Zoom R16 Portable Studio: Recorder / Interface / Controller

STUDIO-QUALITY RECORDING WHEREVER YOU GO
THE ZOOM R16

Recorder : Interface : Controller

The Zoom R16 instantly transforms any environment into a recording studio. Not only does it offer 16 tracks for recording, it can also be used as a DAW control surface and audio interface, allowing you to craft great-sounding music both at home and wherever your travels take you. The R16 has it all: built-in stereo condenser microphones, 8 mic/line/instrument inputs for connecting external gear, a whopping 135 onboard DSP effects—even a chromatic tuner.

Multitrack recording has never been easier

The R16 provides sixteen tracks for recording and playback (up to eight tracks can be recorded simultaneously) in full fidelity WAV format, making it ideal for both professional production and for use as a musical sketchpad. Battery operation allows for field recording and enables you to capture your musical ideas quickly. You can connect external microphones or line-level sources directly to the R16, or use the built-in stereo mic pair for minimal setup. You can also plug instruments such as electric guitar or bass right into the R16. When your multitrack recording is complete, you can use the R16's internal mixer, complete with real faders, equalization, panning, and 135 built-in DSP effects—including amp models and mastering effects like multi-band compression—to create a stereo mix with studio-quality sound.

Control your DAW

If you use DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software, you probably love mixing in the box but hate mixing with a mouse. The R16 provides the perfect solution. Its Mackie Control™ emulation enables the R16 to act as a full-featured control surface for popular DAWs such as Cubase, Logic, Ableton Live and Sonar, adding real faders and transport/status buttons that streamline the process of creating the perfect mix. In addition, five assignable function keys allow you to set marker points and initiate advanced editing operations.

Advanced features

The R16 offers eight inputs on combo connectors which can accept either XLR or ¼" balanced or unbalanced cables. All can handle mic- and line-level signals, and Input 1 can also handle instrument-level signals from passive or active electric guitars and basses. Phantom power of +48 volts can be applied to Inputs 5 and 6, allowing the use of external condenser microphones. There are dual balanced ¼" TRS output jacks and a headphone output with a dedicated volume control.

135 studio-quality DSP effects are provided, including insert effects such as equalization/dynamics processing and send-return effects such as reverb, delay, chorus, flanging, and phasing. In addition, there are guitar amp, bass amp, and mic preamp models, as well as effects specially designed for use on vocals and stereo instruments such as electronic keyboards, plus mastering algorithms such as multi-band compression. Effects can be applied during recording and mixdown, or can be used for playback only.

The R16's USB port allows it to send and receive digital data and to act as an 8-input/2-output interface for DAWs such as the included Cubase LE. All level meters and the onboard chromatic tuner remain fully operational when using the R16 as an interface, and when operating at a sampling frequency of 44.1kHz, input signal can be routed through the R16's onboard DSP effects. You can even synchronize two R16s via USB for 32 tracks of playback and 16 tracks of simultaneous recording.

Just 6 AA batteries—either alkaline or rechargeable NiMH—are required for power. Battery life when using alkaline batteries is more than 4.5 hours, even during continuous recording. Alternatively, you can use the included AD-14 AC adapter, which allows you to power the R16 from any standard wall socket. The R16 can also be powered via USB when connected to a computer.

The R16 records directly to SD cards, with support for both standard SD and SDHC cards up to 32 gigabytes, for a maximum of 100 track hours. Using SD media for recording ensures increased reliability and means that you never have to be concerned about hard drive failure.

State of the art editing with every multi-track recorder

The Zoom R16 comes with a free download license for Sternberg’s Cubase LE music production software, providing not just the ability to capture incredible high-resolution / low-latency audio in every box, but to do spectacular things with it.

Take your recordings to a more professional level. Steinberg’s powerful and state-of-the-art audio software used by creators around the world now comes with every Zoom R24, R16 and R8 purchase.

Currently shipping with:
Cubase LE8 for Mac OS X 10.9/10.10 and Windows 7/8/8.1

Features at a glance

• 16-track playback, 8-track simultaneous recording
• Built-in stereo condenser microphones
• Records directly to SD and SDHC cards up to 32GB for up to 100 track hours
• Records 16/24-bit, 44.1kHz mono and stereo WAV files
• Eight mic/line level inputs on XLR/TRS combo connectors
• Input 1 can also be used for Hi-Z instrument-level signals such as electric guitar or bass
• +48V phantom power 
• Dual balanced ¼" TRS output jacks
• Headphone output with dedicated volume control 
• Built-in metronome and chromatic tuner
• 135 send-return and insert DSP effects, including amp/preamp models and mastering algorithms
• User editing of effects parameters, with 390 patch memories for storage
• Independent level, pan and EQ for each track
• Internal track bouncing and mixdown of multitrack to stereo
• Flexible overdubbing and both manual and automatic punch-in/out
• Loop A/B playback with user-defined start/stop points
• Up to 100 marks per recording
• Invert track phase function
• Divide file editing
• Backlit LCD with contrast control for easy viewing in low-light environments
• 8-in/2-out USB audio interface for Macintosh/Windows computers
• High-definition 24-bit/96kHz playback capability with DAW software
• Control Surface functionality (Mackie Control emulation)
• Full mixing and transport controls for Cubase, Logic, Ableton Live, and other DAWs
• Two R16s can be synchronized via USB for 32 tracks of playback and 16 tracks of simultaneous recording
• USB bus power
• SD card reader function
• Runs on 6 AA batteries, with alkaline battery life of more than 4.5 hours
• AC adapter included
• Steinberg Cubase LE DAW software included

Accessories
Here's what comes included with the R16:

• Operation manual
• AC adapter (Zoom AD-14)
• USB cable
• Steinberg Cubase LE software