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Author Topic: Zoom F8 - Part 2  (Read 125498 times)

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Offline pohaku

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #45 on: December 18, 2015, 05:19:23 PM »
How soon before someone tries syncing multiple F8s?  Should be possible via its built-in timecode in/out, right?

Check in the F8 thread on the GS board, they are already doing it in the field - 16 tracks through a pair of linked F8s.

Here's the link:

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/11377744-post106.html
« Last Edit: December 19, 2015, 02:09:19 AM by pohaku »
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Recorders/converters/monitors: dr680, m10, dr-2d, d50, zoom f8 & F8n pro, 788T SSD CL-8, lynx aurora 8, Neumann KH20


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Offline vwmule

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #46 on: December 18, 2015, 09:11:37 PM »
Mine just arrived. How do I use the USB connection to power it up? Can't figure out. Got Hirose to work but want USB, if possible.

Offline Hypnocracy

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #47 on: December 18, 2015, 09:29:05 PM »
Tonedeaf didn't mention USB for power in his review...

4.0   POWERING

The Zoom F8 can be powered from three different sources; the AA battery tray/sled, the 12V connector on the rear panel, or the 9-16V hirose connector on the left panel. 

The hirose connector is a four-pin connector (though only two of the pins are actively used) that locks onto the corresponding socket to prevent accidental disconnects.  When powering from this connector, an external battery of voltage between 9V and 16V can be used.  To provide the correct low voltage alerts, the user should set the proper low voltage shutdown settings in the menu (see Section 5).  Unfortunately, Page 20 of the user manual (see Hint box) states that the manual specifies the shutdown voltage that should be set for the external DC power supply; however, this information is not provided in the manual.

The AA battery tray/sled was already described in Section 1. 

The connector on the rear panel accepts the power supply (wall wart) provided with the unit.  This connects to an AC wall outlet.  As noted in the pictures, the voltage at the connector is 12VDC.  (The wall wart is a power transformer that coverts 120VAC, or 220VAC in some countries, to 12VDC at the output of the transformer.)  I checked the generic connectors that came with my Tekkeon 3300 batteries and one of those connectors fits perfectly onto the 12V power input on the back of the F8.  The connector on the unit is recessed and the adaptaplug connectors are right angle, so when inserted, the right angle connector fits perfectly snug into the socket while also hugging the back of the unit close enough so that when it's sitting in the bottom on a gear bag there's no concern with the cable coming out of the bottom of the unit into the bottom of your bag, especially since the weight of the unit is holding the right angle connector in place.....
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Offline vwmule

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #48 on: December 18, 2015, 10:03:14 PM »
You're right, thanks. Dunno how to connect Anker to 12v.

Offline ArchivalAudio

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #49 on: December 18, 2015, 11:34:57 PM »
You're right, thanks. Dunno how to connect Anker to 12v.
As I understand : It won't power up via 5v usb, it's only for file transfer.
You'd likely need a hirose or whatever the normal 12v power tip would be for the normal AC to DC wall power plug. - The same plug that the DR680 takes (M?) will work, I hear.
« Last Edit: December 19, 2015, 02:59:54 PM by ArchivalAudio »
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Offline david-p

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #50 on: December 21, 2015, 01:43:39 AM »
I have an F8 on backorder at Thomann.de,  Delivery is supposed to be at the end of January.  I have been unable to see one where I live and have a question for those more fortunate:

When the F8 is being used as a USB audio interface to a laptop, is it possible simultaneously to record on the internal SD cards and on the computer?  I am in the habit of doing this with my RME UFX (USB thumb drive on the UFX and hard drive in the computer), and being able to do so gives me the security of diversity in backup.  As I have to take all my gear on public transport, reducing the weight by leaving the UFX at home -- excellent though it is -- is one of the objectives for concert recording, plus the UFX is exclusively mains powered!

Many thanks!

David
Recording Ambisonics (4.0) with Samplitude, Alesis HD24, 2 x Roland/Edirol R-44
Mics: 4038 ribbons, C48 pantophonic(4.0), Earthworks TC30K.
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Offline kleiner Rainer

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #51 on: December 21, 2015, 08:01:09 AM »
Hi all,

powering from USB has its limits: after negotiation, you can draw a maximum of 500mA from a standard USB port, without negotiation, 100mA.

