I have some spare time on this weekend, so I continue the pending journey from last time: Disassembling Korg MR-2000S. Before we continue, you might want to check this link if you haven’t read my previous brief introduction with Korg MR-2000S 1-bit DSD Recorder.

This time, we will open the hood and see what’s inside.

3-Korg Playing

Without any further ado, let’s get the screwdriver and start working.


Below the the top view of the main PCB (after I remove the SSD drive which should be located on the right side). You can see there are 4 spacer which also used to screw the SSD drive on the top of the main PCB.

In general, it’s a very common design. DSP (Analog Devices Blackfin) will do some internal processing, output to DAC (or input from ADC), then coupled by some capacitors to the opamp (either as input or output).

0-Board

Korg MR-2000S has balanced RCA/unbalanced XLR input and output. So we can see the opamps are lining up next to the RCA or XLR connectors, coupled with small metal-can capacitors.

1-Opamp

The opamp is very common 4580D from JRC. Probably not the best opamp from the tech-sheet perspective. But surprisingly sounds very well.

2-Opamp

Cirrus Logic CS3318 is 8-channels Analog Volume Control. I haven’t got the chance to analyze detail of this chip, but the function itself already quite obvious.

3-CS3318

We can also see Cirrus Logic CS4398, a quite mature DAC chip. I believe this DAC has been there for around a decade, but it’s still going strong – at least on this Korg MR-2000S.

 

 

Cirrus Logic CS4398 was one of the very first DAC with DSD support, and surprisingly now I’m meeting the same DAC again after a very long time (my first impression with Cirrus Logic CS4398 was around 10 years ago on Creative X-Fi, which also offered SACD/DSD playback).

4-CS4398

Just another macro shoot to see how the pins of Cirrus Logic CS4398 soldered to the PCB solder pad.

5-CS4398pin

The heart of this Korg MR-2000S, Analog Devices Blackfin running at 400 MHz.

6-BlackFin

Some SMD clocks module from Kyocera (24.576, 22.579, and 25.000 MHz).

Those are quite new clock module (date code 4AF and 4KF, which represents 2014 January and 2014 November production respectively). They are made in Phillipines.

7-Clock

I forgot what was this below, but probably line to the SSD’s connector.

8-Resistor Array

The SMD metal-can coupling capacitor connected to the XLR input/output connector.

9-Coupling

You might not believe this, but this Korg MR-2000S is still using Parallel ATA (PATA) interface even for its SSD unit (the old Korg MR-2000S was using mechanical HDD instead of SSD). I have searched around and found no issue to upgrade to Serial ATA (SATA) drive with a proper PATA-SATA converter. Must be using good one, though.

10-SSD

The ADC, BurrBrown PCM4202. I think this is the standard for ADC chip, as I’m seeing the same used on the other close Korg’s competitor, Tascam DA-3000.

11-PCM4202

The headphone output is using 4556 JRC “comb” opamp. The headphone output also has dedicated volume control.

12a-Headphone

Some regulators around, to step down from 15 VDC to 8 VDC.  No heatsink required, so must be for low current operation.

12-Regulator

I was quite surprised when I saw this label below (100 VAC input). It shouldn’t be as the power supply is switching type which should handle universal input easily (normally 90-240 VAC). Again, the label stopped me for awhile from plugging the cord to my outlet.

13-PSU

But after checking the power supply module inside, checking the fuse, capacitor’s rating, etc, I was convinced to connect this Korg MR-2000S to my outlet which carried 220 VAC. This switching power supply has 3 output: +5 VDC, +15 VDC, and -15  VDC.

14-PSU

The switching power supply also not a cheap module. Almost all the capacitors are Japan brand, like Nippon Chemi-con and Nichicon. All the design and layout also well arranged.

15-PSU

The sound? I have my own impression of this machine, but I will hold it for next few posts. Stay tune!