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Zoom F8n.


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14 hours ago, Rick Reineke said:

The F8's main output (1/2) is -10dB line or -40dB mic level. The F8n's main out is fixed @ +4dB.

BTW, +4dB program audio will occasionally clip the input stage of a Sennheiser G2/3/4 SK-100 bodypack Tx (plug wired for line level), regardless of the sensitivity setting .. and it ain't nice sounding.

 

Zoom's F8n - F8 feature comparison chart (PDF)

 

Eh no, the F8n main out is +4 or -10 and sub out is -10 or -40 as listed in the comparison chart you yourself posted a link to.
I'm using F8n main out at -10 myself to G3's and it works fine.....
Think you might have got confused?
I've implemented an F8n as a lightweight option for when I don't need my full on Nomad with 6 receivers and FP8, as a quick swap out with camera hops on the same frequency, I love it and once I got my head round how to name folders and scenes,on the F8n, it's a beatiful thing, love the simple implementation of MS headphone monitoring, faders as trims.....etc.
Never liked the Maxx with one card, and no Zaxnet anyway.
Now if I can just find a nicely priced used QRX 235 on the right block I can implement Zaxnet on the F8n without too much expense too......:)

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1 hour ago, pindrop said:

 

Eh no, the F8n main out is +4 or -10 and sub out is -10 or -40 as listed in the comparison chart you yourself posted a link to.
I'm using F8n main out at -10 myself to G3's and it works fine.....
Think you might have got confused?
I've implemented an F8n as a lightweight option for when I don't need my full on Nomad with 6 receivers and FP8, as a quick swap out with camera hops on the same frequency, I love it and once I got my head round how to name folders and scenes, it's a beatiful thing, love the simple implementation of MS headphone monitoring, faders as trims.....etc.
Never liked the Maxx with one card, and no Zaxnet anyway.
Now if I can just find a nicely priced used QRX 235 on the right block I can implement Zaxnet without too much expense too......:)

So..you could use an F8 for that as well, couldn't you?

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1 hour ago, Kisaha said:

So..you could use an F8 for that as well, couldn't you?

Of course yes, but I quickly sold my F8 and bought an F8n, then they updated the F8 firmware!!
But I hated that XLR's couldn't go line level on the F8, as it meant more clutter and just in case cables.

The headphone amp is supposedly better, maybe that's why the F8n weighs 40g more?
And +4 output on main outs is much more useful to me than mic level.
And that niggling worry about the white screen of death, hopefully they've fixed that too?......:)

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34 minutes ago, pindrop said:

Of course yes, but I quickly sold my F8 and bought an F8n, then they updated the F8 firmware!!
But I hated that XLR's couldn't go line level on the F8, as it meant more clutter and just in case cables.

The headphone amp is supposedly better, maybe that's why the F8n weighs 40g more?
And +4 output on main outs is much more useful to me than mic level.
And that niggling worry about the white screen of death, hopefully they've fixed that too?......:)

 

I thought the white screen of death was affecting only early serials!

 

What do you have that needs the +4 output? I am trying to find a reason that I will need that in the future.

 

The F8n is obviously a more complete and well rounded machine, but currently there is a 700 to 1200euros price difference in Europe, one has to consider the plus and the minuses.

 

Even when the F8n stabilizes just around 1000euros (on a year? 6months?), the asking price of 700euros for a perfectly capable 8-XLR in recorder is quite tempting. Especially if you consider that the most important parts of such a machine, the pre amps and limiters, seem to be exactly the same.

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2 hours ago, pindrop said:

The headphone amp is supposedly better, maybe that's why the F8n weighs 40g more?

More likely it is due to the redesign of the battery tray. (which is the only change I don't like from the F8 to F8n)

My more curious difference is not the weight increase, but the power draw increase? One does wonder why! (I hope it is because the F8n has a more powerful CPU)

 

1 hour ago, Kisaha said:

I thought the white screen of death was affecting only early serials!

 

Yes, and Zoom showed excellent customer service in handling that issue. 

