Zoom Studio & Home Studio

I've been using it for 4 months in the following three setups (with a band): Firstly, I have the same jack issues as some fellow reviewers, namely, the XLR/jack connectors that "eat" the plug. They are so hard that if you connect a poor quality plug (I had the problem with a 50 cent jack/RCA adapter), the tip will remain stuck in the R16 and you will have one jack less on your R16. And getting it out is not a walk in the park nor is it exempt of risks, since the cables are excessively short. I haven't had this issue with good plugs, though. Soundcard: Not bad, low latency, good performance. The recording quality is all right, no noise. The dynamic range and headroom are not as good. It's not a Mackie, but it's not the same price either. At this price point, I'm not sure there are many products that can record 8 tracks via USB, apart from Behringer's Xenyx, which would make for an interesting comparison. It's easy to set it up with a DAW (Mackie Control mode). I use it with Reason and have no issues with it. When you move the faders, the software faders move, too, but since you can't use it live with your DAW (awful sound, you are force to monitor it), personally, it isn't very useful, but it's amusing. (I'm sure the sound is okay with 2 or 3 tracks, I've tried it with 8 only). Mixer: It can be used for emergencies. Bad accessibility to the EQ and effect controls. The reverb is not bad , the delay is okay, but the rest is to be used only in an emergency. The EQ is okay. Recorder: Great. Personally, I think it's very easy to use and that the sound is perfectly in sync, without any latency or compensation. You stick in an SD card, create your program, record, take the card out, put it into the PC, and import the tracks (WAV) into your DAW, easy as that. In short, for the price, it's a good recorder to make demos. It may also be used as a mixer but not for live gigs, although if you don't have other options, it does the job, but don't expect to be able to do much in terms of settings and also consider that the outputs are very limited. It's a pity it doesn't support MIDI. Would I buy it again? At this price, sure, although next time I'll surely get a Mackie Onyx.

The controls are cumbersome, at best. Between the Menu switch and the arrow slide and switch, you can eventually get most functions to work if you are patient and memorize the weird defaults. Unfortunately, the mixer does not function as a tracking mixer, final mixdown only. As if anyone but a very poorly equipped hobbyist would ever mix down using the H6. An obvious use for the H6 would be as a portable, free-standing recorder. My expectation was that I could add a sync/scratch track to a folder and add other instruments remotely to the recording for later extraction and adding to a session in Pro Tools or Logic, etc. Zoom engineers have decided that "overdubbing" is only for adding one track at a time. Oddly, Zoom has taken 50 years to not quite provide the function of a 1970s Teac 2340 reel-to-reel. Someone needed to learn something about multitrack recording before being allowed to play with product development. The sound quality of the H6 preamps is fine. The preamp controls are clearly marked and easy to use. The XY, M-S, and extra non-phantom-capable extra pair of pres are decent. If what you want to do is record 6 tracks simultaneously and as a free-standing remote recording deck, the H6 will be fine. I discovered that the engineers didn't think much about typical remote applications, though. Connecting the Zoom pres to a splitter that allows a preamp's phantom power to the Zoom will wreak the H6's phantom power. It's hard to imagine not being able to protect a current limited phantom supply circuit from something as common as linked phantom power, but Zoom failed that test. Be super careful with splitter use. If they aren't fully isolated, the H6 will probably self-destruct. Obviously a work-around to the overdubbing flaw is to use the H6 as an interface and do the sync signal with a computer. As an interface, the H6 has a lot of better priced and featured competition. The whole point of the H6 should have been to be a free-standing, multitrack recording system.

