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ADVICE please! Buy a 744t or Zoom f8?


Freeman

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On 4/9/2015 at 6:51 PM, Philip Perkins said:

The combo TRS+XLR connectors are a fact of life in the prosumer+MI world--everyone there wants to be able to plug in their guitars.  They could be handy under some rare circs in our world I guess, but I have all the adapters I need already.  I have no info on if those connectors are less reliable that a normal "3F" style chassis XLR, but I have found over the years that A: the quality and durability of the mic input connectors on a location machine (esp one used in a bag) matter A LOT, and that B: cheaper machines generally use cheaper connectors, which fail more often and are hard to fix.   

After another look at the F8 manual I see that they do have a strategy for data entry and mix surface--an iPad.  Not my pref, but I'm an old guy.  The iPad control thing is how nearly all new lower-end digital mixers etc have gone, that is just how this gear is made now and most users I talk to like this.

p

The Zoom have Neutrik connectors, IMMO is very good quality connectors, I seen a lot of combo connectors in hard working conditions without a fail, in my opinion is equally reliable than the regulars.

Isn't cheaper than the regular XLR3F is a bit more expensive

I thought it was a good idea when Zaxcom used the combo XLR on the 3 and 4 Maxx inputs.

But I hate the two way input (XLR mic Jack line), I prefer "one way" input with the combo connector

The iPad is better than nothing, Is a must in the today mixers (from low end to high end), is a superb tool for do stage monitors.  IMMO Should be essential in any current recorder, is very handy

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In the past couple of months I have sold my two 744Ts. While I am a bit sad to see them go, each of them sold within just a couple of hours of the ad going online. I had several enquiries after just a few minutes. Both these machines were almost ten years old. I had earned back their price already anyway, and I got about 40% back in the sale. In fact, one of them I had bought used, so I sold it for the same amount that I had bought it for.
I'm already curious how much you'll get for your F8 in ten years.
Of course, hopefully it will have paid for itself by then, but it's a big bonus to get something in the sale and it says a lot about the quality of the machine

In the past couple of months I have sold my two 744Ts. While I am a bit sad to see them go, each of them sold within just a couple of hours of the ad going online. I had several enquiries after just a few minutes. Both these machines were almost ten years old. I had earned back their price already anyway, and I got about 40% back in the sale. In fact, one of them I had bought used, so I sold it for the same amount that I had bought it for.
I'm already curious how much you'll get for your F8 in ten years.
Of course, hopefully it will have paid for itself by then, but it's a big bonus to get something in the sale and it says a lot about the quality of the machine

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A combo jack is a compromise over any dedicated-connector jack, esp re mechanics.  In our work TRS plugs don't come up very often, so I'd rather have a more protected set of XLR-F receiver sleeves for work out in the weather.  TRS jacks are a dealbreaker for home/MI type users.  Re Ipad, it's nice that it's there, but it will never be as easy or pleasurable to mix etc on as a dedicated control surface.  If nothing else, the ipad requires the mixer to watch their hands, instead of a monitor.  I wish there was a way to connect a keybd to F8 w/o having to also have the fader surface.   Maybe in an update?

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16 hours ago, igladkiy said:

 

IronFilm - USB keyboard feature will be available with the release of FRC-8 control surface (late January) - you'll be able to connect standard US/JP keyboard using FRC-8's USB port

 

Ah, I should have clarified, I meant *without* the FRC-8 :-) Which I'm very well aware of. 

As would be a lot of unnecessary extra bulk to carry around the FRC-8 just for the sake of being able to hook up a mini keyboard! :-o

 

 

9 hours ago, Constantin said:


I'm already curious how much you'll get for your F8 in ten years.

Even if a person got *nothing* for it (unlikely? :-o Would surely get at least a tiny bit for it), then that only works out to $100/yr. 

