Zoom R8 Recorder, Sampler, Interface, Controller

[H-kon]

http://www.filedropper.com/butterfly_4

My song "Butterfly" thanks to Anderton :-) Thanks for all the help :-)

[bzrkrage]

Just picked one of these babies up today. Thanks to your review, things should go smoothly.

Very interested in this as I had the choice of the H2n & this. Did you have a look at the H2n? Was curious about the mics the R8 uses (built-in). Can't find any specks. Any help there?

[kittlsk]

hi anderton,

thanks for your detailed review. i just bought this r8 and i have a question: after recording into tracks, is there a way to transpose the key for the entire tracks?

many thanks,

kitt

[daiku]

Craig, you are the best! I wish other product reviewers would look at the detail you go into in reviewing a unit. Most do a quick 30 minute brush over, and you really don't get a sense of what units are capable of and their limitations. I always have confidence reading your stuff. Keep up the great work!

Question: Does the R16/24 offer anything close to this in terms of features and functionality or has the R8 really expanded on those other offerings?

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by kittlsk

hi anderton,

thanks for your detailed review. i just bought this r8 and i have a question: after recording into tracks, is there a way to transpose the key for the entire tracks?

 

Do you mean like being able to transpose everything at once with a single command?

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by daiku

Craig, you are the best! I wish other product reviewers would look at the detail you go into in reviewing a unit. Most do a quick 30 minute brush over, and you really don't get a sense of what units are capable of and their limitations. I always have confidence reading your stuff. Keep up the great work!

Question: Does the R16/24 offer anything close to this in terms of features and functionality or has the R8 really expanded on those other offerings?

 

I'm not really that familiar with the R16/24, but it seems like compared to the R24, the R8 is more like a "little brother" that incorporates many of the most important features. Here's a link for info on the R24.

[kittlsk]

 

Originally Posted by Anderton

Do you mean like being able to transpose everything at once with a single command?

 

Sort of, I would be happy though even with a few commands, as long as the entire tracks can be transposed to a different key.

[JohnoL]

Is there a to do "loop" recording to virtual tracks with the R8? I would like to do several takes.

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by JohnoL

Is there a [way] to do "loop" recording to virtual tracks with the R8? I would like to do several takes.

 

Sort of. You can't loop, but you can record over the same section of the same track repeatedly to create multiple takes. Then you can choose the desired take for playback, and keep or delete the rest.

[electrochrisso]

 

 

 

 

 

Question: Does the R16/24 offer anything close to this in terms of features and functionality or has the R8 really expanded on those other offerings?

 

 

 

 

The R8 has added a foot switch, for easier punch in/out, and I think there is a couple of other tweaks, check the Zoom Forum to find out the other differences.

[post450]

Craig, I was leaning toward a multi-track hard disc recorder, but the Zoom has my attention and seems like it might be a good option as a small sub-mixer for some pre-recorded harmonies and instrument loops for our band, which was the appeal of the hard disc recorder, rather than playing tracks off of an iPod.

Do you think the R8 would be a feasible and practical solution for storing and playing backing vocals and various instrument tracks for live performance? And if so, do the recorded tracks spool up off of the SD card quick enough to flow through a set or would you think a laptop would still be required?

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by post450

Do you think the R8 would be a feasible and practical solution for storing and playing backing vocals and various instrument tracks for live performance? And if so, do the recorded tracks spool up off of the SD card quick enough to flow through a set or would you think a laptop would still be required?

 

Yes and yes. Obviously, it's also more shock-resistant than a hard disk recorder, and backup would simply mean another SD card. Playback from the card is pretty much instantaneous. Where SD card and flash RAM fall down on speed is in trying to record multiple tracks at once; playback isn't much of an issue.

You could also probably figure out how to record your set on two tracks while playing back from the other ones

[post450]

 

Originally Posted by Anderton

Yes and yes. Obviously, it's also more shock-resistant than a hard disk recorder, and backup would simply mean another SD card. Playback from the card is pretty much instantaneous. Where SD card and flash RAM fall down on speed is in trying to record multiple tracks at once; playback isn't much of an issue.

You could also probably figure out how to record your set on two tracks while playing back from the other ones

 

Awesome. Thanks for your response and the great review!

[santos]

Craig - great review! Like others have said, I appreciate this much detail.

I've been wanting some sort of digital recorder for ages. Many people feel that going to a computer is superior, BUT...and I'm sure I'm not alone...latency and endless headaches with multitracking software take the fun out of recording for me. Before running across this thread I'd been considering the R8, primarily based on the included drum machine and because I love the price point.

