All user reviews for the Zoom R16

Nearly a year and I use this small multitrack recorder has become indispensable.

This is my first device of this type, chosen at the time after husked different opinions on the web

Most:
- The 8 tracks simultaneously. I play in a rock band and I recorded all the snooze. Each track has its own battery and is taken up by two microphones atmosphere (at the same time as the others). I convert mp3 mutant while a track each time and balance it on skydrive. Suddenly, all group members without their party pieces to work alone.
- Operational simplicity: no need to spend hours reading the manual (I do not like records!).

Minimum: the connection looks fragile so to put on and remove jack or XLR, should remove his mittens!

Excellent value for money, the view (or ear) of the features and sound quality

multitrack recorder that apparently not breathing necessarily quality (all plastic) but for its price offers interesting features and practical for recording.

mics for recording acoustic is correct,
being able to connect simultanéments 8 instruments (8 extra): very handy to save a particular group (provided you have a limiter)
operation by mains or battery, backup to sd card, its connection to PC (sound card or virtual drive) very useful

black dot:
- The quality of internal effects very average,
- Inability to integrate multiple internal effects on different tracks (only the first can receive internal effects. Way with a microphone that requires phantom alimenation is not possible to add a disto eg, phantom power is available only on track 6 or 7)
- The impossibility to combine internal post processing effects (eg you can not get a micro simulation effect male voice and a reverb! Must make a choice). say that these spots disappear when the treatment is continued on computer audio.

Note the internal post processing effects are applied to all tracks, only pre-treatments are only available on the first track

IF it again I will redeem it because it fits my needs for a reasonable price. Especially since I'm not a fan of records by computer (it's long and chaint with the mouse)
we can say that it is rather plug and record!!

I use it for almost 2 years and I did not see any bug he always walk nickel.
This is the only recorder that I tried and I bought based on the test, reviews and demos on youtube.
I love the number of outputs it has, I have several branch synths and beats a top box and recorder and mixing function works wonders and saves ca like a real studio.
I do not like too slow to give a piece to start after a recording is very long and this is the only downside but it is only the recordings, fortunately.
I had bought some 500 and I think I would do the same choice and I do not intend to sell it I just plug in a guitar and Rhodes above it still sounds grave.Je have bought more for mixing and recording pure one can easily make cd.
Ah yes the effects are not too normal effect .. I bought a boss me 70 while beside zoom r16 do not weight as it is not its function principale.J Rigging a serious interface is very nice and the ability to record full of morceaux.Il march batteries but I do not use it still branch.
I put him 10 out of 10 because it is the case and the record is very clear.

It is a device that I use multitrack recorder on AC only. I have not tried their other features.
Cons:
The preamps are a little cold. There is distortion or noise when pushed to the bottom.
Some effects are not really terrible. Fortunately there is a wide choice.
Beware of jacks that can be caught in the catch if they are pushed to the bottom (yes that's preamps ...).
I think the race sliders is a bit short but it can also be an advantage insofar as it makes a very compact device.

Most:
Value for price: this price for what you record good quality models.
this device is both very light and compact.
It comes Ready to use with an SD card!

Miscellaneous:
The menus require a period of adaptation to navigate but we made it fine.



Yes I remake this choice without hesitation malgrès its few flaws, it's still quality material quite good for a small price.

10 or 15 days I use this machine and I have not tried other models.
I love his performance, ergonomics apparent. Once you've read three lines of instructions (in French) can virtually close, almost everything goes alone.
This machine excels at Q / P. I had fun making a comparison of weight between about 1980 and run today but the price per track for the same periods. Very fun and impressive.

My use. Play play-back jazz pieces without battery or Caron Chet Baker or on piece played in re-re with a friend, interposed internet. Caron or for Chet, track 1 and 2 for playback and 4 tracks (Bass Drum, Snare, Overhead Left and Right channels in 48V.

Note, PanPot EQ and easily accessible. And it is from there the rub! Out for basic functions and practices, the manual is great no matter what! Genre: To explain the use of Reverb? Incomprehensible! To understand the mix of 6 tracks on the other two? Incomprehensible! Another example, representation of the button "SWAP / BOUNCE" and explanation: brace yourselves! "Swap button / Bounce!" Confess with such explanations are well advanced! And all kinds of things in this booklet! One wonders what is or are the gnomes who wrote!