A very very cheap cost indeed! (a cheaper yearly cost than what people would get if they purchased a new Sound Devices 688 today and sold it after 10yrs) 

I think most Zoom F8 owners will not mind at all if they use it for 10yrs then sell it (or rather give it away / donate it) for nothing. 

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Even if a person got *nothing* for it (unlikely? :-o Would surely get at least a tiny bit for it), then that only works out to $100/yr. 

A very very cheap cost indeed! (a cheaper yearly cost than what people would get if they purchased a new Sound Devices 688 today and sold it after 10yrs) 

I think most Zoom F8 owners will not mind at all if they use it for 10yrs then sell it (or rather give it away / donate it) for nothing. 

The point I was trying to make wasn't if the F8 is a good business investment. Instead, I was trying to state how well the recorder holds it value - its technical value. I was simply impressed by how sought after the 744 still is even after 10 years and that people were still willing to pay 40-50% of its price as new. I am curious if that will happen with the F8, too. If you are simply looking at the business side, the F8 may well be the better choice.

Although, as I said, I bought a used 744T for 1300 five years ago, and now I sold it for 1300. That does sound to me like a good investment, considering all the money the 744 has generated in the time I had it. And as that was my rental recorder, I got much more for it per day than I could get for the F8

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On 5 Jan 2017 at 3:00 PM, Constantin said:

Although, as I said, I bought a used 744T for 1300 five years ago, and now I sold it for 1300. That does sound to me like a good investment, considering all the money the 744 has generated in the time I had it. And as that was my rental recorder, I got much more for it per day than I could get for the F8

As long as I only need 2 mic inputs or 4 tracks then the 744 is a fantastic machine.

But as soon as I need 5 inputs, there's no point in arguing that the 744 is a better investment then a F8 ; )

 

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As long as I only need 2 mic inputs or 4 tracks then the 744 is a fantastic machine.
But as soon as I need 5 inputs, there's no point in arguing that the 744 is a better investment then a F8 ; )
 

Of course, but if that were the case, this entire discussion would be pointless.
And you could always get a 2nd 744...
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5 hours ago, Constantin said:


Of course, but if that were the case, this entire discussion would be pointless.
And you could always get a 2nd 744...

well, I thought the original question was if the 744 or the F8 is a good investment... and the comment of getting two 744 seems kinda ironic from somebody who just sold two 744 ; )
personally I don't think I will get by the next 5 years with 2 mic preamps/4 tracks on my main recorder.

I love sound devices products, but I'd definitely get a 633 (or 644) over two 744.

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I used a 702T recorder with an SQN IVe mixer for many years of simple work

plus my Portadrive and a Sonosax SX_8 for drama.

I'm now just a 664 user for all jobs including smaller dramas.

And yes the metadata facility is very relevant today.

mike

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well, I thought the original question was if the 744 or the F8 is a good investment... and the comment of getting two 744 seems kinda ironic from somebody who just sold two 744 ; )

personally I don't think I will get by the next 5 years with 2 mic preamps/4 tracks on my main recorder.

I love sound devices products, but I'd definitely get a 633 (or 644) over two 744.

It's only a good investment if one day you realize your gains. I might also recommend a 788, but that wasn't the question. I cannot know if the OP needs more than 4 recording tracks. But since he asked the question I would guess not, as the question would be somewhat redundant.

In terms of pure business investment, I actually believe that a used 744 would be the better option. Especially if you can get a good deal. Use it for yourself as long as you need it, then rent it out, and buy yourself a another recorder. Eventually sell the 744T and try to get a good deal again.

Try that with the F8

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Or keep the 744T for its other features---one of mine often works as a portable clock+TC generator that can also supply two extra mic pres + 2 extra record tracks.  It acts as the master clock for decent sized multitrack and multicamera systems.  I've done several jobs where I never rolled the 744t--we just used the TC+Clock+metering on it.   If you need more tracks then get the F8 too.  Having more than one recorder (ie backup) is kind of a normal professional thing, right?

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