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Author Topic: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)  (Read 140212 times)

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Offline dallman

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #105 on: September 27, 2019, 12:10:50 PM »
We might finally have an actual release date in the near future.

B&H says "Beginning of October 2019".
Amazon says "In stock on October 21, 2019".
B & H are shipping the deck as of today. Mine arrives Tuesday. I'm breaking in the MixPre6 II this weekend at Gov't Mule. I guess it never rains but pours. Not that I'm complaining  ;D
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Offline voltronic

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #106 on: September 27, 2019, 06:24:33 PM »
We might finally have an actual release date in the near future.

B&H says "Beginning of October 2019".
Amazon says "In stock on October 21, 2019".
B & H are shipping the deck as of today. Mine arrives Tuesday. I'm breaking in the MixPre6 II this weekend at Gov't Mule. I guess it never rains but pours. Not that I'm complaining  ;D

Please give us a full report and some samples, if you can.

I might have to give Sweetwater another call.  I talked to a rep today and he said the last memo he saw was that their shipment wasn't arriving until sometime in November.
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Offline voltronic

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #107 on: September 30, 2019, 08:30:00 PM »
My F6 is on the way from Sweetwater.   ;D

Despite what it says on their website, Sweetwater is getting in units a few at a time.  I highly recommend you call my sales rep, who I have dealt with several times over the year and is outstanding.  He knew I wanted one right away, and was able to grab one from the units that just came in.

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Marching band competition on 10/12 and chamber choir concert on 10/13 will be a good weekend to put it through its paces.
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Offline dallman

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #108 on: October 01, 2019, 04:21:56 PM »
My F6 is on the way from Sweetwater.   ;D

Despite what it says on their website, Sweetwater is getting in units a few at a time.  I highly recommend you call my sales rep, who I have dealt with several times over the year and is outstanding.  He knew I wanted one right away, and was able to grab one from the units that just came in.

Jason Koons
800-222-4700
ext. 1389

Marching band competition on 10/12 and chamber choir concert on 10/13 will be a good weekend to put it through its paces.
Mine arrived this morning. Despite all the proclamations of how small it is, I was surprised at how small it is... ;D
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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #109 on: October 01, 2019, 07:21:16 PM »
[playing the straight-man]  How small is it?

 ;)
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Offline dallman

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #110 on: October 02, 2019, 07:51:25 AM »
Small  ;D
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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #111 on: October 02, 2019, 09:13:18 AM »
Huge hand!

Seriously, that thing does appear considerably smaller than I imagined it to be.
musical volition > vibrations > voltages > numeric values > voltages > vibrations> virtual teleportation time-machine experience
Better recording made easy - >>Improved PAS table<< | Made excellent- >>click here to download the Oddball Microphone Technique illustrated PDF booklet<< (note: This is a 1st draft, now several years old and in need of revision!  Stay tuned)

Online aaronji

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #112 on: October 02, 2019, 10:29:21 AM »
^ I got to handle one for a couple of minutes at a trade show in Amsterdam two weeks ago. It was smaller than I expected as well; it is about the same size as a MixPre-6. Similar depth, but narrower and taller. The build quality seemed pretty good, although the knobs were a little mushy feeling. I thought the front panel controls were kind of cramped, however, I would probably get used to that quickly. If I needed six XLRs, I would be seriously considering this recorder...

Offline voltronic

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #113 on: October 02, 2019, 07:37:06 PM »
Whoa.  It's the internet kitten meme of audio recorders!  Mine is arriving tomorrow, and I expected small, but not that small.
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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #114 on: October 02, 2019, 08:00:47 PM »
Half-wondering if I could mod it into a Western-style belt-buckle for some  >:D Rodeo ridin'
musical volition > vibrations > voltages > numeric values > voltages > vibrations> virtual teleportation time-machine experience
Better recording made easy - >>Improved PAS table<< | Made excellent- >>click here to download the Oddball Microphone Technique illustrated PDF booklet<< (note: This is a 1st draft, now several years old and in need of revision!  Stay tuned)

Offline voltronic

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #115 on: October 02, 2019, 08:04:01 PM »
Half-wondering if I could mod it into a Western-style belt-buckle for some  >:D Rodeo ridin'

Look at those bottom rails.  I think it would work.

