Working with the Zoom F6

[Bassman2003]

Hello,

I recently purchased a Zoom F6 to upgrade my music recordings and am really happy with the unit. I run it in 32bit float mode and find it is as advertised, a great tool for the one man band. I just turn it on, plug in my mics and timecode from a camera and hit record. Easy.

My question for the community is more about handling the files and processing. I have always been in a 24bit environment where levels were set carefully and when working in post, one was mindful of limitations of processing & levels etc... 24bit is very forgiving but 32bit float is totally wide open. I notice that when I bring the tracks in from the F6, the levels have been pretty low in general. I use Cakewalk Sonar X3 as my DAW software and I wanted to ask the preferred way to bring the levels back up?

For example, I recorded a chamber music group recently and my stereo pair was probably 20-30 feet back form the group. When these tracks were put in Sonar they were probably bouncing around -20dBFS. I have read in the past it is better bring low levels up with compression gain rather than just boosting the faders. What is your take on this? Does it even matter in a 32bit float original file format with the DAWs being 64bit for processing?

Just wondering as it is sort of a strange situation to be in. One thing I have noticed with the F6 is that the recorded tracks seem very open. I can put a lot more compression on them and they seem to stay unaffected. Overall it has been a great product and I love the NP-F style battery hookup. I can put on a large battery on and not care for the rest of the day.

Thanks for your input.

[NorBro]

Why don't you just increase the dB?

Most people who use this device are recording a little hotter and then bringing the dB down. (Or recording a healthy amount of audio as they normally do and then key-framing the hot spots.)

[Bassman2003]

Are you saying increase the dB on the unit or in post? The unit does not allow you to adjust input levels in 32bit float mode. Or I am mistaken in this area.

[NorBro]

Either...

And it does. Turn the knob. lol

[NorBro]

P.S. I think they are technically called "faders". (Audio guys/gals will know best.)

But in short, you can control what you see in the device if you wanted to see a normal level, but it's mostly all post.

What's your main video editing software?

[Bassman2003]

Ok, I called zoom and they said while the input trim is greyed out in 32bit float mode, the output levels actually do affect the input levels. Why this is so, I do not know. So input trim is active even though the unit shows it as disabled. I will know I can set levels with more meat next time.

[Bassman2003]

This unit has knobs. Mixing boards have faders. What does video editing software have to do with it? I use Edius.

[NorBro]

The knobs behave like faders adjusting the volume.

Just wondering...always seem like there is some sort of complication in your workflow so wondering if Edius might support it.

FCP X works in 32-bit and you just drag the gain bar up or down.

[Bassman2003]

Can you say condescending?

[NorBro]

lol...that came out wrong.

Trying to help you, Bassman.