Topic: Portable DSD Recorders

[Charlie Miller]

It looks like KORG is no longer making portable DSD recorders. I love my Tascam DA-3000 so much that I bought a second one. They’re linked as a 4-track. I rather not fly with a 4U rack so I need s portable DSD recorder. Any recommendations?

[darby]

Sony PCM-D100

[heathen]

https://us.astellnkern.com/blogs/news/product-information-ak-recorder

[Nick's Picks]

Ouch!   really cool, but expensive w/the $1700+ "music player" needed to go w/the recording sled.

[capnhook]

Dinosaurs are getting expensive.
 

[Charlie Miller]

https://us.astellnkern.com/blogs/news/product-information-ak-recorder

damn, that is cool

[Charlie Miller]

Sony PCM-D100

I was looking at that but it only does 2.8MHz and I was hoping to get 5.6MHz, but it's a possibility, thanks.
I contacted sound devices last year asking if they had any DSD recorders coming in the future and they sound they can't comment on that.

[Nick's Picks]

what about the "big korg" deck ?  that did 5.6MHz.   Prob. hard to locate one though.

[Nick's Picks]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Korg-Mr-1000-DSD-1-Bit-Professional-Mobile-Recorder/323420231960?hash=item4b4d591918:g:qoQAAOSwBFVbhvKt

[weroflu]

I picked up an MR2 last year. Very happy with it as an entrance into DSD.  I looked into that AK gizmo but it was just too much $ to justify.
If I do another electronics project it will be a miniature DSD recorder.

[jb63]

If you can pick up a Korg MR-1000 for $500 or under I can recommend it.
Its lighter than I thought it would be and had very clean preamps. I never take mine out any more, but use it strictly for playback and renaming files.

They come up on eBay in flocks sometimes.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Korg-Mr-1000-DSD-1-Bit-Professional-Mobile-Recorder/163296053466?hash=item26053408da:g:MN8AAOSw61FbtpBg:rk:8:pf:0

Here's another but hold out for one that has the bag, because its a nice bag.

[Charlie Miller]

If you can pick up a Korg MR-1000 for $500 or under I can recommend it.
Its lighter than I thought it would be and had very clean preamps. I never take mine out any more, but use it strictly for playback and renaming files.

They come up on eBay in flocks sometimes.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Korg-Mr-1000-DSD-1-Bit-Professional-Mobile-Recorder/163296053466?hash=item26053408da:g:MN8AAOSw61FbtpBg:rk:8:pf:0

Here's another but hold out for one that has the bag, because its a nice bag.

Thanks. I have a V2 so preamps not an issue. I'm gonna own one of these very soon.

[sunshinedavedream]

Beware the MR1000's ability to suck dry cell batteries dry quickly. I don't own a portable p/s for mine as I use it infrequently in the field but when I have used it, it ran through 2 complete sets of batteries for 2 70 minute sets. Sounds great though! If you're always getting your power from the wall wart, no problems.

[Charlie Miller]

Beware the MR1000's ability to suck dry cell batteries dry quickly. I don't own a portable p/s for mine as I use it infrequently in the field but when I have used it, it ran through 2 complete sets of batteries for 2 70 minute sets. Sounds great though! If you're always getting your power from the wall wart, no problems.

I’ll have AC so that shouldn’t be a problem but still good to know. Thanks

[beatkilla]

Beware the MR1000's ability to suck dry cell batteries dry quickly. I don't own a portable p/s for mine as I use it infrequently in the field but when I have used it, it ran through 2 complete sets of batteries for 2 70 minute sets. Sounds great though! If you're always getting your power from the wall wart, no problems.

I’ll have AC so that shouldn’t be a problem but still good to know. Thanks

The MR-1000 is the best sounding deck i've ever used IMO in DSD without any doubt.

However i am not a fan of Hardrive recorders so i use the Korg MR-2 without any regrets.

[rippleish20]

I got a MR-1000 off  ebay for $500 and successfully recorded the Oteil & Friends New Years show. It sound s awesome but now I am wondering what people do to share the recordings. I am planning on DSD > WAV @ 24/48 but do people share the dff files themselves? Is there a way to combine the files the Korg creates? Can you track DFF files?

ps I used a 12v battery and powering the device was not a problem.

[beatkilla]

I got a MR-1000 off  ebay for $500 and successfully recorded the Oteil & Friends New Years show. It sound s awesome but now I am wondering what people do to share the recordings. I am planning on DSD > WAV @ 24/48 but do people share the dff files themselves? Is there a way to combine the files the Korg creates? Can you track DFF files?

ps I used a 12v battery and powering the device was not a problem.

You need to use Korg AUDIOGATE

https://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/audiogate4/download.php

In that download is also ds-dac setup which you do NOT need to install  unless you have a Korg DAC.

You can combine,split,(i guess you could split all the tracks)but i only split off the excess beginning and ending and than EXPORT a new DSF MASTER file for archive and listening on my Korg DSD DAC.

You can also EXPORT to WAV.

I export to 24bit 176.4 khz and than use my normal audio editor to make further changes(EQ,etc.)

[DSatz]

Do you feel that your DSD recordings lose any of the qualities that you like when they're exported to PCM (WAV, etc.)?

[rippleish20]

I got a MR-1000 off  ebay for $500 and successfully recorded the Oteil & Friends New Years show. It sound s awesome but now I am wondering what people do to share the recordings. I am planning on DSD > WAV @ 24/48 but do people share the dff files themselves? Is there a way to combine the files the Korg creates? Can you track DFF files?

ps I used a 12v battery and powering the device was not a problem.

You need to use Korg AUDIOGATE

https://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/audiogate4/download.php

In that download is also ds-dac setup which you do NOT need to install  unless you have a Korg DAC.

