The Yamaha D24 Digital Multitrack Recorder was a professional-grade hard disk recording system designed to deliver high-performance digital audio recording, editing, and playback. Using standard 3.5-inch removable Magneto Optical (MO) disks, the Yamaha D24 allowed engineers to eliminate backup downtime between sessions by enabling quick and seamless disk changes.
When a session was complete, users could simply insert a new disk and begin recording immediately. Its random access capability provided near-instant navigation to up to 99 projects per disk and 99 locate memories per project, removing the need for time-consuming rewinding and fast-forwarding.
All audio recorded on the Yamaha D24 was uncompressed, ensuring high sonic integrity. The recorder supported 16-bit, 20-bit, and 24-bit resolutions with project-selectable sampling rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, and 96 kHz. Overwrite-type 640MB MO disks offered 8-track simultaneous recording at 24-bit resolution and 44.1 or 48 kHz sampling, and 4-track recording at the higher 88.2 or 96 kHz rates. Each MO disk allowed for 120 track minutes of total recording time, equating to 30 minutes of 4-track recording or 15 minutes of 8-track recording.
Each of the eight main tracks featured up to eight virtual tracks, giving users access to 64 total tracks per project. The Yamaha D24 also supported auto punch-in/out recording with multiple takes—up to 99 per segment—with both manual and automatic punch recording modes offering rehearsal capabilities and seamless switching between input monitoring and playback.
For navigation and editing, the Yamaha D24 included video-style shuttle playback, which made it easy to scan audio material while listening in real time. Sub-frame nudge functionality allowed the current position to be adjusted with extreme precision. Solo monitoring was available for individual tracks, and additional transport features included ±6% varispeed, A-B repeat playback, and high-speed fast forward and rewind options at 8x or 16x the normal playback speed.
Beyond the 99 locate points per project, the Yamaha D24 also featured dedicated A, B, Last Rec In, and Last Rec Out markers, as well as Project Search, Return to Zero, and Roll Back functions for rapid navigation. All location markers could be set with sub-frame accuracy, ensuring precise cueing during recording, editing, or playback. The system’s SCSI port enabled users to attach optional external hard disk drives or removable media drives to extend storage capabilities.
Multiple Yamaha D24 units could be linked together to expand track counts in groups of eight, supporting up to 64-track simultaneous operation. For long-format sessions, two Yamaha D24 units could be run in Serial mode to extend continuous recording time. Housed in a 3U rackmount chassis, the Yamaha D24 was designed as a convenient drop-in replacement for existing modular digital multitrack systems.
Connectivity on the Yamaha D24 was highly flexible thanks to support for Yamaha’s mini YGDAI cards, which allowed users to configure various analogue and digital I/O formats, including AES/EBU, ADAT, and TDIF-1. A built-in S/PDIF coaxial stereo input and output enabled easy transfer between the Yamaha D24 and other 2-channel digital devices such as CD players, DAT recorders, and stereo mastering units. A front panel headphone output allowed for direct monitoring.
Once recorded, projects on the Yamaha D24 could be edited non-destructively using a wide range of tools. Time compression and expansion from 50% to 200% allowed for flexible sync-to-picture workflows, while pitch could be altered independently of speed. Editing could be performed at the project, track, or part level. Project-level operations included Copy, Delete, Erase, Title, Protect, and Timecode Modify.
Track-level functions included Copy, Move, Erase, Swap, and Slip. At the part level, users could Copy, Move, Erase, Insert Space, Insert Copy, and Delete. A single-step undo and redo function provided quick recovery and iteration during editing. All edits could be made with sub-frame timing precision, making the Yamaha D24 suitable for even the most detailed post-production work.
The Yamaha D24 featured traditional tape recorder-style transport buttons for intuitive operation, paired with a large vacuum fluorescent display that included a clearly visible time counter. The unit also offered eight 16-segment LED meters for visual track level monitoring, with user-selectable normal and fine metering scales for accurate tone referencing. Users could assign titles to projects for easy identification and session management.
Timecode synchronisation was another key strength of the Yamaha D24. The unit could generate or chase either SMPTE/EBU or MIDI Timecode (MTC), with 1/10-frame accuracy. Users could set an offset relative to incoming timecode, allowing for precise sync with external video or audio systems. Remote control was possible using MMC (MIDI Machine Control), or via 9-pin protocol-compatible video editing equipment.
Additional features included Absolute (ABS) and Relative (REL) counter modes, disk duplication when using two Yamaha D24 units, and MO disk mounting on personal computers for file access and backup.
Taken together, the Yamaha D24 Digital Multitrack Recorder represented a flexible, scalable, and precision-oriented digital recording solution for professional studios, broadcasters, and post-production facilities. Its use of removable MO disks, extensive editing features, full timecode integration, and robust I/O options made it one of the more advanced modular digital recorders of its era.