I work with videogame soundtracks and bought a used Zoom H4n to record ambiences and outdoor sounds in general. Mine one has a pretty nice plastic case, an AC adapter (but can run on two AA bateries as well) and an USB cable, and I've bought a separate 16gb SD card to use with it. It has two condenser microphones, two extra inputs for additional mics (which can be phantom powered) or line DI/sources, and you can use all these 4 channels at once. It records wav files (up to 24bits and 96kHz) and mp3's. The usb cable is not only to transfer files to your computer, but can also make the unit work as a regular audio interface, nice resource. Besides that, it has a few built-in effects (compressor, amp simulator, delay, etc) that are not good (you might wanna use them to plug your guitar and practice with a headphone... might) and a small speaker that is usefull to have a quick listen to a file and make sure that everything is working fine (of course, you can also do that with a headphone). The construction is robust and it looks like it could handle some hits and falls with no problems. I don't have much experience with portable recorders, but I can say that the pre amps on the H4n are not as good as the ones from a regular audio interface in the same price range. But they are not awful either: you can get some usable sounds from the stock mics and some very usable sounds if you use a couple external ones. I usually end up always boosting a little top end and cutting a little around 200Hz, 300Hz from the files recorded with the H4n. One thing I really like is that the stock mics can be twisted to open up the angle of the stereo XY recording, from 90° - good for stereo instrument recordings - until 120° - good for my ambiences because they sound large and fill up the stereo spectrum nicely. Being able to do it without any other mic is really handy. I don't really like the little screen and think that navigating through the unit's functions could be easier. Anyways, you can still learn how to use it and get your work done. Overall, even with its problems I think that the H4n is a good product, that does its job well (which for me is to record stuff out of the studio, but you can easily find other applications) without taking much of your money. If I had to buy another portable recorder I would probably look around for other models before just to make sure that there is something better around nowadays (I would trade the effects for better pre amps without thinking twice, for example), but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't find anything as good and as practical as the H4n for this price.

I want to start off by letting you know that I did not purchase this mic with the intent to use it as a field recorder. I purchased it to capture better audio (vocal recording) for my film projects (that was the main goal). After messing around with a bit I began to notice just how versatile the recorder actually was. I began carrying it with me everywhere : Store, park, bathroom (yea I know TMI) and even the recording studio. It's actually a really nice field recorder especially for the price! I've only used 1-2 other field recorders besides this H1 Zoom and one of those just happen to be the H4 Zoom recorder. In my opinion they don't sound very different. If you were to record 2 quality sound bites in the same environment and play them back to someone they'd have a hard time telling them apart. What I don't like about this recorder is it's build... It's mostly plastic! But again, it's only $80.. I just wish it had a slightly better build but other than that I have no complaints. I was able to get 10 hours of recording from a single AA battery! I've used this little guy to record all sorts of different sounds: Car starting, milk pouring into a glass and even live gun shot sounds (with just the on board mic) You can hook up other mics to this recording, but you'll need a 1/8 connection to do so. I would recommend this field recorder to anyone who is looking to improve there audio for film recording (again vocals) as well as those who are looking or thinking about messing dipping into field recording on a budget. If you plan on recording anything outside I would strongly suggest you use a dead kitten or another type of raggy textured wind diffuser (to kill background noise and wind sounds)

The obvious thing to like about Zooms' H2n is having a good quality recording with minimal fuss. The H2n is ideal for recording live shows or for just recording some ideas quickly at practice or on the go. For the price vs. value, I would say that it is just right. You get exactly what you pay for with this item, perhaps even a bit more. The sound quality of the H2n is quite good when compared against many other handheld, condenser mic equiped models offered by Zooms' competitors. The mics Zoom uses are very well balanced and very sensitive and of overall very good quality. I've used this in a variety of "live" situations from very quiet shows to ampitheatre shows to indoor rock shows. The H2n always performs well provided that you take the time to familiarize yoursef with the onboard effects and ensure that you are not clipping. Personally, I would not recomend using any of the built in limiters or compressers etc. If you have a good DAW to transfer the recorded files into then your best bet is to just record it dry and do your eq'ing/mastering later with your good monitors and in a controlled environment. Also keep in mind that the H2n's condenser mics are very sensitive to handling noise and or vibration noise from being set on a hard surface. You can easily ruin a recording of a great live show by setting it on a wooden railing without some sort of padding or something underneath, the optional stand is nice. Also, keep in mind how much internal storage space you have, the options of choosing between different sampling rates and or bit depths is fantastic, but you can use that space up quicker than you may expect if you insist on recording at the highest quality. On a lower note, the proprietary file system is a bit odd, once you get used to it it's no big deal but you'll see what I mean. I've used a ton of handheld recording devices over the years from microcassette all the way to fully digital and I have to assure you that the H2n is a godsend for the applications that it is best suited for. I would certainly purchase the H2n again if necessary or another model from Zoom. I've used all of their H series recorders and have gotten consistently good results.

