R8 : Great portable studio!

As soon as I took the R8 out of its box, I was surprised by how light it was. Despite its low weight, however, the R8 feels really solid. All dials turn smoothly and the buttons make a loud 'click' when you press them. I love the fact that it has faders. I find them much more intuitive for mixing tracks than rotary controls. The screen is quite small but the user interface is very intuitive and easy to operate even without reading the manual. All recordings are stored in the included 2 GB SD card that contains 500 MB of prerecorded drum loops. The device has two inputs that can be used simultaneously. It also has a phantom power supply for a condenser microphone.

At first, I tried to record using two built-in microphones and I noticed that they have a brittle top-end usually associated with cheap condensers. They are great for capturing some ideas but I wouldn't use them for serious recording. I also tried plugging my guitar directly into the recorder but the tone was too dry. I suppose it would have sounded better if I had used a speaker simulation. Finally, I plugged in my large diaphragm condenser and recorded some acoustic guitar. It came out surprisingly good and I was blown away by how low the noise floor was.

Zoom R8 is a great tool for musicians wanting to get studio-quality sound in the comfort of their own home. It is small and light yet very versatile. And it doesn't cost a fortune either.