Zoom’s R20 multi-track recorder could be a very practical recording solution for bands

The 16-track recorder features eight physical inputs, built-in effects and a handy touchscreen to command it all.

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Zoom R20

Image: Zoom

Capturing live in-studio sessions without a laptop appears to be direction Zoom has taken with its latest multi-track recorder, the R20, a standalone machine which features a handy touchscreen for handling edits, overdubs and more on the fly.

The Zoom R20 is a 16-track recorder with eight XLR inputs – two of which also support 1/4-inch inputs, and three of which support phantom power – as well as support for either 16- or 24-bit recording at 44.1kHz.

The machine records directly to an SD card, accepting SDXC cards up to 1TB in storage. However, it can also function as an eight-in/four-out audio interface when hooked up to a computer via USB. If you’re running an iOS DAW, you can also use it as a two-in/two-out interface.

For navigation, edits and overdubs, the touchscreen lets you control individual tracks and access the R20’s built-in effects, of which you’ll find a compressor, limiter, three-band EQ, reverb, noise gate as well as guitar and bass amp modelling for players going direct-in. There are also a number of drum loops and synth samples onboard, which can be edited with a piano roll or controlled with USB MIDI.

A separate USB port will also let you connect a Bluetooth adaptor for remote-controlling sessions through the R20 control app.

Check out an overview of all the R20 has to offer below.

We can definitely see the potential of the R20 for bands wanting to record their rehearsal sessions, but it could be great too for content creators (especially drummers) to have in their home studios.

Pricing and availability for the Zoom R20 has yet to be announced. The recorder, at press time, is currently only listed on Zoom’s Japanese website.

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