i think the units stock preamps are decent. Excellent, no. but you get what you pay for.
they sound better than a stock UA5. I like it better than many stock preamps in the decks we use.
I run several condensers into it. Usually for drum overheads and spot mics. And in this regard, when you're using one, or two (different mics at that), its hard to determine coloration in the sound based on our use. Overall, I'd say they are relatively clean, but with a higher than you'd want to see on paper noise floor. Which could be an issue in a really controlled environment, but I"m suspecting not an issue for us (thus far) as our studio is less than "isolated" as we would want it in a real pro setting. IN a booth, you can run a preamp very, very quiet. To the point where "noise" isn't an issue, even with a less than quality preamp. Its about eliminating the noise floor, which allows you to run a preamp very softly.
You tell me. When you listen to this stuff, does it sound colored?
this last mix I posted is clean of all effects, compression...etc. All the common tricks of the trade when it comes to getting that pro sounding mix.
I have not had an instance of need to run outboard preamps and run it at line level input. The stock ones are fine for what we do, and I can only use condensers on two chan's any way.., which is two preamps at my disposal should I need them.
the "line level" inputs are coming off of the main board, so those are going through the preamps (though with dynamics) on that board...which are decent. Its Berringers top of the line Europower 32chan board. Passive. The preamps are the best Berringer has, but certainly not A&H quality. Again, you get what you pay for. The Zoom has no trouble w/any signal fed to it. No such thing as "too hot". And there is a hi/low Z selection on one channel for plugging instruments direct if needed. Again, we run direct into the big board, and sub groups out from there to the Zoom.
Since i've been recording our practices..., these pulls w/the stock zoom have been far superior to anything else down there.., which previously would have been the R44 with two stock channels getting an unmixable RCA stereo feed from the main mixer, and two Cmod channels to run either my LSD2/Pulsars or Scheops when I had them. We made great pulls w/that, but not nearly as flexible as what the zoom offers, and it does not sound bad.
As you listen to the samples, anything offensive you hear is far more likely to be caused by pilot error in mixing/mastering.
Learning curve...Like I said.
for example..., those 8 inputs need to be QUITE..., peaking at maybe -12 in 24bit. Maybe. And even then, I still often find myself dropping the overall gain by 5-10db on top of the low level inputs that were recorded.
Because..., after you adjust their individual gain (like a virtual mixer..think of it as the fader), and pan instruments where I want them..., add a little compression to the drum kit..., if I mix and render them even after all that reduction in signal db, the resulting two tracks are always HOT. And most times I have to go back and reduce the gain again by a few db until the end result comes out looking like a good 16bit file should look (with averages of -4 to -2db and an occasional peak of +2...., the deck is very forgiving when it comes to clipping. You've got to really have it pegged to fuck it up.
My biggest complaint thus far is that the menu sucks. I still need to consult the manual every time we want to try something different.
Tell you what though, Im learning all sorts of great instrument micing techniques. Reading some, making up others.
for example. we use one channel of my LSD2 as an over head. We tried it in omni. sounded very real..but too much bleed from the other instruments. Tried it in card mode, much better...but it was still 3+ feet over the toms/cymbals.
Thursday, I rested the mic horizontally w/the top cap right between the two rack mounted toms. I used a figure 8 on that one channel, w/the in phase lobe pointing left (snare, HH, left tom, left cymbals) and the left lobe , out of phase..picked up the right side of the kit from that 2nd tom, ride cymbals, blocks/bells and floor tom. Separate condenser (pulsar II) on the kick. Its the best sounding pull from the drum kit yet.
all about experimenting. we learn a lot every week about this deck. And there is a lot to learn. This thing is night and day compared to any of our usual suspect concert taping decks where the manual never gets opened as the decks are so intuitive. But...the Zoom has a zillion more features as its a recorder secondly, and a mixer first and foremost.
