Zoom R16 16 Track SD Card Recorder Interface and Controller

Product Information

As well as EQ on every channel, the R16 boasts three separate effects processors. Two are global auxiliary effects — a reverb and a modulated delay that can be used to create chorus and related effects — and the third is an insert effect. This can either be set up to provide eight channels of compression and EQ, or used in more DSP‑intensive modes on a single channel or pair of channels. This would be the case if, for instance, you wanted to apply one of the built‑in amp simulation effects to a DI'd electric guitar, but it also allows you to use various mastering presets to process the entire mix. At the sound, so that bin does not gain beyond 3/4, it is very clean, no staining, the momentum is maintained. Frankly for models is more than enough. The next step in my use of R16 is reading samples through the machine, I'd previously edited in Reaper and imported into the SD card R16. The stripped down nature of a simple portable unit such as this inevitably means compromises have to be made with its design. It would have been easy for Zoom to add dedicated buttons for every function but that would have resulted in a much bulkier unit. While it's very light, it's also very fragile. I think there's not much to add regarding its usability and functions.

The quality is exactly what I wanted, no breath, no staining, very good intermediary between my gear and my PC Hardware. If you push a little too preamps there is a little breath on the last quarter of a turn, but I have not had any use for the moment, my MPC delivers all the potatoes and half the instruments enough. USB: [B type (USB2.0 High-Speed compatible)] Audio Interface / Control Surface or Mass Storage Class operation [A type (USB2.0 High-Speed compatible)] USB Host capability The quality of the effects is generally perfectly acceptable, although I don't think many people would bother using them in preference to the plug‑in effects in a modern DAW. The EQ is clean, but rather anaemic, and although the dynamics are transparent, setting them up from the two‑line LCD is hard, and the signal path is fixed (high‑pass filter precedes compressor/limiter precedes EQ). More useful are the amp simulations and so on, which can either be recorded with the input signal or applied only in the monitor path, allowing you to monitor the wet signal and record the dry one for later re‑amping.

I got it for cheap (210 €) in December 2013 so I am quite satisfied, money quite impressive report.

On the whole, though, Zoom have got the balance between size and features just about right. The design of the R16 ensures that it's both portable and functional. I've used Tascam Portastudios for years and decided to replace it with the ZOOM because of the bad experience with the NEW DP-24 Portastudio.

Like the faders, the transport section, jog wheel and associated controls double up to provide DAW control over USB. Rhythm Sampler