ZOOM Digital Multitrack Recorder (R12)

Having used the Zoom R12 Multi Track Portable Recorder extensively, I can confidently say it's a game-changer for my recording projects. The touchscreen interface simplifies the editing process, allowing me to fine-tune my recordings effortlessly. With 8 tracks at my disposal, I've been able to capture intricate layers of sound with ease. The 2 combo inputs have proven invaluable for accommodating various instruments and microphones, ensuring versatility without sacrificing quality. Whether in the studio or on the move, this recorder has exceeded my expectations, making it a must-have for any serious musician or podcaster.

I've been using portable recording studios for decades, beginning with a TEAC 4-track cassette studio in the 1980's, a decade or so ago I had a Zoom R16 used in conjunction with my laptop studio software. All served their purpose well at the time, technological limitations notwithstanding.Now in 2024 I'm using the latest Zoom multitrack device, the R12, and, after some initial frustrations have to admit that I'm in love with this thing. The main difference between this device & the others I've used is the R12 features a small color touchscreen to control most features. Initially the "small" aspect seemed a little doubtful; is it possible to edit, copy, paste, drag things around etc on such a tiny screen? The answer is YES, I've had no problems with this aspect, although I've made it even simpler by employing a disc-type stylus instead of my fingers, which can block out parts of the screen from view, I have slim fingers so if you have stubby or large fingers a stylus would definitely be advised.The sound quality of recorded material is more than acceptable for most uses, CD quality certainly.The portability of the unit was a big selling point for me, I'm primarily a singer with an extremely loud voice lol, which can be a blessing or a curse, in the case of having neighbors close by definitely a curse, so I needed something small that I can bring with me in the car to isolated locations to record vocals, this fits the bill perfectly. It runs on either a USB-C cable & adaptor, 4 AA batteries, or a power bank. Using the latter I have yet to have it die during use, and sometimes I've used it most of the day, so really happy with the power options.The unit itself easily gets 5 stars, but I'm giving this only 4 stars for one reason alone: the user manual is ABYSMAL. Absolutely terrible, only the most basic functionality explained, it'll show you how to set up the unit & not really much more beyond that. The official Zoom online "tutorial" videos are little more than commercials for the unit, nothing in-depth at all.I was very close to returning the unit for a refund, because it didn't seem possible to upload my original instrumental backing tracks for me to add vocals to, there are zero instructions in the manual to accomplish this, and without this capability I really don't have much use for the device.Very happily, I stumbled on the videos of a YouTuber named "Gaz Render", who has a series of tutorial videos on this and other portable studios. This guy should be paid by Zoom, as he's done what they should have done from the start: in depth explanations and demonstrations of all functions of this device and others (especially the Zoom R20, which is very similar to the R12 and many of the functions identical in execution)So if you purchase either the R12 or R20, you are going to want to bookmark/favorite this user, you will save yourself major time & headache in doing so.Now that I'm very familiar with this little Zoom R12, I find using it to be a total breeze, the results more than acceptable, and (as long as you're not expecting high-end Protools studio results) I have absolutely nothing bad to say about it. Worth every penny!

Easy to use...I like it!!

No tengo ninguna queja el producto lo recibi tal cual su descripcion

This producted frustrated me. it was not as easy and simple as the video made it appear. I opted to return this one and go with another program bassed system that has worked out better for me.

Where do I start? No manual. Downloaded a manual useless, might as well have been in another language. A nice simple how to would have been great. Nothing just this microscopic touch screen with a bunch of cool features. That nobody can use. Unless you're a sound engineer. I'm just a schmuck in my living room trying to record some songs I wrote and it's like trying to pull eye teeth. This damn thing is going back and I'm never buying something like this again.