Very poorly explained, but very easy to get the WAV tracks on the SD card of any project on a PC to the mix on Audacity for example.

1 - First of all, install the R16 driver on the PC (Drivers CD supplied).

2 - Turn off the R16. Then connect to the PC via the USB cable supplied with the R16.

3 - The display will show:

USB
> Audio Interface

4 - With the arrow (->) directions keypad, display:

> CARD READER

5 - Press "Enter"

6 - It shows:

CARD READER
Enter?

7 - You once again confirm with "Enter"
8 - It appears again:

CARD READER

9 - It's over for config R16. On the PC displays the "Removable Disk"
10 - Open the disk and display its contents.
11 - This displays folders like: PRJO000 and PROJ001 (these are your projects stored on the USB card, unless you have known). SYS does not interest you.

12 - You double click PROJ000 example.
13 - Opens a window that contains among others the folder "AUDIO" that you open. It contains all the tracks. WAV for your project "PRO000". Then simply drag them to your desktop and it won.

Criticize these lines if you think they are not clear.

Apart from that, I like the sound of this tool.

The price / quality ratio? Excellent. To add something, I do not regret this purchase but I developed a fierce hatred against those who wrote the manual. You really learn what their pedagogy!

PS - If someone can describe clearly and simply how to mix the first 6 tracks on the 7 and 8, a big thank you to him ...

Purchased to save repeated and models at home.

Used with a PC (Core 2, 2GB ram, sound card m-audio delta 44)

No problem with drivers for Windows XP and 7

Used with Cubase on the PC.

Used 8-track simultaneous recording.

RAS

Used repeated 3 tracks for drums (snare, bass drum and an overhead), a guitar track, bass track 1 and 3 voice tracks.

No worries, no stall 1:30 on continuously. The preamps do very boen for instruments, a little lighter on the vocals.

Mixing is possible on the R16, the effects are correct for the layout, but the work is tedious because of the sub-menus.

Used at home in divided doses (8 drum tracks, guitar tracks 2 (static + dynamic microphones), 2 bass tracks (DI + microphones), and 3 voice track, and mixing of cubs with waves plugin is perfect.
The votes being taken with a condenser microphone made a high sensitivity, the sound is very good.
The export file is in wav (you can put the SD card directly into the pc) and then with a good mix and good effects the result is very good.

For my usage value for money is unbeatable.

Namely that the r16 is also used in sound card to record directly to the PC.

It multitrack recorder that can serve as mixer while it is not its main feature. It takes one input Hi-Z (high impedance) to connect a guitar, a phantom power supply on the tracks 5 / 6 and two condenser microphones integrated.
It can also be used in DAW control surface.

The drivers are stable. No need for software to use as a multitrack. It can record 8 tracks simultaneously and play 16.

The implementation is difficult. The manual is not clear. Fortunately it's in French ... Condenser microphones are of poor quality. I buy the same in a music store in the room € 1.5 ... DAW function does not work with my software. It should be used with Cubase LE 5 I do not use.

I can use it for. Its functionality as a multitrack is correct despite its complexity. Condenser microphones are unusable.

Something about this is special. I believe it may have something to do with the fact that the Zoom R16 is sort of a hybrid device. It can in fact function fully as an audio interface, but it shines in its ability to do digital recordings anywhere with either its two built in microphones or up to 8 microphones plugged in. It bridges a gap that quite frankly needs to be bridged between the audio interface and the potable digital recorder. It is nothing that should be considered particularly interesting, but its very existence in the realm of options is certainly something to thank.

The best part about the Zoom R16 is the fact that despite the fact that it could be an interface, the latency can pretty much be a non issue since you can record straight to the device. Its integration with computers is a little finicky and latency is not the best when you use it as a straight up interface, but in truth, it is not the main draw of the device. Its ability for the faders to be used to mess with automation is a huge plug. It is a huge joy to have many many features consolidated into one small, inexpensive device.

There is not really a getting started issue to this. It is a digital recorder, and while Zoom's menu systems take a bit of getting used to, the operation becomes incredibly smooth once you have the hang of things.

My only hangup on this unit is that its preamps are not the most interesting things in the world. They do not drive a whole lot of gain to anything, so more esoteric microphones are not an option when it comes to the Zoom R16. However, it fills its role perfectly. It knows exactly what it is, and everything that Zoom sets out to do with the R16 it does very well, and very smoothly. The R16 is a fantastic option if you are looking for something that can act as an interface and still portably record large setups on the fly.

