Sortie et Test du Zoom F8
Mixelius alias José Frias, un preneur de son basé à New York à testé à sa sortie le Zoom F8 un très bon test rapporté ici, vou pouvez écouter les tests réalisés chez Gotham Sound ici : http://mixeli.us/technology/zoom-f8/
Disponible en France à 1200€
The Zoom F8 was one of the most talked about reveals at this year’s NAB Convention, but the NAB unit was merely a box for show, and while a lot of people have recently covered the unit and its features superficially as its release draws near, none have been able to go in-depth, nor have been able to provide any audio samples to compare it to other products in the market. I’ve set my mind to right this wrong, and thanks to the great folks at Gotham Sound NYC, I was able to play with the brand new Zoom F8 recorder, so that in turn, I could share my findings with you all.
WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL ABOUT THE ZOOM F8?
Zoom F8 at NAB’15
In case you missed it, earlier this year during the NAB’15 Convention, Zoom announced the F8, a recorder targeted for “filmmaking and sound design”, as they claim. It’s an 8-input, 10-track recorder capable of recording a stereo (or 2-track) mix plus 8 isolated tracks, one for each input. Additionally, unlike its siblings, it advertises 8 low-noise pre-amps, a timecode oscillator with high accuracy, multiple file formats, bit-depth and sample rates, dual SD card recording, metadata capabilities, Bluetooth app capabilities, and more, for a very low cost of $1000. This is groundbreaking considering that the only recorders capable of providing similar feature-sets cost at least three times as much.
But, does it compare to the more expensive products? Does it meet the expectations of the location sound professional? Well, here’s what I was able to gather:
ZOOM F8: FIRST GLANCE
At first glance, it looks like the F8 is well built for location use; it feels very durable. It features an aluminum-esque frame, reminiscent of that of Zaxcom’s. It’s very small. Smaller than the Sound Devices 633 and Zaxcom Maxx. It’s also a bit lighter, but not by much. Still impressive considering that it has a lot more mic inputs than the mentioned recorders. On the front, there’s an LCD screen which looks bright enough to work in low light situations, but doesn’t seem as sun-readable as you’d hope. There’s also a slate / tone switch à la Sound Devices; a scroll and selection wheel knob and button combo, menu button, and headphone volume knob; dedicated transport controls on membrane buttons which seem okay, and 8 sets of trim knobs and buttons for each input.
The trim knobs are extremely small, and don’t have a lot of action, which is fine for trim knobs, but perhaps not the most ideal in general. Above each trim knob are five LEDs to give you a glimpse of the levels for each input, which is neat. At the left of each trim knob is a button with the input number labeled on it, used to arm or disarm the input track for recording. It seems like it would be very easy to hit these arm/disarm buttons by mistake when dialing the trim for each input. However, there red LED would turn off when the input is disarmed. Below the arm/disarm button is a PFL button which can be assigned to either access the Input Setting screen, or to solo the particular input in the headphone output.
The F8 has 8 XLR / TRS combo jack inputs, all of which are individually mic / line switchable, and can provide +24V/+48V phantom power. They are split equally on each side; four on the left, and four on the right. The first big issue I find is that the line inputs are consumer line level (-10dBV) ONLY! That means that you would need pads before the line inputs on the F8 if you wish to feed from professional line level (+4dBu) outputs. On the left, there are two media doors which reveal two SD card slots. The media seems very well protected. You can record the same or separate audio files to both media simultaneously. It also has a micro-USB jack to connect to a computer for transferring files from either media, and a 4-pin Hirose jack for DC input. On the right, it has two TA3 jacks, one for each output bus, and a 3.5mm TRS jack for a stereo sub output bus. On the back, it has another DC input, two BNC connectors for timecode input and output, abattery door for an 8x AA battery sled, and a special input connector used for Zoom’s stereo mics(these would take over inputs 1 and 2).
Zoom really stepped their game up in the software department. In general, I’m very impressed with their software and menu structure. The home screen features 8 virtual trims and faders, which you can scroll through, select and modify with the wheel knob. Without the Bluetooth app (more on this further below), this is the only way to change fader levels and mix; BIG BUMMER. At the bottom of the home screen is the main stereo output bus meters. The home screen lacks meters for every other track.
Track 1 PFL
Pressing the menu button takes you to the menu screen, which is very easy to navigate. It is very similar to the menu structure of the Sound Devices 6-series recorders, which is well known for its intuitiveness and ease of use. Some of the surprising but very welcomed software features include custom input to output bus and headphone bus assignment matrices, M/S and stereo linking, input and output delays, input phase inversion, etc. If set-up as such, pressing the PFL button will open the Input Settings screen for that respective input, which will allow you to conveniently make all the appropriate settings for that input, including mic/line, phantom power, HPF, limiter, pan, phase, linking, etc. It also gives you a digital meter for that input track.
ZOOM F8: TIMECODE
Zoom boasts a highly accurate timecode generator with an accuracy of 0.2ppm; seemingly superior to that of Denecke, Mozegear, Zaxcom, and others; only bested by Ambient and Betso. However, one thing that is not 100% clear is whether or not the Zoom F8 features a temperature compensated crystal oscillator, which is key for the timecode to remain accurate under trying temperature conditions, which we do come across in location work. I was unfortunately unable to test this out as I only had the unit for a couple of hours.
