Zoom F8n Pro

The Zoom F8n Pro is a portable recorder suitable for filmmakers, sound designers and field recording. In addition to great sound and eight channels, it offers features such as a hybrid limiter with look-ahead function, Zoom AutoMix for automatic equalization of audio levels, and variable inputs. If you're into mobile recording, definitely keep an eye on this one. Compared to the basic version, the Pro offers recording quality up to 32 bit/196 kHz.

A hybrid limiter ensures protection against unwanted distortion in your tracks. The Zoom F8n Pro records with a delay of one millisecond, during which the limiter catches dangerous fluctuations in volume in time. The function can be used on all eight channels, with a 10 or 20 dB headroom setting. All tracks will thus always be recorded perfectly cleanly, and nothing will surprise you in post-production.

The microphone preamps have an excellent signal-to-noise ratio (-127 dBu EIN), so they won't burden field recordings with additional unwanted impurities. In addition, they feature gain up to 75 dB and all can be set to mic or line input level.

The Zoom AutoMix feature is a virtual assistant that automatically levels the mix to suppress ambient sound. This allows you to concentrate fully on making balanced recordings.

Time code is rock-solid in Zoom F8n Pro, so it won't just be thrown off by anything. A thermally balanced crystal oscillator (TCXO) generates the code with 0.2 ppm accuracy, ensuring perfect synchronization across platforms.

The recorder can also record to an SD card and via USB, which comes in handy for live broadcasts, for example. If you like to secure your recordings, insert two SD/SDHC/SDXC cards and record audio simultaneously.

Other excellent features of this recording station include the ability to be powered by battery packs, eight AA batteries or the included adapter, safety recording of the first four tracks to the remaining four tracks with different level and limiter settings, or the Pre-

Record, which records everything 6 seconds before you press the red button.

Headphone monitoring is very flexible and offers digital gain boost to minimise crosstalk and comb filtering, as well as the ability to direct audio to the left or right channel only (pre and post fader). You can also switch the headphones to a mono signal or have a warning tone sent to the headphones to alert you when the batteries are running low.

Of course, you can remotely control them via the iOS app via Bluetooth LE protocol. You can access the mix, panorama settings and transport buttons using your mobile phone or tablet. You can even manage the information and metadata of individual files via the app.