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Mackie
HDR24/96 |
Woodinville, Wash.,
December 28, 2000 -- Mackie Digital Systems is proud to announce, with
much fanfare, that the HDR24/96, a 24-track, 24-bit, stand-alone hard
disk recording/editing system... IS SHIPPING!!! (Insert trumpets sample
here). The Mackie HDR24/96 is sure to simplify multi-track recording and
editing for every audio application imaginable. The highly portable HDR24/96
will also allow sound professionals unmatched portability and ease-of-use
for remote, touring and location recording.
The HDR24/96 includes an internal 20+ gigabyte Ultra-DMA hard disk that
delivers over 100 minutes of 24-track recording at 48kHz, plus an extra
drive bay for pull-out Mackie Media M90 20+ Gb hard drives and Mackie
Media PROJECT 2.2Gb removable cartridge drives. Sampling rates of 44.1
and 48kHz are currently implemented; 96kHz will be possible with future
software upgrades.
No external computer is required to take advantage of the HDR24/96's rich
graphic operating interface and editing software. Rear panel ports are
provided for plugging in an SVGA monitor, PC mouse and keyboard directly
into the recorder. The intuitive editing software includes 999 levels
of undo, nondestructive drag-and-drop crossfades, regions and super regions,
track slipping, audition and scrubbing modes, quantization, one-to-multiple
replacement, 192 virtual takes (8 per track), track and take bouncing,
and many other familiar features.
The SVGA display also provides complete control over HDR24/96 recorder
functions and features a meter display, virtual transport controls, time
code display, scrolling waveforms with 1x/2x/4x/8x/24x display, time bar
with user-defined resolution, Punch, Loop, Cue and Tempo Change markers,
snap functions, locate, loop and rehearse.
The HDR24/96 uses the same I/O cards as Mackie's Digital 8 Bus console,
enabling analog audio input with 24-bit A/D, or digital input from AES/EBU,
ADAT or TDIF sources. Eight-channels cards can be mixed and matched. The
HDR24/96 syncs to SMPTE, MIDI, video black burst, (NTSC and PAL) clock
sources with no additional hardware required.
According to Scott Garside, Mackie's Recording Products Marketing Director,
two remotes will be available for the HDR24/96; A "compact"
version, the Remote 24 at $299.00 US List, and a larger model, The Remote
48, to be released at a later date, suitable for controlling multiple
HDR24/96 units.
Other HDR24/96 features include front panel 3.5-inch disk bay for importing
tempo maps and software upgrades, familiar analog tape-style monitor modes,
punch-in footswitch jack, and 100 Mbit Ethernet port. An accessory card
slot is also provided for what Mackie engineers term "intriguing
future options."
Asked why Mackie would enter a product category glutted with Mac/PC-based
systems and stand-alone HD recorders, company founder Greg Mackie responded,
"A large segment of our customers tell us they can't wait to bail
from tape-based recording... but have major reservations about current
alternatives. Workstation-type editing is an integral part of hard disk
recording's advantage. But until now that meant a sizable investment in
an expensive computer-based workstation. Because the HDR24/96 has full-function
audio editing software built in, our customers can have all the benefits
of workstation recording and editing for five to ten thousand dollars
less than ever before."
How big a hole does Mackie believe exists? "It's a lot like when
we introduced the 1604 mic/line mixer. Although there was a glut of mixers
to choose from, a pent-up demand for an affordable, quality mixer still
existed. We see a similar situation now with tapeless recording technology."
How will the HDR24/96 and other Mackie Digital Systems products avoid
falling into the same trench? Greg Mackie again responds: "The unfortunate
reality is that music and audio customers are a tiny part of the overall
computer business. Audio recording is forced to conform to a platform
it was never really designed for. Mackie Designs made the enormous investment
to develop our own open OS devoted 100% to audio. The benefit of this
is Mackie has harnessed the innovations and cost efficiencies of the computer
industry without exposing our customers to the problems caused by constantly
changing operating systems and hardware designed mainly to run non-music
applications."
Mackie OS designer Bob Tudor listed major features that he believes differentiate
the HDR24/96 as a 24-channel recording and editing device:
- More editing power at a fraction of the cost of existing 24-track standalones
- Comparable or lower in price than 24 tracks of tape-based digital recording
- The best graphic user interface of any hard disk recorder - yet without the need for an additional computer
- Uses affordable Ultra-DMA IDE drives instead of considerably more expensive SCSI drives
- Interoperability with the Mackie Digital 8 Bus
- Same I/O flexibility as the Digital 8 Bus
- Front panel floppy drive for software updates
- Quick and easy menu-based set-up guides for connecting non-Mackie gear
At the 2001 NAMM,
see Mackie Designs at booth #6764, Hall A and EAW at booth #7105 in the
Arena. For more Mackie product information please contact: Mackie Designs
Inc., 16220 Wood-Red Road N.E., Woodinville, WA 98072; Phone: (425) 487-4333;
Fax: (425) 487-4337; Internet: www.mackie.com.
Source: Mackie Designs
Web: www.mackie.com
