Can I Use a Zoom R16 as a Fully Functioning Audio Interface?

gvdv

Member
Hi,
When I bought a Zoom R16 recently, I intended to use it for 'mobile' recording; I usually use a Presonus Firestudio as my audio interface for my DAW (when it works).

However, I have had problems with the Firestudio that the tech. folks at Presonus cannot figure out, and I have been thinking about using the R16 as my audio interface.

My question is, in addition to recording on the R16, will I be able to plug my monitors into the R16's L & R outputs, and be able monitor the recording and playback of tracks in my DAW (GarageBand 11)? In other words, will the USB both send (recording) information to the computer, and return live and recorded playback?

Thanks,
GVDV.
 
For anyone who is interested, I got the R 16 working with my Mac Pro and GarageBand 11, but only after downloading the driver, uninstalling it, and re-installing it.

Also, I think that I was connecting the USB cable to the computer first, and then to the R 16 at one point, which may have contributed to the problem (supposed to connect to the R 16 first, according to the manual).

Initial impressions are that the preamps are indeed not the quality of those on the Presonus Firestudio, but unlike the Firestudio, and from the limited testing I have done so far, the R 16 actually works!

GV.
 
Yes, you can.

But you may have some latancy issues if you monitor your input through a different device
 
Yes, you can.

But you may have some latancy issues if you monitor your input through a different device
Thanks McMajik,
Got it working - and then it doesn't work, and then it works again.

Given that that has been happening with my Presonus Firestudio, too, for the last few years, I think that the problem is with the Mac, and have started the process of getting Apple Computer to replace it. (I hope that they do).

As I thought, the preamps are not as detailed as those on the Presonus, and they don't have as much gain (and the Presonus's are a bit lacking in that department).

However, I'm not having any latency issues, which is one thing to be thankful for.

Thanks, once again, for your reply,
GVDV.
 
My question is, in addition to recording on the R16, will I be able to plug my monitors into the R16's L & R outputs, and be able monitor the recording and playback of tracks in my DAW (GarageBand 11)? In other words, will the USB both send (recording) information to the computer, and return live and recorded playback?

Yes you can live monitor what you're recording in. With the driver there's pretty low latency on live monitoring, but Zoom also has a cool control knob that you can have the playback muted in your DAW but turn a dial to live monitor directly on that channel from the Zoom while playback occurs (i.e. virtually zero latency). But even monitoring thorugh the DAW the latency is pretty low, unless you're using a ton of plugins on that channel and have a slower computer.

If you record at 24bit, 44.1khz, you can use the built in fx on the zoom directly in your DAW. If you want to record higher at 96khz, you'll need to use plugins from your DAW.
 
Yes you can live monitor what you're recording in. With the driver there's pretty low latency on live monitoring, but Zoom also has a cool control knob that you can have the playback muted in your DAW but turn a dial to live monitor directly on that channel from the Zoom while playback occurs (i.e. virtually zero latency). But even monitoring thorugh the DAW the latency is pretty low, unless you're using a ton of plugins on that channel and have a slower computer.

If you record at 24bit, 44.1khz, you can use the built in fx on the zoom directly in your DAW. If you want to record higher at 96khz, you'll need to use plugins from your DAW.
Hi DenverDrummer,
Many thanks for the reply.

I have been using the R 16 fairly successfully over the past few days; however, it does seem to take three or four tries to get the R 16 and the computer to establish a connection.

I also have found that the only way to successfully establish this connection is to connect the USB cable to the computer first, and then to the R 16, rather than the other way around (as it says in steps 5 and 6 on p. 76 of the R 16 manual).

Should one be able to use the faders on the R 16 to control volume in the DAW software? The faders on my R 16 have no effect on any part of the functionality of the DAW.

I am also finding that, just as with my Presonus Firestudio, the R 16's preamps leave a bit to be desired in terms of gain.

But it's great that this is working.

Do you think that there would be any issues (drivers in conflict, for example) if I used Reaper and/or Logic Express with the R 16?

Many thanks, once again, for your reply.

GVDV.
 
Hi DenverDrummer,
Many thanks for the reply.

I have been using the R 16 fairly successfully over the past few days; however, it does seem to take three or four tries to get the R 16 and the computer to establish a connection.

I also have found that the only way to successfully establish this connection is to connect the USB cable to the computer first, and then to the R 16, rather than the other way around (as it says in steps 5 and 6 on p. 76 of the R 16 manual).

