Korg Zero8 8-Channel DJ Mixer Firewire Controller

No longer available at zZounds

Korg Zero8 8-Channel DJ Mixer Firewire Controller, Rear

Korg Zero8 8-Channel DJ Mixer Firewire Controller, Slant

Korg Zero8 8-Channel DJ Mixer Firewire Controller, Top

zZounds Gear Experts Say...

8-channel interface/control surface. With KAOSS FX LCD touch screen and effects.

Overview

Music is created in a dynamic process, where the artist works in a fluid fashion following their inspiration freely. The tools of the stage/studio have become more like instruments, to be played and manipulated in realtime as part of this creative process. Mixing, control, and effects all are part of the performance, and all are at the core of this revolutionary new instrument. Zero Live Control Mixer, you have just met the future.

Zero Live Control Mixer is an all-in-one “core station” designed for live performance artists, remix producers, and serious computer musicians providing a digital mixer, audio I/O, MIDI controller, and effect processor all in a single unit. Each channel can be switched between sources such as a turntable, CD player, microphone, computer, instrument, MIDI controller, or MIDI controller + audio to implement a sophisticated live mixing setup with the simplicity of a FireWire connection. This gives you an incredibly powerful and flexible tool designed specifically for live performance and remix production.

Two models are available: ZERO4 is a four-channel version designed for the needs of the modern DJ, and ZERO8 is an eight-channel version covering the needs of advanced laptop musicians, studio remixers and DJs requiring more channels.

Designed for high-quality digital and analog audio

Zero Live Control Mixer delivers truly professional-spec audio. It supports 24-bit 48 kHz high-resolution audio as standard, and can support up to 24-bit 192 kHz… read more audio that’s equivalent to DVD audio fidelity. Along with the digital domain, analog components such as the input/output circuitry and power supply have been designed with painstaking attention to high-quality sound.

The internal ±18 volt power supply design delivers plenty of headroom and excellent audio quality. The mic preamps are an ultra-low impedance design by Peter Watts, a veteran designer of numerous professional mixers throughout his tenure at the Trident Corporation in the UK and as chief designer and vice president for product development at Mackie Designs in the USA. Finally, the power supply is a universal design that does not require an AC adapter, ensuring that the world-traveling professional can get to work immediately, assured of the highest level of performance.

EQ Variety
The EQ Selector is a completely new idea, providing an EQ section with eleven different simulation types. They cover needs ranging from corrective equalization to boldly creative sound-shaping, giving you a variety of EQ responses and curves, filter characteristics, and even isolator modeling that can be switched independently for each channel as needed. The stereo eight-channel Zero8 provides an amazing eight units (independent for each channel).

FireWire control over audio and MIDI
Zero Live Control Mixer contains a FireWire interface that lets you process and mix audio sources digitally, at the same time as performing MIDI control. Since Zero Live Control Mixer contains everything else you need (audio interface, mixer, effect processor, MIDI controller), setup is simple, making it an extremely convenient choice for the mobile computer-based professional.

A full complement of effects
One particular advantage of the ZERO series is its powerful effect system. On the stereo eight-channel Zero8, there’s one Insert effect, one Send effect, and one Master effect. For the Insert effects you can choose from eight effect types, and for the Send/Master effects you can choose from eleven effect types, meeting the demands of any live mix.

Next-generation KAOSS effects
The stereo eight-channel Zero8 uses its touch display as a realtime effect controller like the KAOSS PAD. You can manipulate a variety of effects while watching the graphics on the display, giving you an entirely new sense of control. This touch display can also be used to control MIDI and other settings simply by touching them, making it very easy to edit the settings.

A complete MIDI control surface
By using the dedicated "Zero Edit" software you can freely assign MIDI messages to the faders, knobs, push-type encoders, buttons, toggle switches, and X-Y pad.

Zero8 Controller Bank
This allows you to use the abundant hardware on the ZERO Mixers to control soft synths, DAWs, effects processors and much more. Since each channel of the mixer can be assigned to different functions you can be mixing the audio from your computer with one channel while adjusting MIDI parameters with another.

