Denon Professional

Features: Cue to music/instant start, End Monitor, Fader Start, Playback Speed Control (~8.0%, 0.1% step), Shock-proof playback, Program Play (Max. 25 tracks), Using Cue Signals to make searches (Up to 5 points per track), Hot Start (10 tracks per disc) Hot start operation is possible using parallel remote, serial remote or PC keyboard,

Links: Denon's page for this unit. Denon's PDF unit profile for this unit. Harmony Central has release information for this unit.

Specs: Control Terminals: Parallel Remote (D-Sub 25 pin), Serial Remote RS-232C/422A (D-Sub 9 pin), PC Keyboard (IBM-PC Compatible Mini Din, PS/2)

Reviews:

User Manuals: DN-M991R, supplemental instruction sheet

Features: DN-80R is a portable Mini Disk recorder designed for ENG applications. It can be used in 148 minute mono as well as 74 minute stereo mode. A standard video camera battery NP-23dx will provide up to 148 minutes of operation. Connections include an RS-232C serial port with a switchable baud rate for use with ACD-19 control software. This allows editing from a lap-top PC. Other features: Mic att. 0/-30dB switchable, Monitor speaker, 40 second memory buffer, bomb proof.

Links: ProStudio & Live Audio's capsule review of this unit. Denon's home page for this unit.

Reviews:

Features: Full featured professional machine. Noteworthy items: Positioning in (pseudo) CD frame units (1/75th sec). Record mode writes Pre-UTOC before recording starts and then overwrites with normal U-TOC at end, enabling recovery of recorded material in case of interruption by power failure. Features 10 Hot Start buttons.

Links: RF Specialties Group's full information page for this unit. Denon's page for this unit.

Reviews:

Features: Full featured professional machine. Defeatable SCMS. Noteworthy items: One track can be stored onto the MD that will be cued up automatically when loaded. Up to 30 track numbers can be stored onto the MD that will not be played back. End trim, removes unrecorded area at end of track. Recording models have backup for power failure during recording. DN-981F has 980F features + Hot Start functions. When Hot Start button is pressed, play will start immediately. If another Hot Start button is pressed while one track is in play, the new track will start immediately. DN-995R has 990R features + External Sync. function. All units can be used with optional PC Control Software ACD-19.

Comments: The I've worked with Sony and Denon professional level MDs. I prefer the Denons because of sound quality, reliability and solid construction. But, for editing the Sonys win with their keypad remote, Denon has no such thing and has no plans for one. I've had no failures with either brand's professional level MD gear, but I prefer running shows from the Denons. -Sten ([email protected])

Links: RF Specialties Group's full information page for this unit. Denon's Accessory Software for this machine. Denon's home page for the 980F, 981F, 990R, and 995R. BE Radio Field Report for the Denon DN995R.

Reviews:

Service Manual: DN-990R

Features:

• Direct digital-to-digital dubbing at 3.5 times real time, bypassing ATRAC.
• Defragmentation can be performed during copying.
• Windows software provided to allow editing through unit's serial interface.
• Source and destination drives housed in one cabinet.
• Recording status display.
• Overwrite warning.

• Adding recordings to partially recorded discs.
• Selecting tracks from the master disc and only copying the necessary tracks.
• Copying the tracks from the master disc in a different order.
• Recording disc and track names on the slave disc.

Links: RF Specialties Group's full information page for this unit. A ProStudio news article covers this unit also. Denon's page for this unit.

Reviews:

User Manual: DN-045R

Features: This unit is "built to act and function like a cart machine." Play/Cue capability for instant track play, End Monitor function, frame-by-frame search capability, Eject Lock, large fluorescent display, SCMS enable/disable, cue detect level, software included to operate unit with Windows 3.1.

Links: BE Radio has an extensive field report on this unit.

Specs: Parallel Remote (D-Sub 25 pin), Serial Remote RS-232C/422A (D-Sub 9 pin).

Reviews:

Features: Full range of pro-use features, including multi level undo (up to 2 prior to the current can be undone), pitch control and pitch bend. Deck 1 is play only, deck 2 is rec/play. A disc's program play order can be "remembered" by unit (for up to 3 MDs per drive). Copying between discs is real time (not ATRAC native), but track and disc names are copied too. Mono record capability. 16 bit ADC, 18 bit DAC.

Links: Denon's DJ equipment page that includes a detailed brochure (in PDF format). Harmony Central's page for the unit.