Should one be able to use the faders on the R 16 to control volume in the DAW software? The faders on my R 16 have no effect on any part of the functionality of the DAW.

I am also finding that, just as with my Presonus Firestudio, the R 16's preamps leave a bit to be desired in terms of gain.

But it's great that this is working.

Do you think that there would be any issues (drivers in conflict, for example) if I used Reaper and/or Logic Express with the R 16?

Many thanks, once again, for your reply.

GVDV.


I have been using the R16 in interface mode for a couple if years now. It was a pain in the ass to get set up and finally I resorted to using the ASIO4All drivers. Since then, zero problems. I also use it as a control surface for Sonar 8. I really like that feature.
Yeah, the pres arent stellar, but they are certainly usable.
I also have Reaper installed on a netbook...the R16 works well with it too.
 
Hi DenverDrummer,
Many thanks for the reply.

I have been using the R 16 fairly successfully over the past few days; however, it does seem to take three or four tries to get the R 16 and the computer to establish a connection.

I also have found that the only way to successfully establish this connection is to connect the USB cable to the computer first, and then to the R 16, rather than the other way around (as it says in steps 5 and 6 on p. 76 of the R 16 manual).

Should one be able to use the faders on the R 16 to control volume in the DAW software? The faders on my R 16 have no effect on any part of the functionality of the DAW.

I am also finding that, just as with my Presonus Firestudio, the R 16's preamps leave a bit to be desired in terms of gain.

But it's great that this is working.

Do you think that there would be any issues (drivers in conflict, for example) if I used Reaper and/or Logic Express with the R 16?

Many thanks, once again, for your reply.

GVDV.

No problem. couple of questions, I see you are using a MacBook, did you upgrade to Lion? I know there is a problem that the most recent drivers from Zoom do not work on Lion, but they are working on a fix.

If you're on MacOS 10, then a couple of things, first make sure you do have the latest drivers, second when you plug in the R16 it shoud power up to a menu, and then you have to select Audio Interface and hit the enter key twice before it will connect up. This is because the USB cable works in 3 modes, Audio Interface, USB card reader mode (where the internal SD card will show up like a driver to transfer wav file to or from the R16, and in Master/slave mode, for connecting more than one R16).


Secondly, yes the R16 does work as a control surface in your DAW. You need to check to see if your DAW supports control surfaces, I'm not familiar with Garage Band, maybe someone else could fill in here. There should be a setup menu to select it, the R16 is compatable with Mackie standards. You can also go to the Zoom website for help with this.

I've used the R16 with Reaper before, so no problems there. I wouldn't think there'd be any problems with Logic Express, but I've never used it personally.

There are also forums on the Zoom website that are a great deal of help.
 
Hi DenverDrummer,
Thanks for your replies - and for re-reading and noticing that I'm using a Mac. However, I'm not using a Macbook, but a Mac Pro (for some reason people always mis-read that; I have no idea why).

No, I haven't upgraded to Lion - I'm using Snow Leopard 10.6.8 (the current version of SL), and the first thing that I did before plugging the R 16 in was to download the latest drivers from the Zoom site for using the R 16 with SL.

As I also said in my previous message, I have found that the only way to successfully establish this connection is to connect the USB cable to the computer first, and then to the R 16, rather than the other way around (as it says in steps 5 and 6 on p. 76 of the R 16 manual). In other words, what the manual says DOES NOT WORK, so if other GarageBand users are reading this, please take note.

It seems that GarageBand does not support control surfaces, so I am left having to adjust things like gain and volume levels via the mouse in GarageBand. But that is a small price to pay for something that actually works, and is stable!

Thanks, once again for your reply.

All the best,
GVDV.
 
I should like to use Zoom R16 & Reaper like a mixer for live performance (not for recording).
I installed the R16 Driver and is working, I succeed to conect R16 to Reaper.
I have in Reaper all the 8 channels from R16, I can control the sliders (faders) from Reaper with the ones from R16.

And here is my problem:
The sliders from Reaper are moving simultaneous with sliders from R16 but they have no effect on sounds which are coming on the 8 channels from different instruments.
I hoped that in this configuration I shall be able to control the tone of every channel (High, Mid and Low) as on R16 there is no tone control.
But if I playback a record all the sliders are working.
Is there any possibility to make the sliders and the ton control buttons to work for live performance?
I am working Reaper under Windows 10.
Thanks.
R16 & Reaper.jpg
 
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