New Zoom F8

[Steven Digges]

I just found this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1140426-REG/zoom_zf8_f8_field_recorder.html
It looks like Zoom is going to a higher level of pro gear. If it is pro quality? This is ENG styled instead of DSLR style and has some features I wish were on my H6. But for three times the price I'm not sure I would have chosen it if it was available two months ago when I got the H6.

With the higher price I wonder if they improved the quality of the pre amps? That is what really matters.

If some one buys one I hope they will post about it when they ship.

Steve

[Rick Reineke]

I've gotten e-mails today from a number of shops offering pre-orders of the F8 as well.
"If it is pro quality?"
-- We'll have to wait and see, but based on Zoom's history, it will likely be another POS.. but with eight awful sounding preamps. You get what yo' pay fer, I will assume for now.
The TC?.. how accurate can it be at that low price? Each of my lock-boxes cost almost that. I'd like to try the F8 out though..

[Colin McDonald]

The H6 works well enough for many requirements and is much quieter than the H4n, but is clearly not what would normally be regarded as pro audio gear. If the F8 is as good as or better than that, then all to the better, but that is not the only issue.

Before any piece of gear could be regarded as "pro quality" it needs to have "pro quality" service and support. That's what enabled Røde to establish their reputation as much as their actual products, in the early years at least. It's also what put me off Tascam products many years ago - I had some really bad experiences with noisy pots that were never resolved.

I'm not aware of there being any service and support for Zoom products in the UK. Perhaps there is, but if that is my impression as a fairly long term user then it doesn't say much for their advertising. Fortunately I have found the products reliable if not particularly robust, and the one issue I had with an original H2 went away after partial dismantling to inspect for obvious faults and subsequent reassembly. DIY or disposal seem to be the usual courses of action for malfunctioning Zoom products here at the moment, apart from replacement under statutory warranty.

I look forward to being corrected on this.

EDIT: After watching this video from B & H made at the time of the F8 appearance at NAB, I have discovered one interesting aside – Zoom will be making available an extension cable for utilising the H5/H6mic modules with the F8. I might well buy that to use with my H6. I hardly ever use the X/Y module (and the M/S never) but being able to use the mic off the recorder would encourage me to at least try it.

Official Zoom F8 page has full specs on the F8.

[Steven Digges]

Originally Posted by Rick Reineke

"If it is pro quality?"
-- We'll have to wait and see, but based on Zoom's history, it will likely be another POS.. but with eight awful sounding preamps. You get what yo' pay fer, I will assume for now.
The TC?.. how accurate can it be at that low price? Each of my lock-boxes cost almost that. I'd like to try the F8 out though..

Agree...and you made me laugh it was so elegantly phrased. I don't consider my H6 "pro gear". I already have a post in this forum where I complained that the prosummer part of the H6 rears its ugly head in the limiter/compressor area by offering just three fixed presets and the manual does not even give you the specs on what the settings are for threshold / ratio etc. It gives you consumer names for them like vocals, studio, and concert. I had to find the real specs.

On the other hand I can't be super criticle because in the "You get what yo' pay fer" department I find it to be pretty amazing. The damn thing costs just $350.00. I am not a big gear head any more, been there done this for to many years. So I often come from the side of "wow, I can't believe this or that widget can do ALL that for just $350.00! And I don't even have to hire another crew member just to carry it around!"

And the H6 pre amps are not that bad, considering the cost. If you have a robust signal your OK. Like all cheap pre amps you get in trouble with them real fast when you ask them for some power.

I would love to have a kit full of Sound Devices gear but I don't. The reason for that is because I DO occasionally get gigs that require a SD level of quality. For those gigs I hire a guy that has a kit full of SD gear because I need the GUY that comes with the kit MORE than I need the gear ;-) ;-) ;-)

The F8 is a three times price increase over the H6 I am wondering if some of that cost went into better pre amps. One would hope, because these two units are not for the same user. And the guy that wants the F8 is going to want decent pre amps.

Zoom is claiming the TC is accurate to 2 frames every 24 hours.

Steve

[Colin McDonald]

Steven,
O/T for the F8 I know, but the H6 compressor/limiter settings were posted here some time ago. Sorry I didn't see your post earlier this year.

Totally agree about the silly names and lack of detail when we could have done with the numbers, or even better a firmware upgrade to enable user access to control the settings.

[Steven Digges]

Colin, Thank you! The specs I had previously were from Ty Fords review of the H5. The specs you just led me to are NOT the same as the H5. The thresholds are the same but several of the ratios are different. I will record the proper ones down.


The F8 has user selectable limits.

Steve

[Rick Reineke]

"I need the GUY that comes with the kit MORE than I need the gear"
- For sure Steve, an experienced sound person can get superior results with a few pieces of cheap gear, than unskilled folks with a truckload of expensive gear.

[Brian P. Reynolds]

Don't dismiss the Zoom F8 yet..... I think the industry is at a fork in the road, yes some of the early Zoom product was marginal, but so was Behringer product BUT just have a look at the success of the Behringer X32 now, many years ago broadcasters wouldn't touch Mackie, Allen & Heath or Tascam but they are now quite common place in studios.
Even car makers have over the years improved, anyone remember the Datsun 120Y or the early Toyota Corolla while some may no longer be around the others now produce some stunning cars.

I'm standing back and watching the F8, may suit my needs and for the expected price it fits there as well.
Yes I would like Sound Devices but from a business profit / loss / v $$$$ returned sometimes the numbers just don't stack up.

[Gary Nattrass]

Looks like an amazing new product for less than £800 in the UK : https://www.zoom.co.jp/products/hand...field-recorder

Ok it ain't a sound devices but my pro tools is no where near my AMS Neve Logic and DFC kit that is now in the skip!

[Greg Miller]

"In the skip"???

[Steven Digges]

I want one. I picked up a Zoom H6 a couple months ago so I can't justify a F8 right now. Totally different devices. The H6 has consumer shortcomings. If the pre amps are any good Zoom is clearly trying to put out a pro level devise here.

B&H has then on pre order at $999.00 estimated to ship in Sept.

Steve

[Gary Nattrass]

Originally Posted by Greg Miller

"In the skip"???

Appologies a skip is a big trash can or dumpster in the UK! ;0)

I think I will be selling some of my location mixers and getting an F8 too!

[Guy Cochran]

Finally got one one of these loaned to me. I'd have to say, the pre-amps on the Zoom F8 are not as bad as I thought they would be. While not Sound Devices great, they are better than most anything out there under the $1K mark. Tested here with the DPA 4018 super cardioid, the Schoeps CMIT-5U, and a good ole RODE NTG-2. The Sennheiser G3 wireless and the new Lectro SSM transmitter also make an appearance.

5 Different Mics into the ZOOM F8 on Vimeo

[Gary Nattrass]

Sounds pretty good to me (apart from the NTG2 but I don't like them anyway), I start a new job this month so this is still high on my shopping list!

I would never run my inputs all the way up though as it is always good to leave some headroom and add gain in post rather than record noise from the analogue pre-amps!

Having said that all the recording sounds very clean.

Listened on my sony 7506 and the noise floor seems fine to me, the G3 sounds pretty good with the ME2 too and to me fuller than the Lectro. ;0)

[Colin McDonald]

Link to Zoom F8 user manual in English. Not that I'm trying to tempt anyone...