Specs

Frequency Response:
10 Hz ~ 20 kHz +/-1 dB, -2dB @ fs 44.1 kHz
10 Hz ~ 21 kHz +/-1 dB @ fs 48 kHz
10 Hz ~ 40 kHz +/-1 dB @ fs 96 kHz
15 Hz ~ 50 kHz +/-1 dB @ fs 192 kHz

S/N: 93 dB (typical) @ IHF-A

THD+N: 0.02 % (typical) 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz

A/D Conversion: 24-bit, 64-time oversampling

D/A Conversion: 24-bit, 128-time oversampling

Sampling Frequency (fs): internal 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz

Input 1-8(Line, CD/Line)
Connectors: 1/4" TRS phone jacks (balanced) L/R, RCA jacks L/R

Input Impedance: 10 k Ohms

Nominal Level: TRS: +4 dBu@ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ 0 dB)

RCA: -10 dBu@ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ +6 dB)

Maximum Level: TRS: +22 dBu@ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ 0 dB)

RCA: +8 dBu@ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ +6 dN)

Source Impedance: 600 ohms

Phono 1-3
Connectors: RCA jacks L/R

Input Impedance: 50 k Ohms

Nominal Level: -44 dBu@ 1kHz, GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ +6 dB), RIAA compliant

Mic 1, 2 Input Connectors
XLR-3-31 type (+48 V phantom power, with switch)

1/4 in. TRS phone jacks (balanced)

Input Impedance: 3 k ohms/XLR, 5 k ohms/TRS

Nominal Level: Hi: -60 dBu @ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ 0 dB), Low: -40 dBu @ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ 0 dB)

Maximum Level: Hi: -42 dBu @ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ 0 dB), Low: -22 dBu @ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ 0 dB)

Source Impedance: 600 Ohms

Guitar Input Connector
1/4 in. phone jack (unbalanced)

Input Impedance: 1 M Ohm

Nominal Level: -6 dBu @ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ +6 dB)

Maximum Level: +12 dBu @ GAIN = 0 dB (GAIN = -infinity ~ +6 dB)

Master Output
Connectors: XLR-3-32 type L/R

Output Impedance: 150 Ohms

Nominal Level: +4 dBu

Maximum Level: +22 dBu

Load Impedance: >10 k ohms

Booth Output
Connectors: 1/4 in. TRS phone jacks (balanced) L/R

Output Impedance: 150 ohms

Nominal Level: +4 dBu

Maximum Level: +22 dBu

Load Impedance: >10 k Ohms

Ext Send 1,2
Connectors: RCA jacks L/R

Output Impedance: 150 ohms

Nominal Level: -10dBu

Maximum Level: +8 dBu

Load Impedance: >10 k ohms

Ext Return 1,2
Connectors: 1/4 in. TRS phone jacks (balanced) L/R

Output Impedance: 10 k ohms

Nominal Level: +4dBu

Maximum Level: +22 dBu

Load Impedance: 600 ohms

Phones Output
Connector: 1/4 in. stereo phone jack

Output Impedance: 100 ohms

Maximum Level: 80 mW + 80 mW @ 32 ohms

S/PDIF Output
Connector: coaxial

Format: 24-bit S/PDIF (IEC60958)

Firewire Connector: IEEE 1394 6-pin connector x2

Format: IEEE1394a

MIDI Connector: IN, OUT

General
Display: 160 x 104 pixel, LCD with backlight and touch panel

Power Supply: AC Local Voltage

Power Consumption: 52 Watts

Included items: Power cable, CD-ROM

Dimensions (WxHxD): 17.72 x 4.92 x 14.61 in. (450 x 125 x 371 mm)

Weight: 16.09lbs/7.3kg

Documents and Manuals

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 631-390-6800
Web: https://www.korgusa.com/support

Reviews

(14 ratings)

Submitted December 25, 2012 by Greg Anderson

"Cool Mixer but now discontinued"

Overall:

(see rating details)

The mixer is a great combination of a DJ mixer, digital mixer, analogue mixer, live mixer/console and control surface. It pretty much does everything you could possibly want from a DJ mixer and live electronic performance mixer with enough inputs for lots of live synths, vocals and guitars. The major downside is that it is discontinued and although there are vista drivers that work in windows 7, windows 7 64 bit and vista 64 bit are limited to being fixed at the unit running at 44.1khz. Any above sample rates have issues and the problem wasn't resolved. 44.1khz is standard for CD audio and live performance but for recording, you'd want to record at a higher sample rate, which makes it a poor choice for a recording studio's main sound card. It also runs at +24db output instead of +4 so you need to work out where +4 is on the mains outs. The further you put it away from +4, the higher the noise floor will be but those who know what they are doing should be fine and should be able to get the noise floor at a level where it is acceptable. Just don't run it all the way down to -10db output like many unbalanced DJ gear. Plug the outputs of this mixer into the +4db mic inputs if you have to run it into another DJ mixer in a club (with the other mixers mic pres all the way down) or use two insert cables with the send out of each L + R XLR to the inserts on the other club's DJ console - then the noise floor will be very low. I haven't seen another mixer with similar features on the market… read more since the Korg Zero 8.

4 of 5 people (80%) people found this review helpful. Did you?