That said, the Zoom F8 is capable of doing all standard frame rates. It can do free run, record run, and slaved mode. One of the things I noticed is the inability to enter timecode manually. The F8 is only able to jam from the real time clock (RTC) in the device, useful if running time of day (TOD) timecode, or from an external device. The workaround would be to change the RTC in the menu to the desired value, and to “Restart” the timecode. Not very intuitive.
ZOOM F8: METADATA
Gotham Sound’s Paul Padilla Showing the F8. Picture Courtesy of Gotham Sound.
Unlike its siblings, the F8 actually allows metadata creation and editing. You can now create scene names and takes, as well a write notes. However,individual track names are unavailable. Seems like a huge oversight to me. Pressing the Stop + Fast Forward button combination triggers a scene increment. This, however, leaves a lot to be desired. If you’re dealing with numerical scenes only, it will do as expected and increment from 1 to 2 for example. However, with alphanumerical scenes, instead of incrementing from 1A to 1B for example, it increments from 1A to 1A001, to 1A002, and so on. Also, false take functionality looks like its missing (Stop + Rewind button combination anyone?).
So, essentially, you’ll have to dig into the Record menu, and change it manually any time you want to increment the scene name, as well as having to mark false takes manually by assigning some custom scene name. Potentially something that could be fixed / added in the future via software update I suppose.
ZOOM F8: DSP
In essence, the F8 is a fully digital mixer / recorder. All of its signal processing is done in the digital domain. This is both good and bad. What it means is that you can do cool things like input to output assignment, input and output delays, as well as input phase inversion and M/S decoding. This also means that the input limiters and high pass filters are after the analog to digital conversion stage, and much after the microphone pre-amplification stage, rendering them pretty much useless for analog inputs. Any overloading signal and/or low frequency energy will be amplified at the mic pre stage, before it is converted to digital and processed through either the limiter or the HPF.
This is a huge issue for location use, as the ideal solution would be to have the limiters and HPFs in the analog domain, and for the HPF specifically to be before the mic pre stage to avoid any low frequency distortion before amplification, all leading to more headroom and less limiter distortion. Sound Devices does this well. Zaxcom, albeit all digital, doesn’t suffer from this thanks to its NeverClip technology. And it showed; when comparing the F8 limiters to that of the 744T’s; the F8’s produced a lot of over modulation and clipping distortion, whereas the 744T’s only displayed some limiter distortion, really identifiable only to the trained ear.
ZOOM F8: APP
Zoom F8 Bluetooth iOS App
One of the cool and unique features of the Zoom F8 is itsBluetooth iOS only app. Using a Bluetooth 4.0 capable iOS device (only the latest generation iPhones and iPads, older models will not work), you can essentially do all of the things you could do on the recorder, as well as use the mixing interface with virtual linear faders. This is currently the only way to do any actual live mixing with the F8. Personally, I’m more of a tactile fader mixer, so this was an immediate issue for me.
To use this feature, aside from downloading the iOS app, you must also download the Bluetooth add-on software from the Zoom website and install it on the F8. Interestingly enough, if you happen to do a factory restore on the F8, this will remove the Bluetooth add-on, and you must install it again. Very counterintuitive if you ask me. There is a slight, albeit negligible delay when using the app. The app does open up interesting opportunities, such as being able to place the recorder and wireless in a backpack and mix from the app for a very inconspicuous rig.
ZOOM F8: RECORDING
The Zoom F8 is able to record in 16- and 24-bit depths, as well as in 44.1, 47.952, 48, 48.048, 48.048 (F), 88.2, 96, 192kHz sampling rates; primed for versatility in recording applications. Especially as you can record to either SD card individually and/or simultaneously. The file format options for either SD card are:
None [–]: Nothing is recorded on the SD card.
Track1-8 (Poly WAV) [Selected tracks 1–8]: A single poly file is created that contains audio for multiple tracks.
Track1-8 (Mono/Stereo WAV) [Selected tracks 1–8]: single mono file is created for each mono track and a single stereo file is created for each stereo track.
Track1-8 + L/R (Poly WAV) [All selected tracks]: A single poly file is created that contains audio for multiple tracks.
Track1-8 + L/R (Mono/Stereo WAV) [All selected tracks]: A single mono file is created for each mono track and a single stereo file is created for each stereo track.
L/R (Stereo WAV) [L/R tracks]: A stereo Wave file is created based on the mix created by the internal mixer.
L/R (Stereo MP3) [L/R tracks]: A stereo MP3 file is created based on the mix created by the internal mixer.
