Sound for Video Session: ZOOM F6 Setup & Q&A

[@kricket58]

Mr Judd, I've been mixing audio for both live theatrical performances for audiences for 40 plus years and video production for live theatrical performances for 30 years. When videoing it's usually a 3 person crew of me, myself and I. The combination of your videos on the Zoom F6 and others combined with my experience has helped me make my decision to purchase the Zoom F6 for when I'm in unfamiliar venues. Having the ability to group and control 6 different house audio feeds from a house engineer I don't know underneath my main camera is a game changer. Thanks for your videos, Jim

[@achrefbyz6666]

you are a great sound engineer, it feels like i'm learning from a professional, not just a random youtuber

[@aygie]

9:45 The F6 does have a rechargeable battery, I was having this issue and reached out to Zoom who advised the same as you are - attach a battery and let the device run for an hour or so and the internal battery will recharge. 👍🏻

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for confirming 👍

[@malapropia]

I've looked at so many videos about the F6 and this was far and away the most informative and the easiest to watch! Thank you!

[@curtisjudd]

Glad it was useful!

[@TommysPianoCorner]

For the internal clock battery, Zoom advised me to plug the unit into usb-c mains power and leave it switched on overnight. After doing this, it is no longer necessary to keep setting date and time. I now periodically do this just to be on the safe side.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes! This keeps the internal clock battery charged. 👍

[@KlausKusserow-ClassicalGuitar]

I was here to let me talk into a ZoomF8, now I'm going to order a SD MixPre 10 II... Thanks:-)

[@yjsound]

Hi, Super great video to understand about f6 and difference between 32bit and 24bit for field recording. Even though I'm a professional sound designer, I'm always learning so many things from your KZbin channel. Thank you !! From South korea, -June

[@lorageproductions]

Thanks so much! We use it for our production work because we work with a very small crew and it's fantastic.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@crooklynx972]

Thank you Chris, That was a great refresher stream about the F6. The F6 is an amazing machine, I bought mine after watching your initial review. To the undecided ones, If you don't need all the extra features of the Mix pre there are no reason to spend the extra money. With a good headphone, phone or tablet this is a great system.

[@curtisjudd]

Glad the F6 is working well for you!

[@jidenshaotoko]

Hey Curtis! I'm new to the world of audio, but have been learning a lot from your videos. Really appreciate the effort you put into your content. Just figured I'd leave a comment about something you said on the 32-bit float portion of this one, where you describe the converters as "brittle on the high end". I've been trying to find a way to describe this unpleasant characteristic I get from my Sennheiser MKE600 paired with a Zoom H5 and you basically did it for me with your description. I don't even know if that's the hardware's fault or just my inexperience with mic positioning or other factors I don't know about that might be causing this harshness on the high-end. It almost sounds like distortion even though it doesn't look like so as the waveform doesn't get anywhere near the peak.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, the MKE600 is great for its price, but can sound a little brittle in the higher frequencies. That's part of what sets the higher end microphones apart from mics like the MKE600.

[@agentsixsix]

I'm curious why you not use the internal velcro strips to attach and center the F6. I saw them flapping around in the breeze when you're demonstrating at the end of the video.

[@curtisjudd]

I'm sorry, I don't know which part of the video you're referring to or which velcro straps.

[@agentsixsix]

@@curtisjuddOh, sorry, I hope I didn't make you search too much... this comment of mine was for another F6 video. A review of the K-Tek bag. The creator of that video clearly had less knowledge than you! That's a compliment for you, so that's a bonus! 😉

[@christopherfisher3420]

Thank you for another excellent video Curtis. I just purchased a Zoom F6 and Rode Wireless Pro set. Do you know how much input delay I should add to my boomed, wired mic to compensate for the Rode Wireless Pro mics?

