Topic: Zoom R16 8 track recorder.....

[Nick's Picks]

nothing yet.  We've been workin' it hard at our practices.  Here is the last multi-track we did last week.
instruments (bass/guitar) were run direct.  vocals were run from a sub group output from our main board.  Drums were mic'd w/the LSD in XY in front of the kit (about 1' in front), and upside down to capture some kick and shy away from the cymbals.  My leslie and keyboard amp were miced together w/one SM58 (best we could do w/8chan...ideally, I'd need 5 just for my keyboards to do it "the right way").  So corners were cut...


a little tweaking in post..., pan here, amplify there...
and here are the results:    http://nippinthenub.com/mp3/practice-12-17-09/

I'll be writing a more formal review on nickspicks sometime this week.   I wont be measuring noise or any of that..., as I dont really care what the specs on paper are, just what the finished product sounds like.

[kirk97132]

Nick, I took a quick listen.  Like you guys sound.  I just grabbed track 6 Groovin.  but I have a question.  The noise right before the music starts, is that just amp noise?  I'm hoping that isn't what the noise floor sounds like on this recorder.  Thanks, Kirk

[Nick's Picks]

yea, thats just noise from Leslie I believe.  she's "acting up" a bit.

this is from last night, its just channels 5/6, the ones w/phantom.
LSD2, XY in the room.
http://nippinthenub.com/mp3/12-29-09/2009-12-29track13.mp3

"john the mullet"

[kirk97132]

ah well it wouldn't be a true Leslie if it wasn't making some kinda noise now would it?  The mic sample is pretty darn quiet with out any music playing and I'm not familiar with the LSD2 sound.  It does sound like you ran the levels a little soft.    I am still thinking about selling my R-44 to get one of these.    So since you've been using it are you still liking it?  Just the thought of 8 synced tracks keeps hovering like a moth to a candle.....I'm just not positive enough yet to let go of the R-44 I like that deck a lot. 

[Walstib62]

Kirk,
As inexpensive as this unit is, I would hang onto the R-4. This does seem like a good price for an 8 ch. unit. The fact that Nick has been using it a lot and it still powers up is encouraging! I have a local venue that will allow me to do multitrack. I'm also looking at the Korg D3200, which will do 12 tracks simultaneous.



http://www.korg.com/product.aspx?&pd=223

[kirk97132]

It's the R-44 not an R-4, slightly different.  But even though the price is cheap I'm not in a position to spend even the $400 that this unit cost unless I sell something to fund it.  I could sell my R-44 and buy this and a 4 channel Preamp( Niaant Big Box in particular) and not have to spend any money.  The Korg unit you linked to goes for $1200 and there is no way that is in the budget.   It is just appealing that I can get 8 tracks and a pre without spending money.  The other think is that I rarely go to any arena type shows, 1 a year if that, so the layout of the R-16 is a non issue for me.   

[Nick's Picks]

truth be told....,
If you can really use the 8 chans, in a controlled environment (not concert taping), the R16 is untouchable in its features, value and price.
If you want to record concerts too...stick with your Edirol.  I miss mine. 

[kirk97132]

Damn Nick you're killing me here!  Reading everything.....all wavy gravy and then you throw in the....."I miss mine" line in..... Shit shit shit, now I'm back to absolute indecision.  I wish someone I knew had one so I could test drive it a time or two.   

[bugg100]

Really want one for live taping also, but shouldn't have two recorders at once.... Just one or two more channels are all I want, and don't need phantom for direct board feeds ( tape out direct pre-fader...)

[Nick's Picks]

I miss my Edirol solely for the "all in one HQ recording box" that ran on 4xAAs for hours..and fit in my field bag.
the Zoom..., its not a field deck ...in how we would use it for concert taping.  sure, it can be done, but its not quite as easy.

you dont just turn it on and hit "record" ..for example.
you have to create a project, all of its parameters..., etc..., then record.  and everything is a single mono channel that you have to mix in post.., even if its just two channels from a pair of mics.

If I was using mine for concert taping only, it would be sold by now as a matter of inconvenience.  But for what I bought it for..., I love it.

[Chris K]

i have played around with the Zoom HD16CD. I liked the layout and the metering on the unit. It looks similar to the R16, but it is aluminum cast housing. I think it can also act as DAW controller but don't quote me on that. I would not consider this a field recorder either, as it is the footprint of a small format mixing console.

In the short time I used the HD16CD I could not figure how to transfer all the tracks to my DAW's for mixdown on my CPU. And I didn't care for the steps required to burn a rough mix CD.

For the price these Zoom units seem like a good value. 

So much so that I was thinking of getting the new(er) Zoom H4N to record rehearsals of my band as the new H4N has 4 channel recording which is unusual for a handheld. Set up the H4N in the room with the built in stereo mics (X/Y 90* or 120* spread) AND run a line into the combo xlr/trs inputs from the PA which only provides vocals during rehearsals. At the price point the H4N seems like a nice unit.

[Nick's Picks]

thats what I was doing previously w/my R44.  room mics and a stereo SBD feed.  But it was hard..., very little control over those 4 channels.

[Walstib62]

i have played around with the Zoom HD16CD. I liked the layout and the metering on the unit. It looks similar to the R16, but it is aluminum cast housing. I think it can also act as DAW controller but don't quote me on that. I would not consider this a field recorder either, as it is the footprint of a small format mixing console.

In the short time I used the HD16CD I could not figure how to transfer all the tracks to my DAW's for mixdown on my CPU. And I didn't care for the steps required to burn a rough mix CD.

For the price these Zoom units seem like a good value. 

So much so that I was thinking of getting the new(er) Zoom H4N to record rehearsals of my band as the new H4N has 4 channel recording which is unusual for a handheld. Set up the H4N in the room with the built in stereo mics (X/Y 90* or 120* spread) AND run a line into the combo xlr/trs inputs from the PA which only provides vocals during rehearsals. At the price point the H4N seems like a nice unit.

I have the H4n and it is a very good feature set for the money. It has it's drawbacks, which can be worked around.

[Walstib62]

thats what I was doing previously w/my R44.  room mics and a stereo SBD feed.  But it was hard..., very little control over those 4 channels.

Little control in what way?

[Nick's Picks]

when you dont have a FOH guy dialing you in perfectly, you sort of get this raw mix where certain things are too loud, or too soft...and you can't do anything about it (as it comes via RCA stereo output from any given mixer).  That's a lot of channels, all control over them lost once it is summed to stereo (like the RCA outputs, main outs..etc).
especially difficult when the PA is only being used as reinforcement for certain instruments (like kick drum, for example), and vocals.
Thats hard to get a good mix from w/o being there to tweak and monitor with headphones.  Hard to do when you're on stage tearin' up the Hammond.



With the zoom, I have 6 tracks of SBD to play with and two "room mic" channels if I want.  Now I have control over all of them and can mix and adjust accordingly.