This looks pretty friggin' awesome. It's supposed to have improved pre-amps too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBfJveLuANk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBfJveLuANk
Zoom H6
- Thread starter LasVegasIRA
- Start date
Considering how bad the H4n preamps are improving the preamps was definitely warranted; we'll have actually hear how much better. And how many indie film types will need four (4) XLR inputs? Why not put really solid preamps into an H4n type model at the same price point? And, while they're at it, improve the build and add the volume and gain knobs.
I do like the modular concept (adding XLRs for a total of six).
Being a musician as well, I LOVE the multi XLR inputs. Having a possible 6 inputs AND direct interface with my laptop would make for some very cool live band performance recording options.
As far as for indie film making, this would be a good jump to record individual lavs, and still have a shotgun that can be attached to the end of a boom with the boom op monitoring all the inputs... But admittedly, the thought of having 4 (or even 2) XLR cables protruding out the sides of the unit while it's attached to a camera seems a bit much...
As far as for indie film making, this would be a good jump to record individual lavs, and still have a shotgun that can be attached to the end of a boom with the boom op monitoring all the inputs... But admittedly, the thought of having 4 (or even 2) XLR cables protruding out the sides of the unit while it's attached to a camera seems a bit much...
The DR-60:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/929347-REG/tascam_dr_60d_4_ch_track_linear_pcm.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lO1iSh87zo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0xkrBxwXFs
great, now my decision making just got harder. just when I finally decided to go with the H4! LOL
Really wish I could also use the recorder as an XLR pre-amp pass through (so it records the audio but also passes XLR signal with pre-amp to the camera) as that would be best of both worlds.
Given its $400 that's a good price compared to the H4n Zoom (although it does not include the stereo mics - thats now an extra capsule - but I almost never used it on the H4n, I had better mics at my disposal).
Given its $400 that's a good price compared to the H4n Zoom (although it does not include the stereo mics - thats now an extra capsule - but I almost never used it on the H4n, I had better mics at my disposal).
Actually the $400 price includes the XY stereo mic module as well as a mid-side module. The shotgun and 2xXLR modules have to be purchased separately.
It probably depends on what you shoot - for narrative I rarely have need of more than two, but for doc work we often end up running a pair of 2-channel recorders, with a pair of wireless lavs + a shotgun for backup, sometimes a handheld as well, so I can see the utility in that kind of situation.
It probably depends on what you shoot - for narrative I rarely have need of more than two, but for doc work we often end up running a pair of 2-channel recorders, with a pair of wireless lavs + a shotgun for backup, sometimes a handheld as well, so I can see the utility in that kind of situation.
I'd suspect that too given a good Sound Devices two-channel pre/mixer costs $800+.
Saying that the Zoom H6 and Tascam DR-60 look like they're going to give you a hell of a lot for their pricing - great value based on what you're getting.
Last edited:
Interesting review. The thing that strikes me about it is it seems like samson is really taking into account the most common usage of the H4n and many of the new features are specifically designed with that in mind - the level knobs, angled screen, -12db backup recording, pre-record, etc.
It'll be interesting to see if the pre-amps are noticeably quieter as the review claims (personally I've always found the current ones adequate for dialogue recording). I do question his negative comment about the battery life though - he said something like "with four mics plugged into the xlr inputs running phantom power the battery runs out in a few hours". My ntg1 by itself will drain the H4n batteries in about 30 minutes, while my b6 gets a couple of hours. So if he's getting a couple hours with 4 mics plugged in it actually sounds like the battery life is improved.
EDIT: just noticed it runs on 4 AA, rather than 2 like the H4n, so that likely explains the power difference.
It'll be interesting to see if the pre-amps are noticeably quieter as the review claims (personally I've always found the current ones adequate for dialogue recording). I do question his negative comment about the battery life though - he said something like "with four mics plugged into the xlr inputs running phantom power the battery runs out in a few hours". My ntg1 by itself will drain the H4n batteries in about 30 minutes, while my b6 gets a couple of hours. So if he's getting a couple hours with 4 mics plugged in it actually sounds like the battery life is improved.
EDIT: just noticed it runs on 4 AA, rather than 2 like the H4n, so that likely explains the power difference.
Last edited:
Numbers I heard for the preamps were in the -120 dBu range, which puts it on par with the Tascam dr100mk2, which is fairly good. The h4n and DR-40 have similar amounts of noise from what I've read, which is noticeably more noisy around -107dBu.
I had an issue with the noise floor of my tascam dr-40, although not enough to worry too much. But after a day of filming, it also gave a bizarre beeping on the track around 4khz which could even be heard when holding the device itself to my ear. That only happened on a few tracks, but it was annoying enough to pause a filming to try to solve it. It finally stopped and I have no idea what caused or solved it.
As a result, after the filming I returned the dr-40 and upgraded to the H6. I'm hoping the preamps are better, and all claims are that they are. The only thing I think I'll miss are the locking XLRs, and that's kind of a small issue (at least until one of them falls out). If I run into issues, I will use a short XLR patch and gaff it onto the H6. Also, the H6 uses 4 batteries, but for me (with several sets of eneloops used to power flashes), 4 batteries is the same as 3 which the tascam uses. In fact, I kind of hate using 3 batteries, since my charger only works in multiples of 2.
As far as the interchangable mics, I like the idea a lot. I can simply remove them for a smaller and lighter device when not needed. If it had a couple omnis like the DR100mk2 for emergency recording (as a handy recorder, not for film), that would rock, but no huge loss.
Last edited:
That wasn't a bad review until he said "there's a great limiter on here that can be used to remove some background noise".
