Silly me! In my list of ways the R-09HR is improved, I forgot to include the most important difference between the R-09 and the HR: The improved analog preamp, which Edirol calls the Isolated Adaptive Recording Circuit (IARC).
The IARC separates the power supply for the analog input from power for the A to D converter and the digital side of the recorder. The result is supposed to be reduced noise and greater dynamic range. In other words, the IARC puts the "high resolution" in the R-09HR.
Since the R-09 already has one of the better analog circuits in a hand-held recorder, it will be interesting to learn how much better the HR sounds.
After Edirol introduced the R-09, they continued to sell the R-1 for a while. I expect they will do the same with the R-09HR. Edirol may price the HR model pretty high at first to differentiate it from the R-09.
Flintstone