Many years ago I purchased a Tascam DP01 digital 8-track recorder. At the time there weren't many options for digital recorders on the market, and I knew I wanted something I could eventually make MP3s or burn CDs from my music with, and cassettes were the norm for 4 and 8 track recorders. That recorder was pretty decent for what it was, but nothing about it was intuitive and everything took a lot more steps than necessary. But it was the best option for home recording for that price range available at that time. I stopped using it for a long time due to how much effort was needed to do everything. Especially when I stopped playing in bands. Recently though, I've gotten back into writing and wanted to start tracking multiple guitar parts and eventually drums for personal demos. Nothing major. Just as a hobby. Going back to that Tascam was a nightmare. It's really bulky, and taking the steps needed to record multiple tracks, then master them, then transfer them to a PC, is just tedious. The entire unit has to be connected via USB, and it's about the size of an original Xbox. Plus sound quality wasn't even that great for the early 2000s. I give that mini review of that recorder for background on what I wasn't looking for in a recorder now. I needed something easier, smaller, better quality, and more intuitive. After researching, I decided to go with the Zoom R12, that's smaller, has a touchscreen for easier menu operation, is portable, and has better sound quality.As soon as I unboxed it, I was immediately happy with the size. It's 1/4 the size of the Tascam. And 1/4 of the weight. Yet it still feels reasonably sturdy. I wouldn't drop it too many times, but it feels like it'll at least withstand an accidental drop or two (I do not plan to test that theory out however, as it is all plastic). Using a stylus, I was able to easily navigate the touchscreen, even though it is pretty small. About the size of a Nintendo DS touchscreen. Maybe slightly bigger. It's not terrible to do by hand, but it's easy to hit the wrong thing unless you have very thin hands. While there is a lot going on in the menus, most basic functions are pretty easy to pick up on with a little exploration of menus. Though I do recommend looking up some basic tutorials on YouTube, as it'll really help simplify things, like having to assign an input to the track you're recording on. Within an hour of owning this, i already had a song I recently recorded on the Tascam over yhe course of an entire evening,re-recorded on this.The only issue I had was mastering and transferring it to me PC. I had to specifically look up how to do that online. The dowloadable user manual gave a basic idea, but it was missing steps that made it more confusing than it needed to be. Basically, select "mix down," adjust your EQ settings, pan sides, FX, ect., then press record and adjust the faders as needed. Once you press stop, the unit creates a mastered file in the Audio folder that you can transfer by powering down, moving the card to whatever device you want the file on and copying over like any other file. If you start the process over, it creates a new file, while retaining the other master files as long as Mix Down is selected. While everything involved required a little bit of trial and error to figure out, you don't need to be a professional producer to to cut tracks on this. And the sound was way better than my old Tascam. A little hint though, you don't need the faders for each track cranked to max. 0 or 5 should do, or you might drown out the song with too much low end. Save max for quieter recordings that need a little more oomf and let the Master fader tackle the volume for most tracks.Admittedly, I haven't used any of the other features on this yet, like FX, drums loops, or clicks, so I can't comment on their quality or ease of use. I do own a Zoom Stomp pedal and know their multi-FX designs are pretty decent, so I'll be exploring that over time. But I really just wanted an easy multitrack recorder and this has more than lived up to my expectations. The fact that I can also run it on batteries or a power bank and travel with it is an amazing bonus. The fact that there's all these other features I haven't played around with yet, even moreso. In my opinion, as long as you're not expecting all the bells and whistles of full-on recording software, you really can't go wrong with this. Just be patient and willing to do a little research if you get stuck. The answers are easy to find online and it is very much worth the effort.

I have the whole set up with computer etc but this R12 is exactly what I needed. A straight forward easy to use way to record my guitar playing and playback anytime to gauge progress. Sounds great and very user friendly. Recommend this Zoom R12

Por ahora, el dispositivo cumple con lo prometido. Aún lo estoy probando.(Peeero, jeje, preferiría un cable de alimentación más largo).

presq'inutile

Definitely a compromised design to make portable. I can easily live within the limitations, it makes a great platform to create fully flushed ideas before the studio.

Don't use with amazon batteries. Only use high end cells because this unit draws heavy current. Amazon cells still show good at 1.3v when out but drop to 1 volt when under load. Then the machine shuts down.