Sound Devices MixPre Sound Samples Comparison (MixPre, 633, Zoom F8)
In this episode, we have three sound samples to give you a sense for how the Sound Devices MixPre-6, Zoom F8, and Sound Devices 633 differ. The difference is not big in terms of timbre or self-noise. Have a listen!
If you’d like to listen to the original WAV audio files from the recorders, you can do that here.
Gear used to record this episode:
Sound Devices MixPre-6 Audio Recorder & Mixer
Zoom F8 Audio Recorder/Mixer
Sound Devices 633 Audio Recorder/Mixer
DPA 4017b Shotgun Microphone (my pro-level outdoor mic)
Sound Devices MixPre-3 The "Little Brother" of the MixPre-6
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Zoom F-Control for F4 & F8 Overview
Zoom disrupted the audio recorder market for enthusiast filmmakers with their F4 and F8 audio field recorders in 2015 and 2016. The quality of these recorders was unprecedented at their price points (now priced at $600 and $900 respectively) I like both of these recorders so much that I bought both of them!
But one thing that is difficult to do with them is to truly mix while recording. The controls are rather small and placed in close proximity to one another. And when working on a dark set, they’re nearly impossible to see. That’s where the Zoom F-Control makes a huge difference and simplifies the process of making a good mix.
Also, we talk a little bit about what a mix is and why you care if you’re a filmmaker or Vlogger.
If you’d like to learn how to record and post process your sound, be sure to have a look at my sound for video courses at http://school.learnlightandsound.com
Visit us at https://learnlightandsound.com for more updates on how to improve your lighting and sound for video. Also be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week!
Gear used or mentioned in this episode:
Zoom F-Control Surface (FRC-8) for Zoom F4 and F8 Recorders
Zoom F4 Audio Field Recorder (Price recently reduced to $600 USD)
Zoom F8 Audio Field Recorder
Sony MDR-7506 Headphones (my new favorite headphones for recording, but not for post work)
Price Drops on Zoom F4 and F8 Recorders, FRC-8 Control Surface Coming Soon
Many of of you know that I am rather fond of the two Zoom F series recorders the F8 and F4. For me they strike a very good balance between price, quality, and feature set. The preamps are very impressive for the price, the build quality is good, and they have the features that independent filmmakers need.
And now, somehow, Zoom has managed to reduce the pricing on the F4 by $50 and the F8 by $100. The Value to price ratio just got even better. Nice work Zoom!
Earlier this month, they also announced the Zoom FRC-8, a control surface for the F4 and F8 which allows you to mix more effectively. Larger mixers/control surfaces like this make it much easier to manage the madness that can occur during production. I have one on order and will be reviewing it a few weeks after it arrives.
I expect that this will be a big improvement over the iPad app Zoom has for the F8. While the app is great for metadata entry and setting the gain before shooting, I did not find it to work well when in the heat of a recording. Smoothly moving the faders on a touch screen just wasn't the same because they would jump too suddenly. The FRC 8 also allows you to connect a USB keyboard making metadata entry even faster. Can't wait to try the FRC-8!
Zoom F4 Limiters and Timecode Accuracy
Last week we did an overview of the new Zoom F4 audio field recorder. This is an impressive prosumer audio recorder designed for independent and enthusiast filmmakers with 4 microphone inputs and 8 track recorder.
This week, we look a little more in depth at the F4’s limiters and timecode accuracy. Don’t worry if you don’t know what all that means, we’ll run through what they are and how they can help you make better sounding recordings with less effort.
Here's what I hope you'll take away from this: The Zoom F4 is a really impressive, reasonably priced recorder. While it's limiters are digital, it doesn't seem to need limiters in very many situations because it seems, subjectively, to have an incredible amount of dynamic range for a recorder in this price range. Also, the timecode clock seems really, really solid and accurate. Wow. Good show, Zoom!
Sound for Video Session: Setting up Your Recorder or Mixer
This week, more requests for "How do I set up my recorder?" My goal is to help you understand the concepts so that you can set up ANY recorder/mixer.
We gave examples using the Tascam DR-60DmkII and Zoom F8 but the settings are similar on all recorders.
The main settings you need to set:
1) Record format: WAV or BWF (on the Zoom F8, this is the default so you don't have to set this up)
2) What to record - tell it how many channels (on the Tascam) or on the Zoom F8, tell it whether you want just the ISO channels or ISO + a stereo mix (L & R channels). Remember that if you have a recorder like the F8 which is also a mixer, the faders affect the levels of the sound in the stereo mix track, not in the ISO tracks.
