Zoom H8 Smartrecorder Offers Custom Touch Interfaces For Field Recording, Dawless Studio, Podcasting

Zoom has introduced the H8 digital audio recorder, described as “the world’s first ‘Smartrecorder'”.

The Zoom H8 comes with apps tailored to a variety of types of digital audio recorder use cases:

  • The Podcast App turns the H8 in a professional Podcasting Studio
  • The Music App is designed to let you use the H8 as a complete Recording Studio
  • The Field App is ideal for location sound, sound design and conference recording

The Zoom H8 features 10 inputs, 12 simultaneous recording tracks, interchangeable mic capsules, remote control via iOS and an App-driven touchscreen interface.

The Zoom H8 features an interchangeable capsule system that allows up to 4 channels of audio to be added to the H8’s capsule connection. Options include:

  • XAH-8: Combination XY / AB Mic
  • VRH-8: Ambisonic Mic
  • EXH-8: Expander Capsule

Features:

  • Customized applications for field recording, music and podcasting
  • Interchangeable input capsules
  • 12-track simultaneous recording
  • Four mic inputs and two XLR/TRS combo connectors
  • Gain control knobs and -20dB pads for each input
  • Supplied XYH-6 X/Y capsule provides secondary input via a stereo ?” Mic/Line In mini phone jack
  • Phantom power for four main XLR inputs: +12/+24/+48V
  • Large color LCD touchscreen display
  • Records directly to SD, SDHC and SDXC cards up to 512GB
  • Up to 24-bit /96kHz audio in BWF-compliant WAV or a variety of MP3 formats
  • Auto-record, Pre-record and Backup-record functions mean that you’ll never miss that perfect take
  • Built-in effects, including low-cut filtering, compression, and limiting
  • Multichannel and stereo USB audio interface for PC/Mac/iPad
  • Accepts standard AA alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries
  • Over 20 hours of operation with 4 AA alkaline batteries

Pricing and Availability

The Zoom H8 is available now with a street price of about $400 USD.

12 thoughts on “Zoom H8 Smartrecorder Offers Custom Touch Interfaces For Field Recording, Dawless Studio, Podcasting

  1. It looks and sounds awesome, cool design with excellent features………how sad and negative that isn’t enough for some…..anyway I will get one as I’m in the market for an all in one pro solution future cool field recorder. Top effort Zoom 🙂

    1. Great features. Too ugly to buy. I’ll stick with my H6 accessories for now. I don’t like putting 6 chances to topple my recording platform 6 feet the floor. Put the mic on the stand and recorder on a table out of the way.

  2. It must sound like a miracle to justify its absolutely terrible design.
    The idea of attaching that 4 channel surrounding microphone to it even makes no sense. Who’d record ambience that way?

  3. To me, function is WAY more important than aesthetics.

    “Ugly” is in the eyes of the beholder.

    When I go to interact with a device, if the layout is intuitive and the controls are easy to operate, that can be beautiful.

    The fact that Zoom crammed so many controls into such a compact space– using most of the surface– is a smart compromise between small size and lots of control (without having to resort to a menu diving UI).

    People who want the device to look sleek and shiny and be a pain in the a$$ to use, well, they have lots of options.

  4. I think it looks awesome, but since when are “looks” important for a field recorder? Guitar or synth or instrument of some kind to be “played”…I get it, but there aren’t a lot of ways to make something with this much capability at this size look “sleek”.

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