As a rule of thumb, 48V phantom power requires about 500mW maximum (48V x 10mA, plus losses from conversion). So if you want to use a Zoom F8 with 8 phantom powered mics, you need 4W worst case only to power the mics! Compare that with 2.5W available from the standard USB port. Then you still have not powered the rest of the device.

BTW more power is available only from USB dedicated charger ports (thats what your USB charger or power bank are), but then there is no communication possible (a dedicated charger shorts the two data lines with less than 200 Ohm). Alternative ways to signal a charger port is fixing the two USB data lines at certain voltages (you guess it - there is an Apple way and a rest-of-the-world way to do this). Again, no data.

So running the F8 from 12V makes sense - multiplying the input voltage ten times to get 48V is not very efficient, and the high peak currents are hard to keep out of sensitive preamp circuits (magnetic stray fields), unless you can separate them physically (not an option here).

So powering a digital recorder with phantom powered mic inputs is limited to two mic channels (1W mics, 1.5W rest of device), if you want to power it from an USB port.

Hope that clarifies this issue.

Greetings,

Rainer
« Last Edit: December 21, 2015, 11:59:49 AM by kleiner Rainer »
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Offline vwmule

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #52 on: December 21, 2015, 11:42:40 AM »
My first time out with the F8 was a good experience. Loved the extra channel ability. Levels def take a bit getting used to.

https://soundcloud.com/vwmule/jazz-is-phish-dec-20-2015-fee (full show at etree)

Jazz is Phish
20 December 2015 (Sunday)
The Howard Theater
Washington, D.C.

Source: AKG ck61 > Naiant Couplings/PFA (on stage, left) + DPA 4023 (on stage, right) + SBD > Zoom F8
Transfer: Zoom F8 > iMac. Mixed with Audacity. Tracked via Sound Studio. FLAC via xACT
« Last Edit: December 21, 2015, 01:15:38 PM by vwmule »

Offline vwmule

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #53 on: December 21, 2015, 10:22:00 PM »
I'm also having problems using external power. I've got one of these Anker's (http://www.amazon.com/20000mAh-Aluminum-Portable-Multi-Voltage-Technology/dp/B005NGLTZQ/ref=pd_bxgy_107_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0JYAT4AEQWCPQ4MAJ6QH) and a hirose cable. The Zoom will recognize this for a few seconds but usually it flashes off. I've got the nominal at 12v.

Bad cable?

Offline carlbeck

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #54 on: December 21, 2015, 10:27:36 PM »
Nope, not a bad cable just a royal pita to fire up. There's a tiny little window with that battery pack to fire up anything without a manual switch. The 12v will flash then just before it stops flashing & disappears you have to fire up the deck. It's a lot easier when I'm running my V2 & deck off that battery because once it stops flashing I just flip the switch for the V2, then I can fire up the deck whenever. The battery has to sense power demand to fire up which is nice at the end of the night when you power your deck off the battery pack will power itself down after the demand for voltage is gone. Keep messing with it, you'll get it.
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Offline vwmule

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #55 on: December 21, 2015, 10:37:47 PM »
I've tried that and did get it to turn on. But touch the cable and it powers down right away. Recall it happening with 744, and never used cable again. I'll have to contact the maker.

Speaking of powering, the DC-in on rear of recorder is very tight. You really have to pull the cord to remove -- at least on mine.

Offline robtweed

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #56 on: December 22, 2015, 04:26:22 AM »
I've tried that and did get it to turn on. But touch the cable and it powers down right away. Recall it happening with 744, and never used cable again. I'll have to contact the maker.

Speaking of powering, the DC-in on rear of recorder is very tight. You really have to pull the cord to remove -- at least on mine.

I found I had to try a number of power tip adaptors - I'd previously bought this set (I guess other similar sets are available):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CM2F2MA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Eventually I found one that fitted the Zoom F8 - I now get a reliable connection from my Anker power supply (after setting Nominal Voltage to 12V):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GSLRKJO?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

BTW I have velcro strips on the top of my F8 and the bottom of the Anker power pack - so I can stick it on the top of the F8 without fear of it falling off or pulling out the power cable during recording.  I usually attach the F8 to a camera tripod - that way I can have it at eye-level and tilted back which I've found makes it easy and comfortable to access and adjust.


