Borjam
Well-known member
Seems this hasn't been noticed here before, so there we go.
Turns out that both Zoom and Sound Devices are now selling high performance recorders at prices well below $1000. That was unheard of Sound Devices before.
It seems that everything begun with Zoom stepping up their game and releasing the F8, an 8 input recorder designed for motion picture/video applications with very good preamp specifications.
Sound Devices followed suit with the new MixPre series. The first models released were the MixPre 3 (three microphone preamps, it records three channels and a stereo mix) and the MixPre 6 (four microphoe preamps).
Later Zoom released the F4, a scaled down version of the F8 with four mic preamps.
What is really amazing are the prices. I am quoting prices from a German dealer, VAT included, but good to have an idea of the orders of magnitude involved.
Zoom F4: ~ 500 euro
Zoom F8: ~ 700 euro (on sale because a new improved F8n model is coming, it would be close to 1000 euro)
MixPre 3: ~ 750 euro
MixPre 6: ~ 1000 euro.
I have purchased the MixPre 3 myself and I am really amazed. Granted, it's a really expensive recorder. But before these models were released last year Sound Devices entry model was the 702 at more than 3500 euro.
So what's different?
Well, for a start the small MixPre seem to keep the same key specifications of their larger siblings. That means outstanding preamps and a terrific headphone output. The latter is really critical when recording in nature. They have also paid a lot of attention to the ergonomics, with very comfortable to use faders and a very bright screen that can be read in full daylight.
The MixPre also has M/S decoding, real analog limiters (I have tortured them a bit and they work very well) and outstanding high pass filters to help battle low frequency wind and/or handling noise.
Compared to the larger 702, the MixPre doesn't generate time code (but it can accept linear SMPTE or HDMI timecode), it doesn't have digital I/O, and it doesn't record into two different media simultaneously. Except for those motion picture features the MixPre really belongs to a comparable performance class.
Although I haven't tried the Zoom models, reviewers point out that the headphone amplifier isn't as good as the MixPres (people say it's good, but the MixPre is excellent) and metering can be a bit cumbersome, especially in the F4 with a low resolution monochrome screen.
Although in my opinion the MixPres are better (that's why I got the MixPre 3) the Zooms are a terrific value. In any case the gap in sound quality between the high end models and these affordable ones has really shrunk.
Note: Sound Devices has released cheaper versions of the MixPres with a "M" suffix, but they are more catered for musicians. They replace options such as M/S decoding with musician oriented features. I think that for nature recording it's much better to opt for the "non-M" models.
Note that both the Sound Devices and Zoom units can have some learning curve to master. Especially the MixPres have a double personality as production mixers with a recorder inside and flexibility makes them a bit harder to use. Anyway there is an easier to use "basic" mode and it can be really rewarding to devote some time to master them.
I forgot, another nice feature of these recorders is that they integrate pretty well with video and still cameras that often have an atrocious sound. There are other options for that market of course, with the Tascam DR-60 and DR-t0 as excellent examples, but the performance is not the same.
Disclosure: I purchased the unit for my own use, I don't work for Sound Devices nor Zoom, and I don't even work for any audio equipment dealer.
Now, the toys:
MixPre 3
MixPre 6
Zoom F4
Zoom F8
Turns out that both Zoom and Sound Devices are now selling high performance recorders at prices well below $1000. That was unheard of Sound Devices before.
It seems that everything begun with Zoom stepping up their game and releasing the F8, an 8 input recorder designed for motion picture/video applications with very good preamp specifications.
Sound Devices followed suit with the new MixPre series. The first models released were the MixPre 3 (three microphone preamps, it records three channels and a stereo mix) and the MixPre 6 (four microphoe preamps).
Later Zoom released the F4, a scaled down version of the F8 with four mic preamps.
What is really amazing are the prices. I am quoting prices from a German dealer, VAT included, but good to have an idea of the orders of magnitude involved.
Zoom F4: ~ 500 euro
Zoom F8: ~ 700 euro (on sale because a new improved F8n model is coming, it would be close to 1000 euro)
MixPre 3: ~ 750 euro
MixPre 6: ~ 1000 euro.
I have purchased the MixPre 3 myself and I am really amazed. Granted, it's a really expensive recorder. But before these models were released last year Sound Devices entry model was the 702 at more than 3500 euro.
So what's different?
Well, for a start the small MixPre seem to keep the same key specifications of their larger siblings. That means outstanding preamps and a terrific headphone output. The latter is really critical when recording in nature. They have also paid a lot of attention to the ergonomics, with very comfortable to use faders and a very bright screen that can be read in full daylight.
The MixPre also has M/S decoding, real analog limiters (I have tortured them a bit and they work very well) and outstanding high pass filters to help battle low frequency wind and/or handling noise.
Compared to the larger 702, the MixPre doesn't generate time code (but it can accept linear SMPTE or HDMI timecode), it doesn't have digital I/O, and it doesn't record into two different media simultaneously. Except for those motion picture features the MixPre really belongs to a comparable performance class.
Although I haven't tried the Zoom models, reviewers point out that the headphone amplifier isn't as good as the MixPres (people say it's good, but the MixPre is excellent) and metering can be a bit cumbersome, especially in the F4 with a low resolution monochrome screen.
Although in my opinion the MixPres are better (that's why I got the MixPre 3) the Zooms are a terrific value. In any case the gap in sound quality between the high end models and these affordable ones has really shrunk.
Note: Sound Devices has released cheaper versions of the MixPres with a "M" suffix, but they are more catered for musicians. They replace options such as M/S decoding with musician oriented features. I think that for nature recording it's much better to opt for the "non-M" models.
Note that both the Sound Devices and Zoom units can have some learning curve to master. Especially the MixPres have a double personality as production mixers with a recorder inside and flexibility makes them a bit harder to use. Anyway there is an easier to use "basic" mode and it can be really rewarding to devote some time to master them.
I forgot, another nice feature of these recorders is that they integrate pretty well with video and still cameras that often have an atrocious sound. There are other options for that market of course, with the Tascam DR-60 and DR-t0 as excellent examples, but the performance is not the same.
Disclosure: I purchased the unit for my own use, I don't work for Sound Devices nor Zoom, and I don't even work for any audio equipment dealer.
Now, the toys:
MixPre 3
MixPre 6
Zoom F4
Zoom F8