continue to drop. So it’s a very good time to be looking for
new sound gear.
No matter how you need to use it—for sound, for picture
applications, recording live music or even when recording
ambient sound for VR and AR applications—the F6 has the
modes, resolutions and media support to handle your audio
workflow in an efficient and relatively easy way.
But as I just noted, the headline feature on the F6 is its
32-bit float resolution and dual-path A/D converters. This
relatively new technology on this product, especially at this
relatively low price point, means that the F6 has immense
dynamic range to cover the audible spectrum with ease.
In short, that means digital clipping is no longer the chal-
lenge that it was with older, 24-bit or 16-bit audio record-
ing technology.
Higher bit-depth recording means a lower-noise floor,
with lower levels of distortion. Practically speaking, the
increased DR means that needing to be very careful when
you're riding gain is pretty much a thing of the past. (We’ll
be sure to test this when we get this model in to review it.)
Recording Media And Multitrack Modes: The F6 allows
you to use SDXC memory cards for recording up to 512
GB of storage space. Use the MP3 format if recording just
a stereo mix and extended recoding time and minimal file
sizes are important. Use the BWF-compliant WAV format
for uncompressed audio quality and industry-standard file
compatibility; you can run the F6 in six-track mode (six
inputs recorded in 24-bit or 32-bit float) or 14-track mode
(six inputs recorded in 24-bit and 32-bit float, plus a stereo
mix). Or you can select the Ambisonics mode to capture
four channels of Ambisonics-compatible audio and have two
channels to spare for traditional mics.
Ambisonic Recording Capability: The F6's Ambisonics
mode offers precision A-to-B decoding and balanced gain
linking, enabling you to capture professional, spatial audio for
VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality) and more. Even
while using the first four channels for Ambisonics recording,
you can utilize channels 5-6 for other signals, such as boom
and lav mics. You can download the free Zoom Ambison-
ics Player software to access easy-to-use decoding and editing
functions for 360-audio.
Full-Time Code Capability: The F6 can be powered on all
day or shut down during shooting breaks, and it will main-
tain reliable sync with video cameras, master time-code clocks
or additional audio recorders. Accurate synchronization is
made possible with the F6's high-end time-code features. A
3.5mm TRS mini-jack is dedicated for time code I/O and a
Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator (TCXO) boasts
super-stable time-code accuracy to ±0.2 ppm.
What Makes It A Game Changer?: While the F6
undoubtedly has a lot of interesting new features, what
makes it significant is that it’s the first multi-track
recorder in its price range to offer 32-point float-point
audio. In real-world, day-to-day situations, the huge
dynamic range capability means that you don’t have to
work so hard to ride gain, and if you accidentally let
your levels record too hot or too low, the audio will
still be usable and will still sound good. Plus, add in
the robust internal time-code capability and Ambisonic
recording capability, all for under $700, and you have a
product that redefines what a lower-end mixer/recorder
is capable of.The Zoom F6 is the first of a newer generation of mixers: It’s a
recorder that offers an incredible feature set for an incredibly low
price while retaining great quality.The Zoom F6 right-side panel offers a dedicated
3.5mm TC input/output, headphone jack with
volume knob, power switch and three XLR inputs. digitalphotopro.com January/February 2020 | 61