Edit: found this review and comparison between the H6 and H4n. The h6 seems to be cleaner and have quite a bit more gain on the preamps which is great for everyone out there wanting to pair one with an NTG2. Using it with the built in mics seems like it could be problamatic there was alot of handling noise with him holding it in that video.
http://youtu.be/cLK7vcxryMI
Last edited:
Just keep in mind that you can't go by the manufacturers specs; they always make them look great. The acid test is out in the field and when you finally pull the results into a DAW for editing. There's a reason why a device like the Sound Devices MM-1, which is only a single preamp with basic controls, costs more than a recorder/mixer that has four (4) inputs and records four (4) tracks - it is as clean as an operating room and is built like a tank.
Hey guy, long time 
So I have the new Tascam DR-60D and the Zoom H6, we have done a few tests, here what I've posted at another forum:
'm not a sound guy, just an indie filmmaker, so my test may not be right... However, as pointed out to me at another forum, I've done the same test twice and the result is still Tascam DR-60D has less noise, this Sunday we are doing one more test with a Sound Engineering between the two devices. He did tested the Tascam earlier at a film festival and liked how it sounded (cleaner than his H4N).
For practicality wise, the Tascam mounted under the DSLR is better for a one-man or two-men crew operations as the camera man can monitor the video/audio without too many head movements. Zoom will requires a hotshoe mount or a cage or a magic arm so you can easily see the settings (once tripod is set on level for filmming). But of course, having a good sound guy definately helps.
The previous two tests I've done, here's how it was set:
- Mics: Audio Technica AT8035 and Sennheiser MKE600
- Talent: PC Laptop playing via it's speaker system of a feature film I've made in 2005 and released in 2007, I have looped one of the early scene which contains dialogue and music
- Distance: both secured on two mic stands and about 2.5' away from the source (trying to set as a 'on location' distance test)
- Room - quiet, this is a room created for ADR usage, it's not 100% noise free, but it has 90% coverage. We have done many ADR in this room for indie films and they all sounded great (for filmmaking usage)
- me: sitting in the other room looking at the mics via a full open window.
Plugged Sennheiser on T1 and AT on T2
Devices: Tascam DR-60D and Zoom H6: no limiter set, no cut of set. both uses batteries, both devices provide phantom power to the mics, no -20 padswitch turned on, no backup tracks recording (I thought the H6 only do backup tracks on L/R - which is the module part).
Tascam DR-60D set : Gain at Mid, knob dial to 3 o'clock line
Zoom H6 set : dial knob to 5-6 level
recorded level, both sounded great, brought it into Premiere cs6 with monitor speaker, listening it, Sennheiser mic is more sensitive and provides lounder volume, both sounded great. Did a quick normalization with -12db, Zoom's has noise, Tascam barely can hear it.
At one forum, I was told that the dial on the Zoom was set too low and that everyone said to set it on 7-8 would be best, so I tried the same scenario test again. Except this time to set the Zoom H6's dial to 7-8 area
Without normalizing, and bringing it just as it is into Premiere CS6, Zoom H6 definately has noise, then I did a normalize to -12db on the Zoom's audio track, it still display greater noise level than the Tascam.
So I have the new Tascam DR-60D and the Zoom H6, we have done a few tests, here what I've posted at another forum:'m not a sound guy, just an indie filmmaker, so my test may not be right... However, as pointed out to me at another forum, I've done the same test twice and the result is still Tascam DR-60D has less noise, this Sunday we are doing one more test with a Sound Engineering between the two devices. He did tested the Tascam earlier at a film festival and liked how it sounded (cleaner than his H4N).
For practicality wise, the Tascam mounted under the DSLR is better for a one-man or two-men crew operations as the camera man can monitor the video/audio without too many head movements. Zoom will requires a hotshoe mount or a cage or a magic arm so you can easily see the settings (once tripod is set on level for filmming). But of course, having a good sound guy definately helps.
The previous two tests I've done, here's how it was set:
- Mics: Audio Technica AT8035 and Sennheiser MKE600
- Talent: PC Laptop playing via it's speaker system of a feature film I've made in 2005 and released in 2007, I have looped one of the early scene which contains dialogue and music
- Distance: both secured on two mic stands and about 2.5' away from the source (trying to set as a 'on location' distance test)
- Room - quiet, this is a room created for ADR usage, it's not 100% noise free, but it has 90% coverage. We have done many ADR in this room for indie films and they all sounded great (for filmmaking usage)
- me: sitting in the other room looking at the mics via a full open window.
Plugged Sennheiser on T1 and AT on T2
Devices: Tascam DR-60D and Zoom H6: no limiter set, no cut of set. both uses batteries, both devices provide phantom power to the mics, no -20 padswitch turned on, no backup tracks recording (I thought the H6 only do backup tracks on L/R - which is the module part).
Tascam DR-60D set : Gain at Mid, knob dial to 3 o'clock line
Zoom H6 set : dial knob to 5-6 level
recorded level, both sounded great, brought it into Premiere cs6 with monitor speaker, listening it, Sennheiser mic is more sensitive and provides lounder volume, both sounded great. Did a quick normalization with -12db, Zoom's has noise, Tascam barely can hear it.
At one forum, I was told that the dial on the Zoom was set too low and that everyone said to set it on 7-8 would be best, so I tried the same scenario test again. Except this time to set the Zoom H6's dial to 7-8 area
Without normalizing, and bringing it just as it is into Premiere CS6, Zoom H6 definately has noise, then I did a normalize to -12db on the Zoom's audio track, it still display greater noise level than the Tascam.