3) Sample Rate: 48kHz for broadcast, 44.1kHz if for YouTube or other online distribution
4) Bit Rate - 24 bit. I do this because then I have more room in post to process the audio. if you choose 16 bit, your audio files will be smaller, but you'll potentially have a harder time doing things like noise reduction.
5) Gain (sometimes called input or level) - set this until the peak meters show the loudest parts hitting -12dB. Of course your talent needs to talk while you get this set. Typically I'm looking for them to talk for 30 seconds so that I feel comfortable
Zoom F8 Audio Recorder Firmware v2.0!
As expected, Zoom has made a new firmware update for the Zoom F8 Audio Recorder with several nice additional features, filling some of the gaps we saw in the initial release! Let's have a quick look.
First, and perhaps most importantly, you can now set the potentiometer knobs for each channel to act as faders! This was one of the big missing features. And while the knobs are pretty small, its definitely nice to have the option to use them as faders without the fiddly process of switching each one (and I mean one at a time) over to change the fader level. Nice improvement.
False take: You can now mark a clip as a false take which will move it to a separate folder and reset the counter on the next recorded clip to the previous number. Another good little addition that will greatly simplify matters on production day.
Scene number advancement: You now get more options on how scene number file names advance. So you could select numeric or character options. Character option: Scene1 -> Scene1A ... Scene1Z -> Scene1AA -> Scene1AB, etc. Or a simple numeric option: Scene1 -> Scene2 ... Scene9999.
Trim ganging: You can now gang multiple tracks together and control their gain with a single potentiometer. Handy when you need to quickly adjust the gain on multiple channels at the same time while setting up.
And a few others:
- Change next track name
- Change previously recorded track names
- Show track names on level meter screen
- Take name format options
- Adjust the L/R track volume
- PFL solos tracks during playback
- Create sound reports
- Control shortcuts (e.g., show name of next track that will be recorded)
Nice work, Zoom! I was definitely disappointed when I found that the original firmware didn't let you use the pots as faders but you came through with much more than that!
Recorder Rendezvous: Special Pricing on Audio Recorders
B&H has an Audio Recorder special pricing event going December 11th and 12th they call Recorder Rendezvous. If you're in the market for a recorder, there appear to be some nice deals worth checking out:
Tascam DR-70D and RODE NTG2 package with all the accessories you'll need (SD card, XLR cable, 3.5mm cable, batteries) for $499.
The good old Zoom H1 can be had for $69. This is still a great option to use in lieu of wireless lavalier systems when you're on a tighter budget. This and the Countryman B6 made an impressive combination in my tests.
One little item that caught my eye that I'd like to try is the Tascam DR10X (in this package with a Senal Reporter's mic) for $199. This is a tiny audio recorder you plug onto the end of a mic and it records the audio to SD or microSD card. Could be interesting to create a "wireless" boom mic with this. (Yes, in the photo they show a RODE mic but the package actually includes a Senal mic).
Zoom F8 Review Wrapup
The Zoom F8 is an impressive sound recorder from a company that has been steadily marching up market with more and more impressive audio gear. Zoom popularized the handheld recorder with XLR input market with their original H4 Handy Recorder. And now about 10 years later, they’re going even farther up market with the Zoom F8. But is the F8 really a competitor to the pro-level sound recorders from Sound Devices and Zaxcom? Have a watch and we’ll give you my impressions.
Who is this device for? It fits my work as a one-man crew shooting corporate videos perfectly. I love the Zoom F8!
Zoom H1 Special Pricing
If you don't have a Zoom H1 in your kit, I'd say its a pretty nice little problem solver. I use mine as a stand-in when I'm having trouble getting wireless to work well because of interference issues. Just plug your talent's lavalier into the H1, start the recording, drop it in their pocket, then sync in post.
Audio quality is surprisingly good and clean on its 3.5mm microphone input.
B&H has special pricing during the Audio Engineering Society (AES) convention at only $75 for the silver version.
Zoom F8 Safety Tracks (vs. Limiters)
So as we discussed in the last episode, the limiters on the Zoom F8 are not as effective as you'd get on a Sound Devices recorder or mixer. This is because they're in the digital stage which can be too late if distortion results in the analogue stage. But there is another option on the F8 if you're recording 4 tracks or fewer: Safety Tracks.
The way this works is you set the gain on say input/track #1. Then a safety track of the same thing coming in on input #1 is recorded to track #5 but at a lower gain level.
I was afraid that this safety track might suffer from the same issue as the limiter but I am happy to report that the safety track feature works brilliantly with absolutely no clipping on the safety track!
And it works because it appears that the F8 routes the signal to two different preamps, with different gain levels. So there's an alternative to the limiters if you have a critical shoot that you can't afford to mess up due to unexpected volume from the sound source. It isn't as simple as a limiter, but its much, much better than nothing!
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