be a real bonus for anyone thinking about using this for impromtu interviews. No other recorder I can think of can do that straight on like that.

[Outrageous]

No other recorder I can think of can do that straight on like that.

If you don't mind two identical tracks, you can point the two mics of the Sony PCM-D50 straight ahead if that's what you're after.

[Ozpeter]

... or you can point the H2 at 45 degrees... but not ideal!

[flintstone]

Originally posted by headroom in the middle of a Sony thread. 
The MGR-A7-B is the black version of the MGR-A7.  This item
is available in Europe now, but in USA it's only found on eBay.
Flintstone

http://www.kenwood.eu/products/home/portable/MGR-A7-B/

High Quality Sound for Playback and Recording due to Clear Digital Amplifier and Supreme technology.
EasyHigh Quality Sound for Playback and Recording due to Clear Digital Amplifier and Supreme technology.
Easy to use as Player and Recorder
Compact size, Auto Gain Control, Auto Level Setting, Playback Speed Control.
MP3 / WMA / WAV Playback
Friendly with other Audio equipment, Line-in for recording, Line-out for monitor sound
3 built-in microphones for 3 way mic. recording.
SD Card slot (SDHC Compatible) capability up to 32GB
Longtime Continuous Recording
Solid State & Shock proof mech. for decreasing noise during Recording.
Capacity & Formats
Flash Memory Capacity   2GB
Memory Card Slot Type   SD (SDHC Compatible)
Memory Card Slot Capacity   up to 32GB SDHC Card
Supported Audio Formats   MP3, WMA, WAV
General Features
New Clear Digital Amplifier   Yes
USB Terminal   USB 2.0 Fullspeed (USB 1.1 compatible)
Line Input   Yes, 3.5mm stereo jack
Microphone Input   Yes, 3.5mm stereo jack
with switchable plug in power
Supreme   Yes
Direct Encoding   Yes
Menu Language   English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese
Equalizer   Normal, Bass, Rock, Dance, Pops, Jazz, Voice, Custom (5-bands)
Timer   Alarm timer, Sleep timer
Intro Play   Yes, ,first 10 seconds of each track
Repeat Play   Track/All/A-B
Random Play   Yes
Variable Playback Speed   Yes, 5 steps: -2 / -1 / 0 / +1 / +2
Delay Recording   Yes, 5, 10, 30, 60sec.
Sync Recording   Yes, Auto Sync and Auto Divide
Microphone Recording Level   
Auto
Manual
Auto Level Setting (ALS)
Recording Equalizer   Yes,
Music, Vocal, Voice, Noise Cut, Low Cut 1, Low Cut 2
Backlight   Yes
Accessories
Headphones   Yes
AC Adaptor   Yes
USB Cable   Yes
Quick Start Manual   Yes
Carrying Case   Optional: CC-MGRA7
General Specifications
Minimum PC Requirements   Microsoft Windows Vista/XP Compliant to USB 1.1/2.0 Standard
Output Power (Headphone)   6mW
Headphone Jack Impedance   16Ω
Line Output Level   700mV
Line Output Jack Impedance   10kΩ
Playback Format   
MP3 extension: .MP3
WMA (DRM9 compatible) extension: .WMA
WAV (Linear PCM) extension: .WAV
MP3 Sampling Frequency (Stereo)   22.05/24/32/44.1/48kHz
MP3 Bitrate (Stereo)   32 ~ 320 kbs
MP3 Variable Bitrate   32 ~ 320kbs
ID3 tag   Yes, version 2.2/2.3/2.4
WMA Sampling Frequency (Stereo)   32/44,1/48kHz
WMA Bitrate (Stereo)   32 ~ 320 kbs
WMA Variable Bitrate   32 ~ 355kbps
(Not supported by Professional, Lossless, or Voice)
WAV Sampling Frequency   44,1 kHz
WAV Bit count   8/16 bit
Encoding Format   16 bit
Display   1.5 inch White mono OLED, 128 x 64 dot
Compatible SD card   SD, SDHC, miniSD, miniSDHC, microSD
Maximum Playback Time (built in battery)   19 hrs
Operational Temperature Range   5°C - 35°C
HE_Mem_Port_Recording_Specs
Recording Format   
WAV (44.1/48kHz:16bit Mono/Stereo)
WMA (44.1 kHz:64/96/128kbps Stereo)
WMA (44.1 kHz:32kbps Mono)
Maximum Recording Tracks   450 tracks (MP3/WMA 128kbps @ ~ 4min./track)
Maximum Recording Time Internal Memory   
WAV (48kHz) 2h40m
WAV (44.1kHz)2h54m
WMA (128kbps) 32h
WMA (96kbps) 42h
WMA (64kbps) 64h
Maximum Recording Time SD card (1GB)   
WAV (48kHz) 1h20m
WAV (44.1kHz)1h27m
WMA (128kbps) 16h
WMA (96kbps) 21h
WMA (64kbps) 32h
Maximum Recording Time SD card (2GB)   
WAV (48kHz) 2h40m
WAV (44.1kHz)2h54m
WMA (128kbps) 32h
WMA (96kbps) 42h
WMA (64kbps) 64h
Maximum Recording Time SD card (4GB)   
WAV (48kHz) 5h20m
WAV (44.1kHz)5h48m
WMA (128kbps) 64h
WMA (96kbps) 84h
WMA (64kbps) 128h
Maximum Recording Time SD card (8GB)   
WAV (48kHz) 10h40m
WAV (44.1kHz) 11h36m
WMA (128kbps)128h
WMA (96kbps) 168h
WMA (64kbps) 256h
Battery operation time during Recording   
WAV (44.1kHz) Approx. 12.5 hours
WMA (128 kbps)Approx. 12.5 hours
(with Built-in Microphones and Internal Memory
Power Specifications
Adaptor AC-DC   Input 100-240VAC 50-60Hz 0.2A 13W Output 5VDC 1.5A
Battery Type   Built-in Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Battery Life   
WAV (44.1kHZ): Approx. 19 hours
MP3 (128 kbps):Approx. 19 hours
WMA (128 kbps):Approx. 19 hours
Charging Time   AC Adaptor 3hrs, USB 3.5hrs
Dimensions & Weight
Dimensions (WxHxD)   52.7 x 100 x 18 mm
Weight (Net)   0.095kg

[datbrad]

Con to this player is that its only 16bit.    Major issue there.

You don't have to worry about 2GB seamless splits because you'd have to record for like 3 hours to even get to that point.

Corrected that for you..........

[humbugu]

You don't have to worry about 2GB seamless splits because you'd have to record for like 5 hours to even get to that point.

According to the manual, it's a (possibly audible) 2-hour split, not a 2 GB split.