Recording - October 2009 - 14
B Y M I K E M E T L AY Zoom R16 It’s always a treat to see how much the Zoom gearheads manage to cram into a tiny package while keeping it all handy and useful. At the last Winter NAMM in Anaheim, I saw Zoom’s newest product, the R16, carefully displayed under glass as a prototype. I’m glad to report that the R16 is now out, alive and very well. How does it fit into the Zoom lineage? Progress and versatility The predecessors of the R16, the H2 and H4n portable recorders (reviewed September 2008 and June 2009) had impressive audio-interfacing capabilities; where most field recorders use USB connections only to transfer files, the Zooms can work as USB microphones or as standalone audio interfaces. Now the R16 leapfrogs that capability and goes way farther. We start with Zoom’s basic paradigm—take a portable standalone recording device and add USB to it, usable for both file transfer and for audio interfacing. But now we apply that philosophy, not to a stereo recorder, but to a full-on multitrack digital recording workstation with the ability to record 8 tracks at a time and play back 16 tracks at once at 16- or 24-bit resolution, 44.1 kHz sample rate. Unplugged from the computer, the R16 is a good basic digital multitrack recorder, with built-in effects, 8 mic preamps, and even a full meter bridge. But when you plug it into a Mac or PC with the right drivers, those eight mic pres become eight inputs to your favorite DAW, the outputs become zero-latency monitoring outs and as an added bonus, the front panel becomes a control surface for your DAW software. Oh, and it fits in a 15" laptop bag and weighs less than your average computer. Do I have your attention yet? Finding our way around The R16 is a low-profile desktop box with all controls clearly labeled and all 14 RECORDING OCTOBER 2009 With or without a computer, this portable recording marvel doesn’t disappoint connections on the right-side and rear panels—right side for computer, rear for audio. The front panel is neatly divided up into sections along the usual mixer/transport lines, with the meter bridge (4-segment meters for all inputs and the stereo Master track) and large backlit LCD a clear central landmark. There are eight input channel strips, almost identical; a pair of buttons chooses whether the inputs feed recorder tracks 1–8 or 9–16. Each channel strip has a gain pot with peak LED, level meter, a multipurpose button labeled Play/Mute/Rec with multicolor LED (also used to quickly select tracks when editing channel settings), and a shortthrow fader. Input 1 can be switched to Hi-Z input; Inputs 5/6 have globally switchable phantom power for use with condenser mics; and Inputs 7/8 can be switched to accept audio from the frontpanel spaced omni mic capsules. A Balance knob above the Master fader has two functions: in recorder mode, it blends a metronome click with the headphone output signal, and in interface mode, it dials in the mix of computer audio output with zero-latency tracking input. Function selectors, punch and A–B repeat switches, marker selectors, transport controls, a small jog/parameter wheel, and a cursor/Enter/Exit button cluster complete the controls. The rear panel has eight combination XLR–1/4" inputs, a pair of 1/4" TRS balanced outs with a small level pot, a 1/4" TRS stereo headphone out with its own level pot, and a power switch with a plug for the included 15V power adapter (the R16 can also run on six AA batteries or, in interface mode, via USB bus power). The right side-panel has a drawer for an SD memory card (up to 32 GB; a 1 GB card comes with the unit) and both USB A and B ports, one for connection to a host computer as an external interface or data transfer device, and the other (“Host”) for connection to a USB flash drive, or a second R16. We didn’t get to test this feature, but the manual states that this extra USB port allows one R16 to act as a master and a second unit to act as a slave, the two working in series for 16-track simultaneous recording capability.
Recording - October 2009
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - October 2009
Recording - October 2009
Fade In
Contents
Talkback
Fast Forward
Joe Chiccarelli And The Perfect Mix
Zoom R16
The Mixing Workshop
Lauten ST-221 Torch Microphones
Mastering Engineer Bob Katz—The Voice of Experience
Benchmark MPA1 Preamplifier
What The Heck IS Mastering?
Reviewed and Revisited: M-Audio ProFire 610
Universal Audio 710 Twin-Finity
Recording’s Drum Column
Plug-In Outlet
Readers' Tapes
Chameleon Labs 7802 Tube Compressor
Recording’s Showcase of Sounds
Advertiser Index
Fade Out
Recording - October 2009 - Recording - October 2009
Recording - October 2009 - Cover2
Recording - October 2009 - 1
Recording - October 2009 - Fade In
Recording - October 2009 - 3
Recording - October 2009 - Contents
Recording - October 2009 - 5
Recording - October 2009 - Talkback
Recording - October 2009 - 7
Recording - October 2009 - Fast Forward
Recording - October 2009 - 9
Recording - October 2009 - 10
Recording - October 2009 - 11
Recording - October 2009 - Joe Chiccarelli And The Perfect Mix
Recording - October 2009 - 13
Recording - October 2009 - Zoom R16
Recording - October 2009 - 15
Recording - October 2009 - 16
Recording - October 2009 - 17
Recording - October 2009 - The Mixing Workshop
Recording - October 2009 - 19
Recording - October 2009 - 20
Recording - October 2009 - 21
Recording - October 2009 - Lauten ST-221 Torch Microphones
Recording - October 2009 - 23
Recording - October 2009 - Mastering Engineer Bob Katz—The Voice of Experience
Recording - October 2009 - 25
Recording - October 2009 - 26
Recording - October 2009 - 27
Recording - October 2009 - Benchmark MPA1 Preamplifier
Recording - October 2009 - 29
Recording - October 2009 - 30
Recording - October 2009 - 31
Recording - October 2009 - What The Heck IS Mastering?
Recording - October 2009 - 33
Recording - October 2009 - 34
Recording - October 2009 - 35
Recording - October 2009 - Reviewed and Revisited: M-Audio ProFire 610
Recording - October 2009 - 37
Recording - October 2009 - Universal Audio 710 Twin-Finity
Recording - October 2009 - 39
Recording - October 2009 - 40
Recording - October 2009 - 41
Recording - October 2009 - 42
Recording - October 2009 - 43
Recording - October 2009 - 44
Recording - October 2009 - 45
Recording - October 2009 - Recording’s Drum Column
Recording - October 2009 - 47
Recording - October 2009 - Plug-In Outlet
Recording - October 2009 - 49
Recording - October 2009 - 50
Recording - October 2009 - 51
Recording - October 2009 - Readers' Tapes
Recording - October 2009 - 53
Recording - October 2009 - Chameleon Labs 7802 Tube Compressor
Recording - October 2009 - 55
Recording - October 2009 - Recording’s Showcase of Sounds
Recording - October 2009 - Advertiser Index
Recording - October 2009 - 58
Recording - October 2009 - 59
Recording - October 2009 - 60
Recording - October 2009 - 61
Recording - October 2009 - 62
Recording - October 2009 - 63
Recording - October 2009 - Fade Out
Recording - October 2009 - Cover3
Recording - October 2009 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202502
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202501
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202412
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202411
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202410
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202409
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202408
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202407
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202406
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording-november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_20205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/nxtd
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com