Fostex MR-8 MKII User manual

TO ORDER CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED FOSTEX DEALER
8 tracks recording & playback
128MB CF Included!
Records to CompactFlash (CF)
Simple & Easy Interface
No menus to navigate
Knob/Button for each function
On-Board Effects
Reverbs
Delays
Guitar FX
Amp Simulator
Mic Simulator
Mastering
USB Port
.WAV import/export
Archiving
CD Burning
2 XLR Mic Inputs
2 Guitar Inputs
S/PDIF Digital Output
Built-In Microphone
Portable - Battery Operated
2 Headphone Jacks
MR-8 8-Track Digital Multitracker
AT A GLANCEKEY FEATURES
The Fostex MR-8 is the first solid-state memory recorder in the industry that offers 8-
tracks of recording on the very popular CompactFlash card media. The MR-8 comes
with a very competitive price point, especially compared to the current digital 4-track
memory recorders already on the market.
Fostex’s design goal for the MR-8 was to create a digital multitrack recorder with
unprecedented ease of operation for musicians who want digital recording and superb
sound quality, but also offers the simplicity of their favorite old analog machine. Nearly
all the functions of the MR-8 are on the physical knobs and buttons of the top panel.
User frustration caused by having to flip through pages and pages of LCD menus, is
not an issue with the MR-8.

TO ORDER CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED FOSTEX DEALER
8 tracks recording & playback
128MB CF Included!
Records to CompactFlash (CF)
Simple & Easy Interface
No menus to navigate
Knob/Button for each function
Marketing Context:
On-Board Effects
Reverbs
Delays
Guitar FX
Amp Simulator
Mic Simulator
Mastering
Customer Profile:
USB Port
.WAV import/export
Archiving
CD Burning
Hot Buttons:
2 XLR Mic Inputs
- 8 tracks of recording instead of 4
2 Guitar Inputs
- Uncompressed recording offers better quality
- On-board XLR mic inputs
S/PDIF Digital Output
- USB port insures PC/MAC compatibility for archiving, mixdown, CD-burning
- Truly Portable
Built-In Microphone
- Extremely easy to learn/use direct interface
Portable - Battery Operated
Competition:
2 Headphone Jacks
Boss BR-532
$395 street, only 4-tracks, most difficult to learn, more expensive
Korg PXR4
$399 street, only 4-tracks, least amout of features in category, no XLR mic inputs
Zoom MRS4
$249 street, no microphone input, no built-in mic, limited EQ
Tascam Pocket Studio
$499 street, No MIDI sync capability, expensive, no .wav capability
MR-8 8-Track Digital Multitracker
DETAILS & FACTSKEY FEATURES
Main applications include: songwriters, traveling musicians, entry-level recording
enthusiasts, and project studios. With just over 2 hours of battery time (6 AA), the MR-
8 offers an affordable portable field recorder solutiuon where timecode is not needed.
Entry-level customers who would have considered a 4-track cassette/4-track memory
solution. Customers who need a low-cost portable recording solution, any
singer/songwriter, and any person who wants to record audio away from their studio.
When it comes to getting everything you could want in a recorder at this price-level,
the Fostex MR-8 truly offers anything and everything a customer could want…all in a
compact, portable package.

TO ORDER CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED FOSTEX DEALER
8 tracks recording & playback
The world first 8-track recording into solid state memory (Compact Flash Card).
128MB CF Included!
Records to CompactFlash (CF)
Simple & Easy Interface
No menus to navigate
Knob/Button for each function
On-Board Effects
Reverbs
Delays
Guitar FX
Amp Simulator
128 x 64 dot-matrix LCD and self illuminating keys to show current status visually.
Mic Simulator
Mastering
USB Port
.WAV import/export
Archiving Analog type guitar distortion is available on input A (at “Guitar” position).
CD Burning
2 XLR Mic Inputs
2 Guitar Inputs
Digital data (S/PDIF) can be output in stereo from optical output.
S/PDIF Digital Output
Built-In Microphone
AC and Battery (6 AA alkaline cells) operation.
Portable - Battery Operated
Built-in microphone for quick recording of ideas or events
2 Headphone Jacks
MR-8 8-Track Digital Multitracker
KEY FEATURES FULL FEATURE LIST
High quality sound recording and playback with uncompressed linear 16-bit/44.1 kHz
digital audio (normal mode). 2-track simultaneous recording and 8 tracks playback.
Recording time is about 25 track-minutes with 128MB Compact Flash Card. Extend
Mode (16-bit/22.05 kHz) doubles the recording time.
Unlike other digital recorders, it offers quite intuitive operation, which is ideal for the
users who have no experience in digital multitrack recording. Most of the functions
appear on the top panel physically instead of page surfing on LCD.
Digital effects (delay/reverb) with newly developed algorithm for MR-8, as well as
Guitar Amp simulation (input A at “Guitar” position) and Microphone simulation (input A
at “Line/Mic” position) as insert effect.
Mastering effect for stereo buss: songs after bounce or mix down on track 7/8 can be
processed with the Mastering Effects.
Built-in USB port for WAV file data transfer between MR-8 and Windows PC for data
editing, CD burning (normal mode) and backup.

