What the fuck are you talking about? Calling anything about a Sound Devices recorder or pre-amp unprofessional, compared to anything that Zoom puts out is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life! Sound Devices is the epitome of professional recording equipment...as opposed to Zoom, which is anything but. Seriously dude, if you're going to try and sell your toys, you should really set your sights on a much, much lower target to compete with.
I'm not saying the MixPre series never ever can be used on professional shoots. Of course not, I know plenty of people who do. I might even consider one myself if I saw one pop up at an irresistible price to play around with.
Just wanted to point out that Sound Devices MixPre series has just has many flaws / negatives / deal breakers as the Zoom F series has, if not even more! (certainly in my eyes it is more, & why I didn't choose one)
Whoever is interested in correct information regarding the original question in this post needs to listen to the people that own and use the machines they are interested in, not garbage from someone trying to sell their crap. Rant over
I am *NOT* trying to sell anything. Have nothing of mine that I wish to sell now. Neither do I work for any product company but myself as a freelance sound crew person on shoots.
And I do use (unlike most people in this thread it seems) almost daily a Zoom F series recorder in my work, and have so for a couple of years now. And I also own several Sound Devices products as well (in fact a Sound Devices recorder was my usual recorder before I stepped up by upgrading my kit to a Zoom F4)
If people have used a Zoom H4n or whatever years ago in their past or only lightly played around with an F8 for a few minutes in a shop when it was first released, then they are doing a great disservice to themselves and the wider forum community to be writing off Zoom's F series as rubbish, and they'd be better off chucking out all their preconceived notions they formed about Zoom years ago. As their new F series is so different from their past work that it almost might as well be from a different company!
"I'm not saying the MixPre series never ever can be used on professional shoots."
Sound Devices IS used in the most professional sense that you can possibly imagine! Yes, THE most. They are used in the film industry. When you see those behind the scenes shots of the sound guys micing the actors, with booms, and other techniques, that IS what's in their bags. A good friend of mine works in that industry and does just that. He couldn't wait to tell me, someone who uses them for live audio recording, about the MixPre 6 when it came out because he often used that as opposed to the 788T and 744T he was using before that. These recorders are used for TV, movies, commercials, etc.. They do not use Zoom anything for anything. Somehow, I don't think that's a coincidence, I think it's by design.
Certainly, you can be very happy with your Zoom equipment, which is terrific, and I'm glad you are, but more than likely, a happy Sound Devices user isn't going to take a step down to something inferior unless they need the money for their unit knowing they can buy a new Zoom F8 for a fraction of the cost. I can't imagine what Sound Devices equipment you were using that you considered a Zoom an upgrade, but I'm guessing it may have been due for a little maintenance or something I'm unfamiliar with. Being happy with your equipment and the recordings you make with it is all that matters. Using it should be a pleasurable experience. You are obviously happy with you Zoom, and again, that's all that matters.
Just to sight an example of a discussion I was having yesterday with a friend: We were talking about turntables, and he had said that his Denon was the best. I quietly laughed to myself, knowing how wrong he was. To each their own, he is happy and that is all that matters.
Isn't a new Zoom F8 around $1000.00 (I think less, but without looking it up I figured on the high side)? A new Sound Devices 744T, is over $4300.00...ever hear the expression, "You get what you pay for"? Yeah, it's true. Another is, "There's a sucker born every minute"...but considering the applications the Sound Devices are used for...I'm thinking that one doesn't apply here
BTW, I really don't mean to go all crazy on you about this, but the original post, if I'm not mistaken, was asking about a 744T compared to others...and since that's what I normally use, I take it to heart (like yourself).
::: peace :::