Mics: DPA 2011C, Line Audio OM1 & CM3, Calrec CM652D, Behringer C-4
Recorders: Zoom F8, Zoom H4n, Sound Devices USBPre2 + MacBook Air
Mixdown: Audacity, Cubase LE on Mac OS X
Playback: Beresford Caiman II DAC, Naim NAP 100 amp, PMC TB2i speakers

stevetoney

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #57 on: December 23, 2015, 07:25:22 AM »

Speaking of powering, the DC-in on rear of recorder is very tight. You really have to pull the cord to remove -- at least on mine.

Same.  After years of having wimpy power connectors that pull out too easily, I like that it takes an actual pull to get the connector out of this one.

Offline ArchivalAudio

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #58 on: December 23, 2015, 11:30:23 AM »
FYI: got an email from B&H last night in stock:
Quote
           
Dear Customer

Thank you for your interest in the following item:

Zoom F8 Multi-Track Field Recorder
(B&H # ZOF8)

You are receiving this message because you asked to be notified when this item becomes available. Please be aware that this item is currently in stock*. Please click the URL below to view the item:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1140426-REG/zoom_zf8_f8_field_recorder/BI/E15

I've gotta wait until after the new year.... :(
~ Archival Audio ~
Archiving Worthy Music
since 1986 & digitally since 1995

https://www.facebook.com/ArchivalAudio/

Main Mics: Milab VM-44 Links • Milab DC-196's (Matched  Pair)  • MBHO KA500 or KA300 •
PreAmps:  BaybNbox  • Naiant LittleBox • Naiant [Milab VM44] TinyBox • Naiant PIPsqueak
Recorders: MixPre 10T •  Tascam DR-100 mkIII • Sony A-10 • Sony M-10 

macMini 3Ghz i7 16GB Ram 500GB SSD • MOTU UltraLite
Naiant MSH-2's •   TOA K1's • Beyer TG 153c's •  AT 853 (4.7kmod darktrain) • Countryman B3's (1 k mod)  + other assorted mics

Offline Ultfris101

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Re: Zoom F8 - Part 2
« Reply #59 on: December 24, 2015, 04:28:26 PM »
I was able to get one through Amazon and it arrived Monday. First outing last night and the bluetooth was nice to have as I needed to stash my bag in the FOH booth. Tekkeon 3450i > DC 12v in. Will use the hirose primarily once I get the cabling together.

https://archive.org/details/congress2015-12-23.mk41.zoomf8.flac24

It's an aud + sbd matrix. I included a sample of the raw mic source which you can download under the "show all files" link. The final mix is mostly mics in any case. I did one pass of parallel compression applying a small amount of EQ scooping out mids and bringing down highs a little, slight presence boost. Otherwise no EQ. FOH did decent work in my opinion.

Very happy with the recorder. I used some RCA > 1/4" adapters and then RCA to XLR adapters and gender benders to get the board feed. Worked fine. at some point I'll try XLRs with/without pads and see how it goes.

Next outing I believe I will run two mic pairs and with the second one put one mic direct to F8 and the other through the USBPre2 > F8 for comparison.

I've been wanting more channels and features like timecode so I can play with video in a more professional way.  That would mean an HS-P82 or a 744t/788 which are obviously nice gear but expensive and big (hs-p82 in particular, which otherwise I really like). I also like the form factor made for running in a bag. This F8 is exactly what I wanted right now. Merry Christmas to me!  :P

Mics: Schoeps MK5,MK41 CMC6,KCY,KC5 | AKG ck63,ck1 C460B,C480B | DPA 4061 | Naiant X-R card,hyper | CA-14o,c
Pres: Sound Devices USBPre2 | Naiant Tinybox | Church Audio 9200, UBB
Recs: Zoom F8 | Edirol R-44 | Sony PCM-M10 | Tascam DR-2d
Video: Sony CX550(2), CX580, HX9

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