ZOOM R24

U

ukajfez

Hey,

I'm in the process of buying an audio recorder to use in a series i will be filming some time in the next month or two.

Now i have been reading through the forum and more or less people are recommending the H4N or the DR100 device. What i would like an opinion about is, would a ZOOM r24 be usable for recording audio. The reason i'm asking is because i would like an audio recorder that i can also use to record music with my band (music wich will be used for the series as well) and would like to kill two birds with one stone so to speak - don't really want to spend more funds on buying a h4n/dr100 AND an additional sound card for recording instruments.

I know its a much bigger device and could in some cases cause problems because of it. What i would like to know is if anyone tried using it, what are your experiences, and... how good is it? basically any opinion on recording sound with it. And as fillmakers or sound guys would you even recomend it? :)

thanks in advance!
 
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Im sure it could work, the problem is that it has to be plugged into a wall for power.
The size is fine, but the lack of battery power is the reason why I would NOT recommend it for low budget film work.

The H4N and Dr-100 MKii are the two main contenders down here on that consumer low budget level for a reason, they work for what they are needed to do.

If you have the budget there are many multitrack field records that can run on batteries look at the Tascam DR-680 or the HS-P82 for examples. The real audio pros can make better suggestions if you give a budget...
 
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Music and Sound-For-Picture are two very different disciplines, and require different tools.

Production sound, especially at the indie level, requires AC power independence and mobility. The DR-100, H4n and their much more expensive older brothers like the HD-P2, PMD-661, and, of course, Sound Devices units, can all be powered via battery and put into a harness/bag to be worn while on location. For the most part multiple channels (more than two) are not required at the low/no/mini/micro budget level.

Music recording is just the opposite. You will always be set up where there is access to AC power, and mobility is not an issue. Multiple channels are most often a requirement.

Microphone requirements are also radically different. When recording musical instruments and vocalists you can put the mic right next to the source. When recording production sound the mic needs to be invisible, so is usually quite a distance from the sound source.

As Wheat mentioned units like the Tascam DR-680 will work fine, but you lose AC power independence and mobility, so you will be severely limited in the types of production sound you can do.
 
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I thought as much, especially the lack of battery. Think im going to have to bite the bullet and just buy two seperate sound recorders.

I checked both Tascam devices you recommended, they are awesome, but a bit out of my league as my budget for sound is somewhere around 1000€ and it includes buying a mic.

thanks to both of you for the info :)
 
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Why buy a dedicated multitrack recorder like the R24? If you have a computer a USB or firewire (my preference) interface will do a very nice job unless you need a huge number of input channels.

For only US$550 you can get the MOTU UltraLite-mk3 - 10 in/14 out with two mic pres, and it will work with any DAW. It will also be great for your audio post work as well as music applications.

You can get one of the M-Audio USB Pro Tools SE systems. From the FastTrack, one mic and one hi-Z input for about US$120, to the Ultra 8R with eight mic pres for about US$500. You are limited to 24 tracks, but can buy "expansion packs" to increase track count and add more plug-ins and virtual instruments.

"Real" Pro Tools LE systems start at about US$1,000. There are also many, many other options to explore.
 
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Sounds like what you want is the Zoom R16 instead of the 24 - it's got a lot of the same features (multitrack, works as an audio interface, 8 inputs with built-in mixer) but can also be battery powered and is a little lighter & more portable. A little bit more expensive than an H4n, but also a little cheaper than the 24, might be the right compromise for what you're looking for.
 
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the R16 as i understand has an annoying function that doesnt allow you to store multiple audio tracks on the recorder and just rewrites everything every time you start recording a new track. Something i do not want to have.

As for recording musical instruments the USB or firewire interface is something that i will end up buying (was considering Motu 828 MK III, Presonus Firestudio or the Ultra 8R). I thought of the R24 only if it would be practical to use it for filmmaking as well.

Unfortunately i'm not a native english speaker so i guess my use of recording device terminology might have been wrong :)

In the end i might just go out to a store and buy a cheap ass microphone, plug it directly into the laptops sound card and record with the built-in windows recorder™ ....yeah.... i think that is the best solution :D

again, thanks for the advice.
 
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yeah, decided on a H4N for now, going to add a USB or Firewire interface sometime in the future when my budget allows it :) wanted a DR-100 but somehow the price difference between the two in our country is quite high.

despite that, testing out the Zoom at home now and so far it wasnt a bad decision. Time to start recording :)
 
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