Pourquié buy it?

An 8 / 16 379 tracks, you know many (in 2009)?

8 tracks simultaneously recording (taken combi XLR / Jack), 16 read

Easy to use, despite the too small screen.

Used in audio interface. It works fine but the knobs of the R16 become inactive, it's stupid! Raise the level of a track or change the pan directly on the R16 plutt in Cubase, have a cool t!

SD card reader: no comment!

MIDI CONTRL surface: not yet tested and ridiculous doc about it!

To models with a group or taken live, great!

I put 8 / 10 as a bit small screen and of course not motoriss faders is no memory of rglage levels quend track is tilted 1-8 9-16. But hey, considering the price ...

Installing drivers under Vista without any problem, stable drivers, not teachers correct latency.

Cubase and a Dual Core, has cracked a little when there are 8 tracks play with effects. On other software (Reaper, Audacity) is running well. So watch your config and the software you use (comes with Cubase lite)



November 2009 Update: When installing The models project in Cubase Lite, the Zoom R16 interfaces well with Cubase.

In other software, Zoom is used as surface type CONTRL Mackie Control.

Extremely simple installation and operation manual despite a more than insufficient and confusing. Attention ergonomic level, go through the menus button Pan / Eq paramtres your checks to insert effects. We search everywhere and it is the hideout! has cost nothing to add Fx aors Pan / Eq and everyone would have understood.

In short, usability is not great but even when using simple trs!

Mtronome routable in headphones or read or check out: perfect for a click-track, but not top Intgr tuner, microphone Intgr (of quality but it is not proper to record a vocals).

Suavegarde self = super project!

4 or 5 + knowledge recording mixing home

it gnial, lightweight, simple and cheap. The sound quality is good, the ergonomics mean (but not zero).

If Zoom / Samson day puts some functions by firmware or USB, has much the better.

Report quality / price excellent!

I wanted to buy a digital 8-track recorder, recording eight tracks simultaneous was what influenced my choice!

I play in several groups, and to make a demo we used 12 tracks: 5 drums, a rhythm guitar, a lead guitar, a bass singer two microphones (stereo), 2 microphones chorus (stereo), connected via XLR Mic, except for the lower branches with DI.
I bought it mainly as a digital recorder, the interface which is interesting to me, will be of little use.

As it is written I have used it with 8 simultaneous tracks.

I installed the drivers.
The configuration of the recorder is as easy as possible, although the manual is essential to make the necessary adjustments, you often have to press several buttons for settings, the screen is from another age, but generally it's pretty simple.
The manual, which was in English, I also found it in French, it is very complete, I also found the manual very complete when it comes to the audio interface.

I use it for one month already , but be aware that I ordered a 3 months ago, and it had some problem, it crashed and after several uses the card reader was out of order, luckily the retailer refunded me .
Before that I had a little 4-track Korg, an input ... nothing comparable.
What I like most is the ability to finally record 8 tracks live on a very compact model, the sound quality is decent, with dozens of effects, equalizer settings is also very interesting.
What I like least, that one can say is the certain fragility of it all, it's plastic, the connectors are quite delicate, we have to go slowly not to risk breaking it! And above all the settings for maximum simplicity registered, because I do not find them especially precise enough to measure the input signal coming from the instruments.
But overall, on price/quality ratio level, competitors are way out there!
I would repeat this choice without any problem!

Only 8 tracks at this price. By 8 tracks, includes recording. Reading, tables on the double. Otherwise, you can only record on the first 8, so we must move each track to the 9-16 range in order to really exploit playback 16 tracks. It is fastidious.

Writing to SD card and SDHC up to 32 GB (efficient, reliable, inexpensive, often found in cameras, SD card slot available on most new phones). Access to the SD card is on the side and is freely open (and another on TASCAM BOSS, unscrew a hatch before having access to it to me is unacceptable).

Output format. WAV directly usable on a PC (Yes, I'm not very patient and I understand why brands like TASCAM or other use proprietary formats for which it must wait 3 plombles vi export a USB cable).

2 XLR input with phantom power, a high input impedance, 2 mic, the offer is complete. Do not rely too much on the quality of the preamp for low back entrance cons, need to dream ..