 

1 hour ago, Kisaha said:

What do you have that needs the +4 output? I am trying to find a reason that I will need that in the future.

 

If you have wireless transmitters which are line level outputs, and/or you need to run longer hardwired XLR cables to a camera (which has a line level input on the camera). 

 

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37 minutes ago, IronFilm said:

More likely it is due to the redesign of the battery tray. (which is the only change I don't like from the F8 to F8n)

My more curious difference is not the weight increase, but the power draw increase? One does wonder why! (I hope it is because the F8n has a more powerful CPU)

 

Yes, and Zoom showed excellent customer service in handling that issue. 

 

If you have wireless transmitters which are line level outputs, and/or you need to run longer hardwired XLR cables to a camera (which has a line level input on the camera). 

 

Yes good point or possibly a bigger internal power supply so the FRC-8 can be bus powered?
Yes good point about the power draw.

I don't care about any customer service when a machine suddenly refuses to work on location, it has the potential to lose me money every minute of down time, and that makes me nervous even if the customer service is the best in the world, it shouldn't be happening in the first place, and Zoom were very coy about which serial numbers it might affect, possibly because they were unsure themselves, they could have issued a mass recall, but didn't?

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6 hours ago, pindrop said:

 

Eh no, the F8n main out is +4 or -10 and sub out is -10 or -40 as listed in the comparison chart you yourself posted a link to.
I'm using F8n main out at -10 myself to G3's and it works fine.....
Think you might have got confused?
I've implemented an F8n as a lightweight option for when I don't need my full on Nomad with 6 receivers and FP8, as a quick swap out with camera hops on the same frequency, I love it and once I got my head round how to name folders and scenes,on the F8n, it's a beatiful thing, love the simple implementation of MS headphone monitoring, faders as trims.....etc.
Never liked the Maxx with one card, and no Zaxnet anyway.
Now if I can just find a nicely priced used QRX 235 on the right block I can implement Zaxnet on the F8n without too much expense too......:)

Thanks Pin , I must have misread the comparison chart. The F8n does have -10dB main output mode, which is perfect for feeding a line level SK100 Tx.

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10 hours ago, pindrop said:

Yes good point or possibly a bigger internal power supply so the FRC-8 can be bus powered?

Hmmm.... possibly, but I doubt it? As I doubt it would make that much difference, as after all this is the battery length without the FRC-8 being powered. And the F4 has much better battery life than the F8, yet the F4 can power the FRC-8 (although yes, there are plenty of other reasons you can point to as to why the F4 could have better battery life).

 

 

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10 hours ago, pindrop said:

I don't care about any customer service when a machine suddenly refuses to work on location, it has the potential to lose me money every minute of down time, and that makes me nervous even if the customer service is the best in the world, it shouldn't be happening in the first place

Yeah but every recorder in the world ever made could have an issue. No one is immune to it (and that is why you bring along spares if the shoot is mission critical). So a bit of context is useful. 

I hang out a lot on the F8 forums (because I'm a F4/F8n user), and I browse these forums too, and given the huge numbers (Zoom's best selling product!) of F8 sold then it is only a very slim number of people who reported issues with it (which Zoom has quickly dealt with, even people who were outside their warranty period). But no one with the more recently made F8 models has issues. And the newer F4 and F8n also don't have any screen issues. 

So I feel no one buying now a new F8/F8n/F4 has to worry at all about a white screen, and it is a bit of a red herring to raise it.

 

 

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1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

Yeah but every recorder in the world ever made could have an issue. No one is immune to it (and that is why you bring along spares if the shoot is mission critical). So a bit of context is useful. 

I hang out a lot on the F8 forums (because I'm a F4/F8n user), and I browse these forums too, and given the huge numbers (Zoom's best selling product!) of F8 sold then it is only a very slim number of people who reported issues with it (which Zoom has quickly dealt with, even people who were outside their warranty period). But no one with the more recently made F8 models has issues. And the newer F4 and F8n also don't have any screen issues. 

