Zoom has made a name for itself in providing high quality products in both the guitar FX and multi-track and field recording markets that offer impressive feature sets for a fraction of the price of competitors’ offerings.
The Zoom H4N (upgrade of the H4), H1 and H2N are some of the best portable audio recording devices currently available, allowing users to capture anything and everything around them – whether that be for use as a dictaphone, a sample recorder or a full band-rehearsal/live gig tracker – in high-quality reproduction, stored conveniently on an internal memory or micro SD cards. The H4N in particular has caught DV247.com’s eye with its 24-bit, dual capsule flexibility and on-board levelling and EQ options. The Q3HD, meanwhile, adds HD video recording into the mix, making it a doddle to take films that don’t compromise on visual (1080p, 30fps) or audio quality.
The R16 multi-track recorder remains incredibly portable, but is fully kitted out for those producers and live engineers looking to get everything down clearly and quickly. With eight simultaneous tracks recording at once on a 16-track rig, there’s also assignable DAW control to be linked to the professional, easy faders, and whether using the onboard stereo mics or your own inputs, everything will be tracked in 24-bit clarity. Even bigger ambitions are catered for by the R24, which doubles the number of tracks available and adds looping and rhythm-creation possibilities.
Meanwhile, the Zoom G3 is a fully-comprehensive guitar modelling and FX unit, simulating a plethora of useable, brilliant-sounding guitar emulations that can be endlessly edited and are housed in the convenience of a rugged stomp-box format for good measure. There are a huge number of other pedal options within the Zoom range, with expression pedals and multiple I/O and interface specs depending on what will be right for you.