Intelligent positioning of mics up and NOT on the facade, which can record on a desk or on the floor (Not the case with TASCAM or BOSS). Same with the headphone jacks or any other which is located on the bottom of the device and not on the front.

VU meter and peak meter readable from a distance and in the dark (the competition is on TV, good luck to know where you're at a distance). Real faders. Portable (fit in my house for guitar TOBAGO) and running on batteries (6 R6 for roughly 4 hours).

The transformer is very small and heats up a little, good for transport (not included in the competition!)

Packed ZOOM effects are provided and are is still mediocre (chorus reveb, ect ...). For me it is a recorder, the rest will be done on a PC. A metronome sound / video is also included as well as a tuner, AC can troubleshoot. The unit of measurement can be temporal or by measure. I do not know if it can do MIDI sync via USB cable, since I'm not interested in that.

You can use it as a SD card reader by connecting it via USB, the transfer rates as fast as a standard card reader. You can also export your decision on USB, USB port is provided (practice at the end of a rehearsal I guess, it is seen that each have the mix of rehearsals). You can also import WAV file into a project.

You can extend it by 16 tracks with a 2 ° R16 will sync via USB.

Last important point: QUIET! No fan, no mechanical movement.

Obviously do not send or insert for each track for that price, but it should be possible to fiddle with 2 output jacks to the format, I have not tried.

...

I work in Snow Leopard / imac 24 alu 1st generation. No big problem to install. Cubase 4,
I had to re- install as it would not finish (stuck at 100%). After killing the process, Cubase is there and functional, go. Activation of Cubase 4 with syncrosoft abominable (10 minutes with pross 100%) but it is, be patient and not imagine that the process is in the process of bugging.

Can not run it on windows for a license problem. Mail sent to the support that Steinberg did not answer. You gourré not the first installation with this s. .. protection. My advice: ghost machine blank not to take the lead with just over Cubase validated. EDIT: Bootcamp is not officially supported by Cubase, if it works, fine, if it breaks- too bad for you.

Control the fader in Cubase which poses no difficulty, it's nice.

The sound card works but it does not serve me, this was not my intention. Otherwise, by not recording with it, it's disappointing, and the card is permanently lit (even with switch OFF) when the USB cable is connected. Moreover, it takes 4 clicks each time to activate the sound, god, that is tedious in the long run ...

The manual is not bad, teaching, procedure by procedure, so boring to read in the Metro without the camera in front.

3 Weeks that I have it already. Not much to recoil.

The button click sounds fake, it's unpleasant. Ergonomics is clearly not the strong point of the unit as often, but it's OK. The sound quality is fine for this price, no breath detected yet, but I did not grow. The headphone clearly lacks juice, one must turn it full on.

At times it is a clickodrôme, and it remains a negative. 2 examples: New Project = 5 clicks on the button project. If you want to move a track is Click button swap, click Enter button, click source track, click track, click enter, click exit ... Extra!

I have not regretted that it does not have a dedicated pan button. and a single button serves to designate a track as mutable, recordable or part of reading short. Having said that, and to put things in context, on the Tascam to mutate it's worse, you have to press two buttons at the same time for example ...

I guess that here, or in competition which provides a stereo card, Zoom provides here 4 times that and it is certainly not the same quality. The mics are correct for the microphone and will do for now, but if you have a Shure SM57/58 lying around in the corner, please.

I made the take with the mic, a Shure SM58, an MTA 4033 and a Rhode NT2 on a guitar and a voice to compare. You'll find them here: http://john.fender.free.fr/Export/AF/ZoomR16FirstTakes/, it will give you an idea of ​​what to expect level mics.

I also make another shout out and compared notably the preamps to those of the R16 pro preamp input range (5051 TLA tube and ONEQ of JOEMEEK), this will give you an idea of ​​the difference it can exist between this type of preamp necessarily low-end and low and it brings a good preamp, absolutely necessary to go further: http://john.fender.free.fr/Export/AF/TLA5051VSOneQ/

It served as a musical notepad to record in a studio (in particular to record the drums). Not bad, and anyway I have not found better: it's still an excellent value for money. I do not recommend this type of device to the mix unless you are a puppeteer. With a PC with Cubase or Soundforge you will go 10 times faster with a much better quality and comfort.

