Zoom F8 - 8 track recorder

I think if it has some durability and the TC works, it might make a decent bit bucket for line level signals. The H4N has weird line inputs but still sounds ok when fed properly. A lot of ifs here..but if it is adequate along those lines, might be nice to pair it with a 442. Regarding impact on industry, nothing new here. But as mentioned, cost of gear doesn't change the difficulty in the job itself. I see a number of folks honing in on the threshold of entry concept..but I think that ship has been sailing for quite some time...in field audio, think Nagra. Maybe $$$ focus needs to be put back on skill as opposed to how many pieces of gear can be itemized on an invoice.
 
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https://www.zoom.co.jp/products/handy-recorder/zoom-f8-multitrack-field-recorder

With most TV and film production in the UK becoming very tight budget wise I can see this being a very successful product leaving more scope for people to get a decent margin from daily rates that have remained the same or dropped in the past 15 years!

Ok it is no sound devices but most of the cameras being used are no longer top end either and at the end of the day it is the skill of the operator that matters far more than the kit being used.

Less than £800 in the UK so I certainly will be ordering one.

OK it may not be the best quality sonically but my pro tools is no match for my old AMS Neve DFC and nor is any Yamaha digital console but hey they are being used widespead. The Behringer X32 is now also widely accepted so a price/features compromise is evident all over the industry and DSLR/low cost cameras are now defacto for most broadcast use too!
 
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Sound On Sound just put up their review of the Zoom F8:
"Once in a while, a high-quality, affordable product comes along that makes the professional competition look overpriced..."
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec15/articles/zoom-f8.htm

<<Overall, then, I am deeply impressed with the F8. It offers excellent capability and versatility in a very compact package, with a design that is generally well thought out. The F8 unquestionably offers remarkable value for money, and nothing else with a comparable number of inputs and recording tracks, let alone the rest of its comprehensive facilities, comes anywhere close. .


Alternatives:
At around 8.5 times the price, the Nagra VI arguably sets the benchmark for eight-channel recorders (although it only has six analogue inputs), while the Sound Devices’ SD-788T (a shade under seven times the F8’s price) is a very popular alternative in the professional film and TV market. The Tascam HS-P82 (just under 4.5 times the F8’s price) forms a very attractive lower-cost option, but the closest direct competitor for the Zoom F8 is the Roland R88 — and even that costs almost exactly twice as much!>>
 
I got mine in last week.

Overall very impressed with it.

Can't get the bluetooth to work with my ipad.

It connects to my android devices with no problem, but of course there isn't any android support.

And I know my ipad bluetooth works because other bt devices can connect to it.

Kind of frustrating.
 
Darn. They did release new firmware recently, you might want to try updating it and see if that makes a difference.
 
Upgraded firmware and reinstalled bluetooth driver.

Everything works. I was starting and stopping the recording from across the room.
 
The F8 is probably the best product Zoom has ever made. Great sound, easy to use, solid feel and TIMECODE!!! My only gripe is the lack of audio return from camera. But I supposed they could do that with the second output and a firmware update?

Anyways, love this thing!
 
I did my first real project with the Zoom F8 recorder last week. I have owned and used primarily Sound Devices mixers and recorders in the past. The unit performed perfectly in almost every aspect. I know the difference good preamps make. This recorder has the same "presence" and dynamics as the Sound Devices gear, if not a bit better. The usability was on par or better thanks to flexibility of bluetooth control. The only problem I had was that the tripod receiver on the bottom of the unit was not secure and I got the mount stuck in the bottom for some time and it would not release. It kept spinning as I tried to remove it, but it was not secure because even though it would not release, it would spin. I got it resolved with some zip ties, but hopefully this is a one off situation and not a design problem.
 
yoclay said:
Ok guys, so where is the noise floor on this thing?
Anyone have some Avisoft style figures? (A-weighted)
http://www.avisoft.com/recordertests.htm


By the way, I got the Busman pre-amp mod on my Tascam 680 a few years ago and people even stopped using my SD 442 with it, because it sounded so good.
Click to expand...

The EIN is listed by the manufacturer as -127, but I would contact their site and see if anyone plans to do any tests with the F8. Curious to see what numbers they come up with -- those guys are really serious about quiet preamps...
 
Those numbers mean nothing as it depends on what you are putting at the front end, recording as a source and placing in a final mixed project.

Anyone who thinks that they can't work with modern technology needs to go back to school and learn how to place mic's and record with good signal to noise ratio!
 
GaryNattrass said:
Anyone who thinks that they can't work with modern technology needs to go back to school and learn how to place mic's and record with good signal to noise ratio!
Click to expand...
But when we look at all those reality shows, we don't see any microphones!
So they must just be using the mics that came on the cameras, right?
How hard could it be? :grin:
 
The Zoom F8 is a great mixer and recorder combo. The preamps are pretty good and so are the limiters. Obviously it's not going to beat a Sound devices mixer but for the cost it is still pretty rad.
 
rustyrehl said:
The Zoom F8 is a great mixer and recorder combo. The preamps are pretty good and so are the limiters. Obviously it's not going to beat a Sound devices mixer but for the cost it is still pretty rad.
Click to expand...

I'm not an audio expert but I can find no discernible qualitative sound difference between the SD 702T I have been using and the F8...
 
scorsesefan said:
I'm not an audio expert but I can find no discernible qualitative sound difference between the SD 702T I have been using and the F8...
Click to expand...

b&h did an audio comparison of the zoom f8 and a sound devices 688. the 688 sounds a little better to me, but also costs a lot more. what do you guys hear?

zoom

sound devices
 
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