TO ORDER CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED FOSTEX DEALER
Recording/Reproduction
Recording Medium Compact Flash Card
Recording Format VFAT (FAT16)
Sampling Frequency 44.1 kHz / 22.05 kHz
Quantization 16-bit linear
A/D Converter 16-bit Delta-Sigma
D/A Converter 16-bit Delta-Sigma
No. of Recording Track 8 tracks
(maximum 2 tracks simultaneous recording)
Recording/Reproduction Frequency
20 Hz – 20 kHz (Normal Mode)
Input/Output
Analog In (2ch)
Connector XLR-3-31 type and f6mm TRS phone
Input Level -40dBV (MIC) - +10dBV (LINE)
Input Impedance 1.5k ohm or more (XLR)
Stereo Out (L, R)
Connector f6mm stereo phone
Load Impedance more than 16 ohm
Output Level 20mW or more (at 32 ohm)
MIDI Out
Connector DIN 5 pin
Foot Switch
Connector f6mm phone
Level TTL level
USB
Connector B type
(data save/load controlled from PC)
S/P DIF
Connector Optical
Format IEC 60958 (S/P DIF)
44.1kHz only (Normal Mode)
General
Dimensions 65 (H) x 215 (D) x 283 (W) mm
Weight approximately 1.9 kgs.
(1.6 kgs. without AC adaptor)
Power Supply AC Adaptor AD12A (supplied accessory) or
6 x AA alkaline battery
SPECIFICATIONS
MR-8 8-Track Digital Multitracker

TO ORDER CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED FOSTEX DEALER
8 tracks recording & playback
Q: How much record time do I get on a 128MB CF?
128MB CF Included! A: Recording time is about 25 track-minutes with 128MB Compact Flash Card.
Extend Mode (16-bit/22.05 kHz) doubles the recording time.
Records to CompactFlash (CF)
Q: How much time do I get of 6 AA battreries
Simple & Easy Interface
A: Just over 2 hours (normal use)
No menus to navigate
Knob/Button for each function
Q: Does the MR-8 have phantom power?
A: No it does not
On-Board Effects
Reverbs
Q: How can I archive my 8-track data?
Delays A: The MR-8 can archive recorded data usinbg either the USB port directly to a PC
Guitar FX or Macintosh computer OR it can archive directly out the S/PDIF output
Amp Simulator
Mic Simulator
Q: What is the maximum CompactFlash (CF) card the MR-8 will accept?
Mastering A: Currently there is no limitation to the maximum size CF the MR-8 will recognize.
At the moment the limitation is dependednt upon current technology of the media
USB Port
.WAV import/export
Q: How many tracks can the MR-8 record at one time?
Archiving A: 2 tracks can be recorded simultaneously.
CD Burning
Q: Does the optical output support the ADAT lightpipe format?
2 XLR Mic Inputs
A: No. The optical digital output only supports the S/PDIF stereo format.
2 Guitar Inputs
Q: Can I import/export audio tracks to and from my computer?
A: Yes. This is done in the .WAV format using the USB port on the MR-8.
S/PDIF Digital Output
Built-In Microphone
Portable - Battery Operated
Q: How do I burn a CD from the MR-8?
2 Headphone Jacks
A: You simply export the stereo mix file via USB to your computer. From there you
simply burn the CD as you normally do on your computer
Q: What kind of Amp simulation effects are on-board the MR-8?
A: BRIT STACK, US METAL, and 60’S COMBO. There are various presets within
each of these amps
Q: What type of Microphone simulators does the MR-8 have?
A: There are 3 category types: DYNAMIC, CONDENSER, TUBE
Each type contains various microphone models that fit that category type.
Q: What type of converters does the MR-8 use?
A: 16-bit Delta Sigma
Q: What type of MIDI implementation does the MR-8 have?
A: MIDI syncronization. Can be a MASTER using MTC or MIDI Clock
KEY FEATURES FAQs
MR-8 8-Track Digital Multitracker
To import or export multiple mono files before stereo mixing, a free application “MR-
8 WAV MANAGER” is required on the PC, which will be downloadable from the
Fostex web site free of charge. Data transfer with Mac requires a third-party CF card
reader/writer unit.