When it comes to audio solutions for filmmakers and content creators, Zoom has built a solid reputation over the years with legendary products like the H4n . The company recently released the Zoom Mictrak M2 , M3 and M4 recorders in 32-bit floating format that don’t even have a volume knob! Of course, the main advantage of 32-bit floating-point audio recorders is that it is virtually impossible to overdrive the audio track, and the audio level can be adjusted infinitely in post-production without backloading unwanted noise or audio distortion.
Zoom is back with another 32-bit recorder primarily intended for musicians, but which can also be very useful for filmmakers and content creators: the Zoom R4 MultiTrak.
R4 MultiTrak is a fairly compact audio recorder measuring 74 x 138 x 36 mm and weighing 287 g with batteries. For power, four AA batteries are used (maximum battery life: 14 hours), and there is also support for power via the USB-C bus on the right side of the device. In addition, you can use an additional network adapter ( Zoom AD-17 ) for unlimited work time.
The front of the unit features a 2-inch color display so you can clearly see your settings and audio level. Below the display are four audio volume controls for adjusting the level of each track.
On the right side of the R4 MultiTrak is a power button, a microSD card slot , and a single USB-C port for powering the device, which can also be connected to a computer. When connected to a computer, the R4 MultiTrak acts as a 2-channel USB audio interface .
On the bottom of the R4 MultiTrak are two XLR/TS combo jacks. There is one 1/4″-20 thread on the back of the device for mounting to a rack or other equipment. On the left side there is one headphone jack and two volume controls. The R4 MultiTrak has several built-in effects designed for musicians, including EQ, reverb, compression and guitar effects.
There is also a built-in mono microphone with a circular pattern on the bottom of the recorder, which can be useful for recording initial audio or sound during events, for example. Please note that only Input B and the built-in microphone can be recorded simultaneously, not Input A, Input B and the built-in microphone.