Anyway, a general question: mastering. Say I've recorded all my tracks and I'm at the point where I want to have a "finished" project. What is that process like? Can this all be done via the R8, or is the included software needed (I can't recall which one comes with it - Cubase?)?

And I guess that all leads to a big one: what kind of final quality is possible with the R8, just using the unit itself? I'm pretty low-fi indie, so I'm not looking for slick, radio-friendly production. And, as I've previously mentioned, I've not been enamoured of the PC recording process in the past, so I'm more interested in using the R8 as a "stand alone" as much as possible. So, what should our expectations be for the final, finished product?

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by santos

Craig - great review! Like others have said, I appreciate this much detail.

I've been wanting some sort of digital recorder for ages. Many people feel that going to a computer is superior, BUT...and I'm sure I'm not alone...latency and endless headaches with multitracking software take the fun out of recording for me. Before running across this thread I'd been considering the R8, primarily based on the included drum machine and because I love the price point.

Anyway, a general question: mastering. Say I've recorded all my tracks and I'm at the point where I want to have a "finished" project. What is that process like? Can this all be done via the R8, or is the included software needed (I can't recall which one comes with it - Cubase?)?

And I guess that all leads to a big one: what kind of final quality is possible with the R8, just using the unit itself? I'm pretty low-fi indie, so I'm not looking for slick, radio-friendly production. And, as I've previously mentioned, I've not been enamoured of the PC recording process in the past, so I'm more interested in using the R8 as a "stand alone" as much as possible. So, what should our expectations be for the final, finished product?

 

What astonishes me about gear like the R8 is that you can get really good final quality. The onboard reverbs aren't going to sound like a Briscati outboard unit, nor will the distortion algorithms sound like you miked a Marshall with a Royer ribbon mic, but the sound quality will still be more than enough to get your point across. Early on in the review I recorded an acoustic guitar with the internal mics and they still sounded pretty good. That was kind of a shock, actually. So no, you're not going to get the same results as a top-of-the-line computer-based setup...but you'll come waaaaaay closer than the price would imply.

As to mastering, that's a tricky subject. I do a lot of mastering - hundreds of tracks in the last couple years. All bragging aside, I can take tracks that are pretty sub-standard and make them shine - but that requires tools, technology, and experience. The R8 can do "mastering" in the sense that you can add some dynamics and EQ to polish the sound, but taking a mix to a "real" mastering engineer is a whole different world that produces whole different results.

[santos]

Thanks Craig. I appreciate the response. I've pretty much made up my mind to get an R8, which should happen later this month. Just as we are in a Golden Age of quality, cheap guitars, the same is true for home recording, it seems.

And I agree, the acoustic guitar recording you made speaks well to the quality of the internal mics - not spectacular, but in the realm of what one would hope for, and definitely useable.

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by santos

And I agree, the acoustic guitar recording you made speaks well to the quality of the internal mics - not spectacular, but in the realm of what one would hope for, and definitely useable.

 

Yes. The point of those mics is to capture songwriting ideas and such, for a "real" recording you'd want to use an external mic. But, the key point here is that if you capture a magic take with the internal mics, with a little bit of tweaking in a DAW you could probably use it. That's pretty cool.

[electrochrisso]

Hi santos, you can also look at it this way, the R8 can be used as a high quality audio interface for your computer if and when you decide to use a computer too, so it will still be money well worth spent.

[Joe Kosterman]

Recently I bought the Zoom R8 and Sonar X1 Producer. In addition I also bought the Line 6 POD Studio™ KB37 to use their amp modelers, since I am mostly a guitar player. I am struggled with getting them all visible and working within Sonar X1. Within Sonar I get the Zoom R8 set as controller, however when I play a something on the Line 6 POD Studio™ KB37, I get no sound from Zoom R8, but there is activity in the assigned channel within Sonar. I must admit I am a beginner with Sonar and with the Zoom R8. Currently I am working through the tutorial I bought from Compass 3 on Sonar Explained and the advanced Sonar tutorial developed by you Craig, but of course to find where exactly is the issue why I am not having sound, is not explained in these tutorials.

Any suggestions for this amateur, but who loves music and is tryin gthe tunes capturedd using a DAW like the Sonar R?

[santos]

THat's a good point, electrochrisso. And your issue, Joe K., is exactly why I found attempts to do simple recording on my PC so frustrating. That lack of inherent intuitiveness just made my brain hurt after awhile.