For those who want to go further, I recommend the RME 400 UC.

Primarily, the zoom was a big expectation on my part and that of the band for a single reason:
With 8 recordable tracks simultaneously, it is really one of - if not the - best value for money products in this range.

I use two different ways: in "stand alone" to record rehearsals, catch drums, vocals, etc.. all far from my pc (I'm in an apartment and the drum tracks are therefore taken in a place far enough away from my tower), or maybe my house to record direct guitars, basses, and even singing when the neighbors are mop: p

Connected to a PC running Vista via USB port, used as an audio interface, latency is largely correct (we do not hear it). Namely it can also serve as a controller for sequencer, but I'm using it as can, too used to tweak the mouse ...

Regarding drivers, I have a problem: I am forced to disable wireless network interface. Otherwise, it happens at the interface "curling" and completely block the sequencer.

I use Reaper, but I also tested the version that comes with CUBASE LE4 interface is quite functional (except of course the wifi network adapter).

Namely that also recently Zoom released drivers (regularly updated, on average every two months) to run the R16 with Windows Vista 64 bit (I'm 32-bit, and with 4gig of RAM, I do not need more).

Again, with this configuration, the latency is very low (I have not calculated, but it is imperceptible.)

To install, if I had clues about the wireless network card that made me doubt for a long time the state of the equipment, nothing to declare, just read the doc, and everything happens as with most hardware of this type. Nothing specific to report. Things to know also that the updates are super simple to implement.

The material, a bit rough (but not in the explanations in the logical order of chapters) is more than enough to get their hands on all the possibilities of the machine.

One inconsistency, does this damn wireless card. But obviously I am an exception: '(

I use it for 8 months already, and I had no hardware equivalent before. There are two reasons:
1. I had no time to make computer music
2. I did not find such material before. Suffice to say that the thing fits my needs exactly (neither too much nor too little)

What I like most:
Well the whole beast, the ability to record 8 tracks simultaneously, it is versatile (stand alone, audio interface)

What I like least:
At the same time I knew about I purchased it, and for the price you have to be happy with that, but it is true that LCD is still rikiki hack and requires to press 15 times the same button to get to that menu you want. But hey, it's still manageable.

I would repeat this choice because obviously this is the tool I needed. More than 8 entries, I would never use it, and under that it was not possible. 

So obviously my grades are very high, but we must place them in relation with my needs. We can of course find tougher integrated preamp, cards with more inputs / opportunities, etc.. But I have found the rare gem.

What characteristics have motivated your choice?
The appearance of a 3 in 1 product. I, who wanted a midi controller, audio interface and a MIDI recorder, I'm quite pleased.

With which instruments or systems (console, preamp, DTD ...) do you use it and in what connection? ...
I use it to record a piano, guitar, keyboards, vocals ... Note that the mics are very good.

What is your config (Motherboard / CPU / Ram / Disk ,...)?
Notebook Core 2 Duo 2.4 Ghz, 4GB ram.

The drivers are stable, but I had a cracking problem. By disabling a Windows process called ACPI, I don't have this problem anymore

I use with Cubase, Guitar Rig and Amplitube and Kontakt

In audio interface, I've never recorded more than 2 tracks at once.

In latency, I get about 15ms

The installation is done it without problems?
Yes, no fuss

The general configuration is easy?
In recorder mode, menus are not very intuitive, but we made it

The manual is clear and sufficient? ...
Yes

For how long have you been using it?
For 2 months

Have you tried many other models before purchasing
I had the alesis IO2, but not enough for my needs.

What thing do you like most/least about it?
Pros: the 3 in 1, the ability to record without a plug (batteries), the export of key or SD card, the size, recording quality
The least: risky menus, the knobs could be MIDI controllers, the lack of MIDI

What is your opinion about the value for the price?
More than good

Motivation: price for 16 tracks (8 concurrent)
I never use it as sound card
purchased to make a demo for a group (keyboard, 3 vocals, bass, guitar, violin, percussions, drums)
otherwise I used the pre-amp for a Yamaha MG16 / 4 through the inserts to ensure maximum use of pre-amp R16

stable drivers with my imac
but I do not use it as a sound card
I did a test with the supplied Cubase I have not had any problems


manual clear to me

I like the price
but still very basic editing on this machine
for me it's just like a VCR
after it must pass under a DAW to clean everything