Very flexible in terms of what you can record, including the standard poly wave file for deliverables and stereo MP3 file for transcriptions. However, the track layout for a poly wave file recording the stereo mix and 8 input isolation (ISO) tracks is not what you’d expect from your standard location sound recorder. Instead of tracks 1 and 2 being the stereo mix, and the subsequent tracks being the ISO tracks, tracks 1 through 8 are the ISO tracks, and tracks 9 and 10 are the stereo mix. For anyone who’s ever dealt with or knows about double-system sound, dailies syncing and editing, you know the huge issue this can be in post. Editors expect for the first one or two tracks to be the mix track(s). This is what they use for dailies and for editing, and sometimes even for syncing when using tools such as Plural Eyes. If the first tracks are ISOs instead of mix tracks, can you imagine the phone calls you’ll be receiving in the middle of the night asking what happened to the mix tracks? This is only made worse by the fact that the tracks are unlabeled, since there is no ability to name tracks. HUGE issue in my opinion.
Potential alternative: Record L+R mix on one card and ISO tracks on the other. They can all be sync’ed via timecode. However, not a real solution for those jobs that require one single poly wave file with all the tracks in it, in the right order.
SO HOW DOES THE ZOOM F8 SOUND?
Glad you asked! In my opinion, fancy features are nice, but what ultimately matters is how it sounds. To truly test how this recorder sounds, it wasn’t enough to just plug in a mic and listen. I had to compare it to another recorder, and lay down those 1’s and 0’s for reference. And so thanks to Natalie Lowe at Gotham, who set me up with all the gear necessary, I was able to do a test comparing the the Zoom F8 mic pre-amp against the Sound Devices 744T pre-amp. The 744T’s pre amps are highly regarded as some of the best pre-amps in the business, and as such, I think it makes for a very interesting comparison.
TEST & PARAMETERS
Zoom F8 vs Sound Devices 744T
For this test, I am using a pair of Sennheiser MKH50s, each set-up on Rycote InVision shock mounts on desk stands, plugged via a shorty XLR cables straight into Mic Input 1 on both the F8 and 744T. In both set-ups, I have the exact same signal chain, ending on the first mic pre of each recorder. Channel fader is set at unity on the F8, and trim is set so that the average input signal hits between -20dBFS and -18dBFS, with peaks around -12dBFS on both recorders. All filters, pads and limiters were disengaged on both microphones and recorders. Recordings are being done at Gotham Sound, both microphones pointed directly at me, with about a foot and a half of space.
I am reading a short passage from a short story as the program content.
RESULTS
I have to confess something. During the recording at Gotham, as I monitored both the Zoom F8 and the Sound Devices 744T, I was under the impression that the 744T had a lot more transparency and that the F8 had a lot of coloration. It wasn’t bad, but it definitely made me doubt how good the F8 pre amps could be. I didn’t want to make any final judgements then, though. I wanted to get back home, and playback the files to make sure of what I was listening to.
And hold and behold, after playing back the files on my computer, I realized that it was not the recordings, but rather the headphone amp on the F8 that was coloring the sound. I have to be honest and say that I am completely blown away by how incredibly good the Zoom F8 mic pre’s sound. I can hear very little difference against the Sound Devices 744T, playing back from my laptop’s DAC using ATH-M50X to monitor. There’s no audible self-noise, unlike its siblings. There seems to be a good amount of dynamic range too.
That said, the headphone amp leaves a lot to be desired in terms of frequency response, timbre and coloration. What you hear does not accurately represent what you’re actually recording, and that can be problematic.
PRODUCT REVIEW SUMMARY
THE GOOD
Seemingly good built-quality and durability for location use.
Small form factor and weight; ideal for bag.
Double media recording to SD cards, with ability to select what is recorded where.
8 phantom powered, mic/line switchable inputs.
Excellent sounding mic pre’s!
External DC and internal power (8x AAs) options
Standard bit-depth and sample rate options.
DSP options: input & output delay, phase, M/S, stereo linking.
Highly accurate (0.2ppm) timecode oscillator, with separate BNC input and output.
All standard frame rate options.
Metadata capability.
Bluetooth iOS app capability.
$1000 retail price.
THE NOT SO GOOD
No physical faders, only virtual faders on recorder or iOS app.
Very small trim pots, easy to hit arm / disarm buttons.
Non-sun-readable LCD screen.
Consumer line level (-10dBV) only!
Poly wave files have ISO tracks first, then mix tracks!
No metadata track names available!
Non-functional scene name increment feature.
No false take function.
No metadata track names available!
HPF post mic-pre and ADC!
Ineffective limiter!
HP amp is not accurate / has a lot of coloration.
MY RATING
While the F8 is boasting with a lot of neat features, and on paper seems like an excellent product, in practice, it falls flat on several key elements for professional location use, including the use of virtual faders only, consumer line level inputs and outputs, odd track layout for poly wave files, lack of track names, ineffective HPF and limiters, etc. The mic pre’s do sound excellent, but the headphone amp does color the sound a lot and does not give an accurate representation of what is being recorded. The app is a unique and pretty cool feature, but I dislike virtual fader mixing.
This recorder does have some potential, and can be considered a serious contender as a backup for your main recorder, especially at that price point. However, I would not consider this product a serious contender as your main recorder. It is still very obviously a prosumer level product, and it shows, but boy do those pre’s sound good, and there is eight of them, and at that price point. This is the only reason I’ll give the Zoom F8 3 out of 5 stars. Otherwise it’d be a 2 or 2.5.