I bought this pocket recorder based on a recommendation of a friend. I was looking for something easy to use to record our band's rehearsals for playback. This device could not be easier to use, and makes simple recordings which rival or are better than those I have been able to make in the past with a fully featured four channel recording desk. The multitude of settings make it possible to adjust for a variety of settings and requirements. The manual is fairly easy to read and understand. Using this recorder during rehearsals has greatly improved the speed with which our band is able to learn new material. With a minimum of hassle we are easily able to download the recording, cut it into songs, and post it for all members to hear. This is usually done before the next morning. Being able to listen to what we are playing after rehearsal allows us to disect the various aspects of the songs and work on the details, and also allows us to record versions for new members very easily. The only thing I don't like about it is that the placement of the recorder in the room is your only real ability to 'mix' instrument levels relative to one another. You get the hang of this fairly easily, but it is not as easy as moving a slider up and down. I think the recorder is great value for the money. I have tried to do similar things with mixing consoles and multi-track recordings before, and the problem with that method is that it could take a very long time to get even a single rehearsal recording up. To get full benefit from this activity, the recording has to be available to all bandmates very quickly. This device provides that facility while also providing great, almost professional, sound quality. It also works well within a lot of different environments, and has a wide lattitude with regards to sound levels and mixes it is able to accomodate. I have tried other similar recorders, and although there are also many competitor products which offer similar levels of performance and value, this is the one which seemed to be the best combination of sound quality, usability, and value. I would definitely buy another if this one breaks or is lost.

One of my friends from college uses the Zoom H4 so I have had a few different interactions with it. He uses it for on the spot quick interviews in LA for a local radio station. He has interviewed celebraties with it and it sounds like he is using a mic with a boom stand like in holly wood movies. The quality of it is GREAT and everything is really clear. I have even heard interviews on it and you couldn’t even hear much of the surrounding noises and they where right by the street and you could barely hear the cars passing buy and the people talking the back ground. Its like a really high quality HD sound with the ability to get back home and transfer it right into the computer. My only suggestion is it seemed like the record time wasn’t that much. It would be nice if you could record on it from more than 120 mins. I know that is a lot of time, but you never know where you are going to be and how much you will need to record with it. You don’t want to miss anything or have to go back and delete stuff to create more room on the spot. Also something else I would like if it had a wifi internet connection or some type of blue tooth connection so you could transfer the audio files without needed a cord. But overall, its great and I highly recommend it for someone who wants to record themselves or others on the spot or even to record notes in your college class. You wont have to worry about missing anything every again. I am surprised then havent put a had camera on them yet? It would be great to have great sound as well as great video too at an affordable price.