So I feel no one buying now a new F8/F8n/F4 has to worry at all about a white screen, and it is a bit of a red herring to raise it.

 

 


Ha yes my F8 is the spare, but I was still nervous that it could have the white screen issue as the information about which machines it might affect was vague. Ok I don't know how many F8's it did affect, but because it was a random at any time kind of thing, every time used it I wondered whether it would go white screen, and it did make me nervous, but glad to hear the issue seems to have gone away.....

 

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4 hours ago, IronFilm said:

Yeah but every recorder in the world ever made could have an issue. No one is immune to it (and that is why you bring along spares if the shoot is mission critical). So a bit of context is useful. 

I hang out a lot on the F8 forums (because I'm a F4/F8n user), and I browse these forums too, and given the huge numbers (Zoom's best selling product!) of F8 sold then it is only a very slim number of people who reported issues with it (which Zoom has quickly dealt with, even people who were outside their warranty period). But no one with the more recently made F8 models has issues. And the newer F4 and F8n also don't have any screen issues. 

So I feel no one buying now a new F8/F8n/F4 has to worry at all about a white screen, and it is a bit of a red herring to raise it.

 

 

I remember when I first bought my F8 and posting a video on my Instagram page. I only spoke about the features but didn't turn it on until after I finished recording on my phone. As soon I turned it on, I freaked out thinking I broke it. Little did I know anything about the white screen of death, or knowing about certain serial numbers that came out faulty, and had to be replaced.  But rest assured, even if something like that were to happen now, Zoom will fix it because they're on top their game. As more features are being introduced from the competition Zoom will match them and make their audio recorders better.   

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On 8/8/2018 at 6:28 AM, Alejandro Reyes said:

I remember when I first bought my F8 and posting a video on my Instagram page. I only spoke about the features but didn't turn it on until after I finished recording on my phone. As soon I turned it on, I freaked out thinking I broke it. Little did I know anything about the white screen of death, or knowing about certain serial numbers that came out faulty, and had to be replaced.  But rest assured, even if something like that were to happen now, Zoom will fix it because they're on top their game. As more features are being introduced from the competition Zoom will match them and make their audio recorders better.   

 

Yes that's a business strategy employed by some, copy others innovation but do it cheaper. Can that be called top of game?

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20 hours ago, Kisaha said:

Everything F8 is discontinued in B&H, by the way. Only F8n.


Well they went out of stock quickly! But no surprise at that price.

20 hours ago, pindrop said:

 

Yes that's a business strategy employed by some, copy others innovation but do it cheaper. Can that be called top of game?

"Top of their game" is reference to their customer service is I assume what he meant .

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21 hours ago, pindrop said:

 

Yes that's a business strategy employed by some, copy others innovation but do it cheaper. Can that be called top of game?

Yes, if done well enough. Not sure who invented the first wheel but there seems to be a lot of them around now :-).

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30 minutes ago, IronFilm said:

I've been using the new Zoom F8n for a few weeks now, and I'm nothing but very happy with it!

 

Feel like it was possibly a better choice for  me than a 633 or 664, and a 688 would have been unaffordable for me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David I'm glad I saw your video. I was getting ready to throw away my Orca waist belt as I wasn't sure what to use it for, since I have the Orca harness already. I gonna keep it and use it for my boom op on my next future shoot. I do have a question though... how different is the MM-1 from the MP-1 can either or be used for a camera and boom op for monitoring sound?

Edited by Alejandro Reyes
typo
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On 6/5/2018 at 7:08 PM, jozzafunk said:

 

 

I'll probably get a f8n as backup / extra tracks, but I would much rather 788 / 688 / nomad

 

A bit random, but it how would you consider a 664 vs a 688? You seem like you'd have an opinion about this matter, and I'm trying to make a decision between the two vs. price point (nearly 2 to 1 with a used 664). Thanks. 