[electrochrisso]

 

Originally Posted by Joe Kosterman

Recently I bought the Zoom R8 and Sonar X1 Producer. In addition I also bought the Line 6 POD Studio™ KB37 to use their amp modelers, since I am mostly a guitar player. I am struggled with getting them all visible and working within Sonar X1. Within Sonar I get the Zoom R8 set as controller, however when I play a something on the Line 6 POD Studio™ KB37, I get no sound from Zoom R8, but there is activity in the assigned channel within Sonar. I must admit I am a beginner with Sonar and with the Zoom R8. Currently I am working through the tutorial I bought from Compass 3 on Sonar Explained and the advanced Sonar tutorial developed by you Craig, but of course to find where exactly is the issue why I am not having sound, is not explained in these tutorials.

Any suggestions for this amateur, but who loves music and is tryin gthe tunes capturedd using a DAW like the Sonar R?

 

You could try searching the zoom forum http://zoomforum.us/ and if you can't find an answer, join the forum and ask your question in the http://zoomforum.us/viewforum.php?f=17 section, I am sure someone there would be able to help.

I would if I could but I am also new to this stuff too and been learning to use Cubase and Reaper, and mainly record stuff either R8 solo then move files over to computer, or use R8 as the audio interface and record straight into the software.

[Joe Kosterman]

Thnaks Electrochrisso, I will go ahead and register the same question in the zoom forum. I will also register the question in the Sonar forum and Line 6 Forum, hopefully this way I get everything towork together. I will share the final solution on this forum once everything is wroking well together. I am hoping that Craig Anderton might find some time to perhaps offer some advice. I have a lot of his books and really like them.

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by Joe Kosterman

Thnaks Electrochrisso, I will go ahead and register the same question in the zoom forum. I will also register the question in the Sonar forum and Line 6 Forum, hopefully this way I get everything towork together. I will share the final solution on this forum once everything is wroking well together. I am hoping that Craig Anderton might find some time to perhaps offer some advice. I have a lot of his books and really like them.

 

I'd like to respond, but I don't understand your question. When you say "When I play a something on the Line 6 POD Studio KB37, I get no sound from Zoom R8, but there is activity in the assigned channel within Sonar" I'm not sure what you're trying to do. The KB37 doesn't make any sounds on its own, so presumably, you're driving a virtual instrument in Sonar. Is that what you're trying to record into the oom R8, or are you trying to get a sound from the Zoom R8 into Sonar? The more detail you can provide, the more likely it is I can help.

[workstation M.I]

 

Originally Posted by santos

Thanks Craig. I appreciate the response. I've pretty much made up my mind to get an R8, which should happen later this month. Just as we are in a Golden Age of quality, cheap guitars, the same is true for home recording, it seems.

And I agree, the acoustic guitar recording you made speaks well to the quality of the internal mics - not spectacular, but in the realm of what one would hope for, and definitely useable.

 

I think, at the very least, that "definitely usable", nine times out of ten, does the job quite well.

I myself have never heard "spectacular" recordings but I have heard lots of stuff that was well recorded and produced.

The average person can't tell whether you used a $10 or a $1,000 mic on your recording, but they CAN tell you whether they liked it or not. That is an important barometer, but the first thing to realize is that you have to be on top of your game as much as possible. Practice, education and listening are the best ways to do this.

Match your efforts against those of people you admire. Are you starting to get there or do you still have a ways to go?

The R8 is a very good place to start and if you can use it in such a manner as to make other people go "wow" in a "serious production" then you are headed in the right direction and later on, you might feel the need to drop some heavy dough on some heavy gear.

I am still trying to decide whether this sounds "pro" or not, because sometimes, I don't trust myself:

I can tell you one thing though-The gear used on this is NOT "heavy".

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by workstation M.I

I think, at the very least, that "definitely usable", nine times out of ten, does the job quite well.

I myself have never heard "spectacular" recordings but I have heard lots of stuff that was well recorded and produced.

The average person can't tell whether you used a $10 or a $1,000 mic on your recording, but they CAN tell you whether they liked it or not. That is an important barometer, but the first thing to realize is that you have to be on top of your game as much as possible. Practice, education and listening are the best ways to do this.

Match your efforts against those of people you admire. Are you starting to get there or do you still have a ways to go?

The R8 is a very good place to start and if you can use it in such a manner as to make other people go "wow" in a "serious production" then you are headed in the right direction and later on, you might feel the need to drop some heavy dough on some heavy gear.

I am still trying to decide whether this sounds "pro" or not, because sometimes, I don't trust myself:

I can tell you one thing though-The gear used on this is NOT "heavy".

 

These are all excellent points. You may have some Yoda genes in your family tree.

Is the soundtrack pro? If I knew what "pro" meant, I'd comment. BUT - it's effective, which is vastly more important. Good job.