Korg Introduces D1200 Digital Recording Studio

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Korg is launching the D1200 Digital Recording Studio, a new 12-track hard disk recorder offering 16 and 24-bit uncompressed professional recording, high quality mixing, 40GB of hard disk space, and an optional CD-RW drive for producing a final CD master, all in a compact, affordable package. The D1200 also offers a wealth of effects, including the acclaimed REMS (Resonant Electronic Modeling System) effects found in Korg's top of the line ToneWorks products, providing true "plug and play" operation for the guitarist, songwriter, or home recordist.

The D1200 has been designed to make the recording process as easy and intuitive as possible. Its front panel has been arranged starting with controls for recording tracks, to mixing and mastering, to final CD production, guiding the user through the complete song-making process. After plugging in a guitar, bass or microphone, the user can press a button to bring up Korg's REMS modeling effects and use an intuitive icon-based interface and three dedicated knobs to achieve the desired sound. Input routing is even set up automatically to make the process easy.

The D1200 features uncompressed 44.1kHz (16 or 24-bit) digital recording for maximum audio quality. Four tracks can be recorded at the same time at either bit depth, and up to 12 tracks can be played back. Each track contains eight virtual tracks, for a total of 96 tracks per song. All analog inputs are balanced, and the main jacks have been placed on the ergonomically-designed front panel for instant access. Two combination XLR/1/4" inputs provide mic preamps and individually switchable 48V phantom power, for direct connection of condenser mics. A dedicated guitar input is also provided, as well as an S/PDIF digital input with built-in sample-rate converter.

The D1200's 16-channel, 4-bus mixer includes separate 3-band EQ with sweepable mid-range on each analog input and each playback channel. Fader, EQ, pan and effects settings can be stored in one of 100 scene memories for automatic recall during playback or manual recall at any time.

The D1200's powerful REMS Modeling mode re-creates a range of classic guitar amps, cabinets, vacuum tube emulation, and cool modern stomp-box effects for the guitar; extensive dynamics and spatial/modulation effects for the bass; plus a range of microphone types, room simulation, and much more.

In addition to the Modeling mode, the D1200 offers three independent effects systems for use during recording, mixing and mastering. Up to eight insert effects can be used per track during recording or mixing down. Two master effects provide polish to the mix, and a final effect adds the best overall EQ and compression/limiting to the final master. The 98 available effects algorithms can be combined to provide 128 insert, 32 master and 32 final effects. Each of the 192 effects presets can be edited and saved.

Editing features include copy, insert, swap and delete, plus normalize and time compression/expansion. An "erase silence" function allows the user to regain hard disk space by deleting silent sections of the recording. One hundred nameable mark points and four assignable locate points make it easy to navigate and define edit sections.

At the heart of the D1200 is a high-capacity 40GB hard drive offering 124 track-hours of 16-bit recording. 2GB of the drive is automatically allocated as a USB disk that can be accessed directly from a computer, making it easy to copy, back up, or import/export audio files between the two systems.

Designed to be a complete studio, the D1200 includes additional features such as a built-in auto-chromatic tuner, foot-pedal control input, MIDI support, and a high-quality PCM drum machine providing 96 metronome patterns and 215 rhythm patterns. The backlit LCD display can be tilted to any angle for comfortable viewing during use.

An optional 8x CD-RW drive can be installed for file export/import and back up. Complete audio CDs can also be created, either a song at a time or via "Disc At Once" mode, which allows a complete audio CD to be assembled and mastered with the proper IDs and pauses. A Program Play function allows the song order to be checked and modified before writing a CD or recording to an external device.

The Korg D1200 Digital Recording Studio will be available in late summer 2002, with an MSRP of $1250.