You can combine,split,(i guess you could split all the tracks)but i only split off the excess beginning and ending and than EXPORT a new DSF MASTER file for archive and listening on my Korg DSD DAC.

You can also EXPORT to WAV.

I export to 24bit 176.4 khz and than use my normal audio editor to make further changes(EQ,etc.)

Thank you very much!

[morst]

Do you feel that your DSD recordings lose any of the qualities that you like when they're exported to PCM (WAV, etc.)?

And if not, then why record DSD?

[Charlie Miller]

I got a MR-1000 off  ebay for $500 and successfully recorded the Oteil & Friends New Years show. It sound s awesome but now I am wondering what people do to share the recordings. I am planning on DSD > WAV @ 24/48 but do people share the dff files themselves? Is there a way to combine the files the Korg creates? Can you track DFF files?

ps I used a 12v battery and powering the device was not a problem.

You need to use Korg AUDIOGATE

https://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/audiogate4/download.php

In that download is also ds-dac setup which you do NOT need to install  unless you have a Korg DAC.

You can combine,split,(i guess you could split all the tracks)but i only split off the excess beginning and ending and than EXPORT a new DSF MASTER file for archive and listening on my Korg DSD DAC.

You can also EXPORT to WAV.

I export to 24bit 176.4 khz and than use my normal audio editor to make further changes(EQ,etc.)

Try dbpoweramp. It's faster than the korg software.

[noahbickart]

Do you feel that your DSD recordings lose any of the qualities that you like when they're exported to PCM (WAV, etc.)?

Bumping an old thread.

Does anyone want to comment on this?

I'm experiencing the other way around, as sometimes I "upsample" to DSD in audirvana+ to my mytek DSD DAC, as with most things in audio, when listening sighted, I feel I hear a difference. But I don't trust myself....

[voltronic]

Do you feel that your DSD recordings lose any of the qualities that you like when they're exported to PCM (WAV, etc.)?

Bumping an old thread.

Does anyone want to comment on this?

I'm experiencing the other way around, as sometimes I "upsample" to DSD in audirvana+ to my mytek DSD DAC, as with most things in audio, when listening sighted, I feel I hear a difference. But I don't trust myself....

There is a real possibility that you are presenting your DAC with a data stream it processes more accurately than others.  Not all DACs do equally well with everything that is thrown their way.  In other words, your Mytek may do a better job converting a DSD stream than it does PCM, or it may just sound "different" which you perceive as "better".

There are all kinds of things written about how upsampling PCM to higher rates/depths may or may not have benefits.  I haven't ever heard of someone saying that converting PCM to DSD giving an audible benefit, but it may be upsampling a lower-rate PCM to a higher one first before the DSD conversion.

As far as recording directly to DSD, I think it doesn't make much sense unless you (a) are not going to edit or process the files at all (which would cause them to be converted to PCM anyway), and (b) send them straight to a DAC that natively decodes DSD.

[noahbickart]

There is a real possibility that you are presenting your DAC with a data stream it processes more accurately than others.  Not all DACs do equally well with everything that is thrown their way.  In other words, your Mytek may do a better job converting a DSD stream than it does PCM, or it may just sound "different" which you perceive as "better”

Yes. This is why I set it up this way. But pretty lights and a bright “hdsd” lcd readout tends to create some expectation bias.

I’d love to hear some DSD masters from people who have recorded this way.

[rippleish20]

I recorded a whole John Kadlecik Band run last month as well as Oteil & Friends on New years (SBD and in some cases SBD + microphones on stage) .  Aside from the fact that the music might not interested you, I have no idea how to "distribute" them other than resampling using PCM.

[noahbickart]

I recorded a whole John Kadlecik Band run last month as well as Oteil & Friends on New years (SBD and in some cases SBD + microphones on stage) .  Aside from the fact that the music might not interested you, I have no idea how to "distribute" them other than resampling using PCM.

why can't you upload the DSF or DFF files?

[beatkilla]

There is a real possibility that you are presenting your DAC with a data stream it processes more accurately than others.  Not all DACs do equally well with everything that is thrown their way.  In other words, your Mytek may do a better job converting a DSD stream than it does PCM, or it may just sound "different" which you perceive as "better”

Yes. This is why I set it up this way. But pretty lights and a bright “hdsd” lcd readout tends to create some expectation bias.

I’d love to hear some DSD masters from people who have recorded this way.

I sent you a wetransfer link with some samples.

[rippleish20]

I recorded a whole John Kadlecik Band run last month as well as Oteil & Friends on New years (SBD and in some cases SBD + microphones on stage) .  Aside from the fact that the music might not interested you, I have no idea how to "distribute" them other than resampling using PCM.

why can't you upload the DSF or DFF files?

They are DFF files. I could upload them, but each set is a Proj directory with lots of DFF files.   I havent had time to research if there is a more standardized way to distribute them.

[Nick's Picks]

back in my DSD days, I really did like the sound of DSD > PCM 16/44.1 .    Was it better than any other straight to PCM recording?   probably not.  But I liked it.  I perceived a smoothness ...

[jb63]

back in my DSD days, I really did like the sound of DSD > PCM 16/44.1 .    Was it better than any other straight to PCM recording?   probably not.  But I liked it.  I perceived a smoothness ...

I agree 100%!
The files are a pain in the ass, but you can re-lable them right in the deck and archive them and spit them out at any bit rate later, and I still sit on my MR1 as the best mini recorder for 2-channel recording.

[rippleish20]

My perception is also that the recordings are "smoother"

[jb63]

"smoother" is a good description, but I can't tell you why, exactly.