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10 minutes ago, resoNate3973 said:

A bit random, but it how would you consider a 664 vs a 688? You seem like you'd have an opinion about this matter, and I'm trying to make a decision between the two vs. price point (nearly 2 to 1 with a used 664). Thanks. 

I have neither so can't really comment sorry - tho have been using a 633 almost daily since they arrived in New Zealand, and find it to be superb - reliable / user friendly mostly / great upgrades / light / well specced

If you want my 2 cents about those 2 - hard to say - 664 would cover most, if not all jobs I deal with - the additional options the 688 dsp provides don't seem worth the price difference but if you doing reality / panels regularly dugen would be invaluable I would say and I'd guess would pay for itself in a few days

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6 minutes ago, jozzafunk said:

I have neither so can't really comment sorry - tho have been using a 633 almost daily since they arrived in New Zealand, and find it to be superb - reliable / user friendly mostly / great upgrades / light / well specced

If you want my 2 cents about those 2 - hard to say - 664 would cover most, if not all jobs I deal with - the additional options the 688 dsp provides don't seem worth the price difference but if you doing reality / panels regularly dugen would be invaluable I would say and I'd guess would pay for itself in a few days

Thanks for the quick response, yeah, that's the kicker isn't it. I do a lot of reality... but what exactly do you mean it'll pay for itself? Are people charging for Dugan automix? I'll probably hold out for a used (or new) 688 then. I figure Automix, and the mini faders, would make the 688 worth it. 

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1 hour ago, Alejandro Reyes said:

David I'm glad I saw your video. I was getting ready to throw away my Orca waist belt as I wasn't sure what to use it for, since I have the Orca harness already. I gonna keep it and use it for my boom op on my next future shoot. I do have a question though... how different is the MM-1 from the MP-1 can either or be used for a camera and boom op for monitoring sound?

The MM1/MP1 are very similar. 
But the MM1 adds the option to have headphone monitoring, including a headphone input as well. So you can listen to both the boom directly and a second feed being sent back to the boom op from the mixer himself. 


The only way the MM1 seems to be a step back from the MP is there seems to be no off setting for the phantom power? But if you're always wanting to use phantom power, then this is no big negative at all. 

Oh and I might use the Orca harness myself for very small shoots perhaps when I'm just a boom and maybe a wireless or two. Could be worth a try, especially if I grab myself the smaller OR27 bag as well. 

 

1 hour ago, resoNate3973 said:

A bit random, but it how would you consider a 664 vs a 688? You seem like you'd have an opinion about this matter, and I'm trying to make a decision between the two vs. price point (nearly 2 to 1 with a used 664). Thanks. 

I'm not jozzafunk, but here are a few of my thoughts which lead to the F8n:
1)The 664 is the oldest of the 6 series so has a few drawbacks compared to the 633/688 (such as no recording option beyond 48KHz, no I/O delay, no ambisonics, no automix, etc), but I was giving serious consideration to waiting on finding an attractively priced 664 secondhand (as they do sell at a deeper discount than the 633/688 does). If I'd seen one at an amazing price and the F8n had never been announced, then it is very likely I would have jumped on a 664.
2) The 688 is outside my budget range unfortunately.

Kinda half considered the Maxx/Normad/SX-R4+ as well. 

But really my decision boiled down to one of:
Keep on using the F4 vs 633 vs get a F8n (or buy a secondhand F8, as they're significantly cheaper than an F8n. Plus the v5.0 firmare update almost kinda turns the F8 into nearly a F8n, but I didn't know that at the time when the F8n was up for pre-order). 

I feel any one of those three decisions could have been a smart choice. But the temptation of a new recorder proved too create, and the money I saved in getting an F8n vs something else I've put into getting a Lectrosonics SR/SMQV/LMb instead and soon a new ambisonics mic.

 

 

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10 hours ago, intsound said:

The Zoom F8n price in The Netherlands is now  € 997,-   - (price reduction) 😎 and the Zoom F8  € 925,-

 

You can buy an F8 from a neighborhood country for as low as 698 (+free shipping). That is 299€ lower. 30% down.

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