Zoom R24

The quality of home recording is so high these days it's possible to make killer recordings right at home. Back in the day I started out with a old 4-track cassette recorder, then moved onto a digital multi-track unit after finally arriving at the PC and Mac based platforms. The great thing about the Zoom R24 is that it appeals to both the computer gurus and 'all-in-oners' because it functions as both an audio interface/ controller for computer-based Digital Audio Workstations, as well as a sole multi-track recorder.

The uses for this unit are staggering, I think it covers just about all bases when it comes to audio, you can chuck some batteries in it and take it away to the coast and record some demos with your acoustic, plug in your electric guitar or keys and make some “full sounding” demos by using the on-board drum machine, or use it to multi-mic a full drum kit, or link two units together and capture the full band. You can even use the unit live and add sequencing while your drummer jams along with an independent click track appearing only in his headphones.

The Zoom R24 can record up to 8 mono inputs simultaneously, playback up to 24 mono tracks at 44.1/48kHz, 16/24 Bits. It comes with a 2G SDHC card (which can be upgraded to up to 32G), PSU, a handy little 4G flash drive, and a copy of Cubase LE 6 to top it off. There are two in-built condenser mics that sound great, another six phantom powered (+24 or 48V) channels and a Hi-Z input for direct input of electric guitars and basses (that can utilise inbuilt amp modelling). The unit also has a drum machine that's not limited to preset patterns, so you can make your own beats by tapping them in with the drum pads. You can even sample, loop and edit like any modern DAW.

Out of the box I decided to make a quick demo to sample the quality of this unit and test its features. I pulled out an acoustic guitar and recorded two tracks with the inbuilt mics, with no compression or EQ added. Later, I recorded a vocal track by using a nice insert preset that gave quite an impressive, slick vocal tone and added some reverb and delay on playback. The inbuilt mics sound great, true studio quality, even on the vocal track.

Next up I make a bigger sounding demo with electric guitars, a bass, programmed drums and vocals. The on-board drum sounds were pretty simplistic and having to learn how to use the sequencer involved having to read the manual, but the good thing is that you can use the sample pads to play any sample so I imported some serious drum sounds by downloading free sounds off the net. The amp sims were not to bad either, especially after a little EQ, so the final product sounded slick and professional, especially after using insert effect chains, EQ and the two sends of reverb and delay to gel everything together.

The Zoom R24 is a brilliant unit with a ton of features and uses. It's perfect for beginners to seasoned professionals, especially if you need to record multiple inputs at any given time (drummers should definitely take note!).