Korg ships MR-2 high-res handheld recorder

Korg is now shipping the latest model in its MR series of DSD digital recorders, the MR-2 high-resolution mobile recorder. As with all of Korg’s MR series recorders, the MR-2 records in the ultra-high-fidelity DSD format, using a 2.8MHz sampling rate to capture every sonic detail while preserving the ambience of the original recording location. Using the included AudioGate software, this original datastream recording can be repurposed into nearly any audio format with minimal fidelity loss. For job-specific recording, the MR-2 can also record directly in any popular multibit format, from MP2 and MP3 up to 24-bit/192kHz.

The MR-2 features an integrated X/Y stereo condenser microphone with housing that can be rotated toward the front, top or rear in eight 30-degree steps for more direct and accurate capture of the source. Two screw mounts allow additional flexibility in positioning, and a mini-jack enables connection to an external mic. An onboard limiter, low-cut filter and bass EQ are available, designed with digital control of high-quality analog circuitry.

The MR-2 includes 40 user-selectable recording setups, each with optimized settings for mic sensitivity, input level, analog limiter, low-cut-filter and bass EQ. Ten custom user settings can also be saved.

Data recorded on the MR-2 is stored directly to an SD/SDHC card of up to 32GB, which is accessible via USB 2.0 for fast data transfer. Both battery (dual AA) and USB power sources allow the MR-2 to be used almost anywhere.

Portable and easy to operate, the MR-2 features a highly visible 128 x 128-pixel backlit LCD screen, and dedicated buttons and switches allow quick adjustments. The MR-2 is bundled with Korg’s AudioGate audio format conversion software for converting files to and from DSD to multibit PCM, editing recorded material and for managing archival masters. Two types of dithering are offered, including Korg’s noise shaped-dither (Korg AQUA), which matches the perceptual response of human hearing.