35+ years playing guitar, performing and songwriting. Played in a garage band for a couple of years. Solo since then. Purchased this from Sweetwater to upgrade from a Fostex VF80. I paid $700.00. So far, there is nothing to like about this unit. The one shipped to me does not work. When you plug the thing in, turn it on and nothing happens, there is nothing to like about the unit. For this POS I sold off my Fostex? I should have kept the Fostex and saved my money to buy a new guitar. If this is typical of Zoom quality, I will never buy anything carrying the Zoom brand name, or the Hartke or Samson brands since they are all made by the same company. I will never buy another Zoom product. As soon as Sweetwater sends me the Return Authorization--this is being sent back for a refund. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I'm a UK guitarist of many years standing :) I write, play and sing. My last band was a left leaning folk rock band called Tricks Upon Travellers. Recorded 4 CDs and always got good critical reviews but no financial success. Highpoint was a Glastonbury gig in 2000. Currently I'm writing songs for a "rites of passage" film about 16 year olds and heavy rock! Totally self taught I have no style that I can identify and I have far too many influences to be healthy! I bought the Zoom at a music show in Brighton. I paid a little over £500 for it. I had been looking at multi tracks recorders for some time and the Zoom was a good price, had a reasonable size hard disk and was very flexible. It also had a built in drum machine and bass unit and I liked the ergonomics of the unit. The ergonomics are very good with controls easy to access and intuitive to use. Basic recording is very straightforward but it also has some very sophisticated features. Sampling, loops, and a whole range of effects just for starters. A comprehensive (perhaps too much) range of drum loops are supplied and some great drum sounds are included. Although it is sold as a 16 track recorder it is really only 12 useable tracks. 8 mono and 4 stereo. The stereo tracks can't be used as discreet tracks unfortunately and the nearest you can get to treating them separately is to hard pan each channel of a stereo pair although you can't separately record each channel. Cut and pasting parts of a track is bit involved and difficult to get accurately as there is no "waveform" type display and it's necessary to chose start and end points using bar timings. It's difficult to see if recording levels are going "into the red" as the level indicators aren't very clear. The USB interface has to be purchased separately and although you don't necessarily need it I've found it invaluable for easy backups. The unit is very well made and the recording quality is excellent. The effects are very good and cover most of my needs. Buttons are of a good size and are easy to use. The display is good but see comment above about the level indicators. Would I recommend the unit? A qualified yes. For the price it's an excellent piece of kit. Easy to use and produce good results very quickly. I have my reservations about the 12/16 track issue and a bit of forward planning is necessary to make full use of the available tracks. I'd also like to see a GM sound library but I can live without it. And whilst I'm griping it's annoying that only one chorus and one reverb effect can be used at mixdown. It would have been nice to use more. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I got the Zoom MRS-802BCD on ebay for $500(us) but it normally goes for $700(us) if you have the CD burner in it and $550(us) without the burner. I got it because I wanted to have a way to record my band and to record songs that I came up with. I wanted the CD burner in it so i didnt have to take it to the computor to get a cd, I can do it all in my room. What I like about this unit is the manual because it walks you throught everything that you are trying to do and is pictures of what it should look like. The recording itself sounds great. I had no idea what it was going to sound like when I got it and I was very haappy with the end result. The system is very easy to use. I was able to have a whole song finished in 1 hour. I never once read the manual. It is very self-explanatory. The guitar effects on the consol are ok. I have a Zoom effects pedal board so i do not use the effects that much. That drums on the recorder are some-what realistic. They have over 250 pattersn and over 250 fills for those patters. I can't say there is anything I dont like about the MRS-802BCD. Its great! The bottom is a metal plate and the top is hard plastic. Its seems very sturdy and strong. Its heavy so it doesent move if someone bumps it. I would recomend this recorder to anyone looking to buy a digital recording device. Im 15 and play in a band with 3 other guys and have no problems whit it. It is great for the solo artest or a whole band. Buy one today!!! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I acquired this unit one year and a half ago in a music store in Mexico city, where I live. It was new, and as I can remember, I paid around $290 dolars for it. The reason to buy the MRS-4 was that by that time I was recording my music in an Onkyo mini disc recorder, but this has only a stereo inputs, and I want to record my music with the posibilities to use multitracking. The MRS-4 is a very versatile multitrack recorder, I use it in my home studio. I'm an instrumental music composer (I play keyboards, electric guitar and drum machine) and the MRS-4 is and small but powerful tool to develop my ideas, It let me do a basic track and use more tracks or V takes to complement the main idea. The MRS-4 is very well constructed, very friendly with the user (I spent one hour reading the manual, and after I start experimenting with the recording and editing functions) and since I had this recording machine, my demos and pieces are much better done. Also I must say that the sound quality is great. Well, maybe there is nothing that I don't like about this unit. Probably the only limitation that I find is the smart media card capacity, but I generally buy the 64 or 128, so I have enough time to put 3 or 4 songs in each card. Also, I got a free-software in the ZOOM official page, I install it in my computer and this software let me save my compositions in my PC, so I can clean the card after storing it, and use it again and again. Zoom always has very high quality products at affordable prices in the market. That's the reason by wich the amateurs, half-time professionals and full-time professionals musicians use these products, I hope. The construction, performance and materials-resistance of the MRS-4 is ok, you can use it in practically every enviroment (home studio, bed room, traveling and even in a live performance, as a direct take from the sound desk. In my opinion the MRS-4 is a very nice unit, that has a great cost-value relationship, you get a very useful recorder with high resources and without expend a lot of money. In my case, the MRS-4 let me improve my recording process, transforming my musical ideas in a more professional and high quality demos and pieces. I'm glad that I've had acquired this multitrack recorder. I highly recommended it to the musicians. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I purchased this unit on an online auction. With shipping it came to $628.00. I use it to record my own music, and to use as a back up for my guitar. I play at nursing homes for free, and I am limited to funds, and this was absolutely perfect. I feel very lucky to have won it at auction, and yes it was worth every single penny. This unit is absolutely awsome. I have been using it now for about 6 months, and still find new things out every day. I love being able to write songs with it. I love having 10 recordable tracks, with 10 takes or (Vtakes). The vesatility of the unit makes it a must have in any home studio. If asked what can you not do with it, That would be a very short list. The recording quality, is next to perfect, and the burning of cd's is about the same. The ease of finding what you have recorded could be a little bit better, however, it is not that hard. The quality of the unit is superb. I have a gig case that all my small equipment goes in such as the Roland Jamstation JS5, and my Samson 16 channel mixer, with all my mics, and cords, I have not had one bit of trouble out of it. Perfect condition If you get a chance to aquire one of these units, and your serious about your quality, SO IT!!!! You will not regret it. Excellent Product, and my hat is off to Zoom. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com