It's the modern-day equivalent of Flava Flav's clock necklace.
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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #116 on: October 02, 2019, 08:07:57 PM »
Pair it with an XLR mic cable belt that plugs in both sides.  Beats the old knotted extension cord around the waist to holding up the pants.
musical volition > vibrations > voltages > numeric values > voltages > vibrations> virtual teleportation time-machine experience
Better recording made easy - >>Improved PAS table<< | Made excellent- >>click here to download the Oddball Microphone Technique illustrated PDF booklet<< (note: This is a 1st draft, now several years old and in need of revision!  Stay tuned)

Offline WiFiJeff

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #117 on: October 02, 2019, 08:52:10 PM »
Let's not get carried away.  It might work as a belt buckle for Andre the Giant, but nobody smaller.

On the other hand, Zoom clearly has a lot of confidence in 32 bit float.  If you record in that mode (without parallel 24 or 16 bit fixed recording) YOU CAN'T SET THE TRIM AT ALL.  The knobs let you fade the input for L/R mix, but no way to do anything to the ISO tracks in 32 bit float, it's disabled in the menu.

I have run the Mixpre 6 II three times, you can set trim in the menu since the knobs on that machine also do fading.  But I have been getting mostly piano recitals to record, setting gain optimally for those in the hall where I record is something I have done hundreds of times, so no real test of the range.  I will run the F6 on a piano recital Friday, probably in dual mode so I can use the "right" gain settings, if I feel confident enough I might try it in straight 32 bit float and pray the thing works as well as Zoom thinks it does.

Jeff

Offline voltronic

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #118 on: October 02, 2019, 09:38:24 PM »
On the other hand, Zoom clearly has a lot of confidence in 32 bit float.  If you record in that mode (without parallel 24 or 16 bit fixed recording) YOU CAN'T SET THE TRIM AT ALL.  The knobs let you fade the input for L/R mix, but no way to do anything to the ISO tracks in 32 bit float, it's disabled in the menu.

I have run the Mixpre 6 II three times, you can set trim in the menu since the knobs on that machine also do fading.  But I have been getting mostly piano recitals to record, setting gain optimally for those in the hall where I record is something I have done hundreds of times, so no real test of the range.  I will run the F6 on a piano recital Friday, probably in dual mode so I can use the "right" gain settings, if I feel confident enough I might try it in straight 32 bit float and pray the thing works as well as Zoom thinks it does.

Hmm, as a fellow classical recording person, that's a bit concerning, if only because the max mic input level on the F6 is nowhere near as high as that on the MixPre II.  Only time will tell if they set the fixed gain in that mode low enough that a really hot mic level won't clip it.

This seems like the type of thing that could be implemented in a firmware update, if it turns out to be a problem.

I would love to hear some samples from your session.  May I ask what mics you will be using?

If I were you, I would only risk going all-in on the 32 bit floating mode (that cannot be adjusted) after a few test runs in dual mode, and some critical examination of the 32-bit tracks in post.
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Offline WiFiJeff

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Re: Zoom F6 (32-bit float equipped)
« Reply #119 on: October 02, 2019, 09:59:01 PM »
I will likely run dual, and compare the float files to the 24 bit fixed (and the L/R mix).  I use Josephson C617 omnis (with the optional LD caps) on a Jecklin Disc near the foot of the Steinway.

To my ears, the Zoom F8n preamps are preferable to the SD722 and 633, and even (so far) to the MixPre 6 II, but that's rank heresy I know.  I want to see how the F6 stacks up, but I'm not really sure at this point why it even HAS preamps.

Jeff

 

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