Specs: Freq. resp.: 20-20kHz +/-1dB, SNR: >92dB (playback, A filter), >84dB (recording, A filter), THD: <0.015% (playback, A filter), <0.02% (recording, A filter). Channel separation: >82dBs (playback, A filter), >78dB (recording, A filter)

Reviews:

Features: Hot Start allows songs or sound effects to be loaded into memory locations for instant playback at the touch of one of the machine's five front-panel Hot Start buttons. Sound can be loaded into Hot Start from any track location, and loaded tracks may continually be replaced with new tracks. A loop's 'Start Point A' and 'End Point B' may be set without interrupting playback, and the A-B Seamless Loop can be executed during Hot Start playback. The DN-M2000R's Pitch Control slider may be set to offer pitch adjustment up to either +4 or +8 percent of playback speed in 0.1 percent steps.

The DN-M2000R sports a large jog dial and shuttle wheel similar to that found on the Denon's DN-2700F Pro DJ CD player for fast searching and precise cueing. Once a track has been selected, the MD player's Auto Cue function cues it to the point where audio starts, rather than where the track starts. The level at which sound is first detected can be set between -36 and -60 dB (five steps). Playback starts less than 0.01 second after the PLAY button is pressed.

Up to five cue points can be assigned to each track for quick searching, and up to 25 tracks can be sequentially programmed for track-by-track or continuous play. In addition to the traditional Play mode, the DN-C680 also offers Finish mode. Available only when Single Track play is selected, Finish mode can operate in three ways: Stop, which simply stops after finishing a track; Next, which cues up the next track; and Rescue, which re-cues the track that just played.

An EOM (End Of Message) function flashes the PLAY/PAUSE button at the end of a track to provide a visual warning to the operator that the track will end shortly. EOM can be set to one of seven steps within a range of zero and 30 seconds prior to the track's end.

Editing functions provided include Divide (smallest edited unit is one frame, or 11.6 msec), Erase Track/Disk, Combine, Move and Track/Disc Name (up to 255 characters can be used for each name). Text editing is accomplished via the rotary knob.

The DN-M2000R features a thinner profile than the DN-2500F or DN-2000F MKII for trouble-free mounting in slanted rack frames. The AC cable and connectors are all located in a recessed area on the top panel to allow table-top use if desired. Also offered is a headphone jack with volume control for monitoring purposes.

Links: Harmony Central's page for this unit (from whence I shamelessly copied this text [with permission]). Sapphires Sound and Light's page on this unit from London's PLASA '97 show. Denon's Pro Audio page which includes a brochure (in PDF format).

Reviews:

Features: Synchro start with settable threshold, level sync track marking with settable threshold. Two modes for updating U-TOC: 1) manual: write U-TOC on eject, 2) auto: write U-TOC after every recording or edit. Editing functions include A-B erase, A-B insert [moves an A-B section to a point within another track (combines divide, move and combine)]. Cue points can be erased, rewritten or added to later. 11.6ms edit point accuracy. Undo function can undo 2 edit operations. Selectable/overridable SCMS codes. Keyboard with PS/2 connector may be attached for editing, recording, playback, program input, hot start, etc. Hot Start (w/optional ACD-26HM kit) for up to 20 tracks. Tracks can be loaded into Hot Start by detecting the Auto Cue level (-72/-66/-60/-54/-48/-42/-36 dB selectable in Preset mode). Sound can be loaded into Hot Start from any track location. Loaded tracks can be replaced with new tracks. Seamless Loop can be used during Hot Start playback. Jog/Shuttle wheel allows searches with 1 frame precision. Auto cue cues to point where audio starts (rather than start of track). Selectable -36 to -72dB auto cue level. End monitor button pressed in standby mode previews end of track. End of track alert (flashes in a selectable 0 to 30 seconds before end of track). Pitch control (+/-9.9% 0.1% step). Instant start (playback starts less than 0.01 seconds after play button is pressed). Optional sampling rate converter for input and output. SMPTE option. Video sync/word sync.

Links: Denon's information page for this unit. A Adobe Acrobat file on the unit from Denon Europe. Studio Sound has a review of the Denon DN-M1050R pro deck.

Specs: (A filter): 16 bit A/D Converter, 18 bit D/A Converter, THD: Playback: < 0.012%, Recording: < 0.02%. SNR Playback: > 92dB, Recording: > 84dB. Channel separation, Playback: > 86dB, Recording: > 80dB. Frequency response: 20-20kHz +/-1.0dB.

Reviews:

User Manual: DN-M1050R