[@LearnLightAndSoundSessions]

RØDE cites latency for the Wireless PRO system as 6ms. I’d give that a try. 👍

[@fredrobinson6733]

I tested recording my voice from a Sennheiser G4 Receiver into the Zoom F6. First I set the Zoom's INPUT to MIC, then I set it to LINE. I did this because I wasn't sure which to set as, in theory the Sennheiser gear ought to output a LINE signal, but I'd read that it sorta does and sorta doesn't, it's weak LINE or hot MIC - a kind of inbetweeny thing. Anyway: I then placed both of these files into a DAW (Nuendo) to compare them, and there was literally zero difference in levels, noise nor anything else between the two. I then realised that (as per normal for how I operate), the recorder was set at 32bit Float. So I thought, maybe, because levels really don't matter at all with 32bit Float, there really _is_ no difference in how the recorder handles the signal, regardless of the setting you choose (MIC vs LINE). So, to check this hypothesis, I set the Zoom to 24bit Linear instead of 32bit Float. Sure enough, the TRIM setting becomes active, and the Zoom defaults to +10 when LINE is selected, and +30 when MIC is selected (these differing TRIM settings produced the same level/noise again in its recordings, i.e. set to MIC at +30 then to LINE at +10). So I suspect the LINE vs MIC input selection is totally irrelevant for 32bit Float. And for 24bit, the option you choose makes no actual physical difference in the input circuitry as such, only different TRIM settings in the software. This is further revealed by the fact that range of Trim when on MIC goes from +12 to +75, but on LINE goes from -8 to +55. Surprise surprise, the exact same range but with a 20dB offset. So really, the device is faking that Mic vs Line makes a difference, and as such 'MIC/LINE' by the input jack really means that it's dual-purpose rather than 'switchable' as such. NB: None of this is about the Zoom's LINE OUT, a separate topic altogether. Anyway Curtis; I wanted to know if this matches your knowledge. And PS: Thanks for all the great video reviews and knowledge.

[@blurblopOfficial]

i have Zoom F6 using in bag for field recording and small outdoor interviews, I want to upgrade which Sound recorder is best for carrying in bag and have best of all functions

[@LearnLightAndSoundSessions]

If you need a pro recorder, look at the Sound Devices 833. If prosumer, look at ZOOM F8n Pro or Sound Devices MixPre.

[@blurblopOfficial]

@@LearnLightAndSoundSessions Thank you so much for suggestion

[@zenbil61]

hello curtis, I have a zoom f3 recorder and the headphone impedance value shows 15 ohms. Can I hear sound with a 32 ohm headphone? Thanks in advance for your answer

[@curtisjudd]

Yes.

[@Co2Aaron]

Ok I know I’m late to the party but I’m confused by 32 bit recording and the knobs. It seems that adjusting the fader does have some effect on the recording because if I don’t adjust it I get a thin wave form in my editor that I can drag up but if I do adjust it then I get a normal looking waveform that I don’t have to bring up as much. Using davanci resolve and I’m sure I’m recording 32bit float and I’m pulling the audio from the card not the line out into the camera. Using a F6 zoom

[@LearnLightAndSoundSessions]

Yes, on the F6 in its default config, the audio for each channel is recorded post fader, so it is digitally boosting or attenuating the levels.

[@Co2Aaron]

That confuses me even more lol

[@curtisjudd]

@@Co2Aaron Yes, the faders change the recording level. That's working like it should.

[@Co2Aaron]

@@curtisjudd in 32 bit mode as well right?

[@curtisjudd]

@@Co2Aaron In 32-bit float mode specifically.

[@HeathcliffBlair]

Hi Curtis. Thanks for the video. I still have a strange brain-block about trim and rec levels, ie - if the Zooms have a pre-set trim level, then what is the rec level doing? I presumed they were the same thing and thus you could adjust the actual recording level (ignoring the mixer level function for the moment) via the front pots. So trim is adjustable and not set in stone? Thanks again.

[@curtisjudd]

On the F6, trim IS adjustable when recording in 24-bit, 16-bit, or MP3 modes. In 32-bit float mode, trim is not adjustable.

[@HeathcliffBlair]

@@curtisjudd Thanks Curtis. I just tried recording with the F6 in both rec level and reference lvel mode. In rec level mode, guess what, you CAN adjust the rec/trim level via the knobs during recording in 32bit float. However, in reference level mode, the trim can only be adjusted prior to hitting the record button. Try it. 🙂 I think something similar is applicable to the F8n Pro. I have one, and it seems to work that way. It's a strange implementation. I remain bewildered by the point of it! 😄 Although, it's probably a feature for LR mixes rather than multitrack sound gathering, which is my usage. Thanks again.

[@curtisjudd]

@@HeathcliffBlair On mine I can adjust while recording, yes, but it is fader level, not trim, when in 32-bit float mode. That's not a problem, since the noise floor is so low, but technically it is post fader, not trim.

[@QLFProductions]

I'm an event recorder and the events can go up to 5 hours long. The F6 has no problem battery wise but if you record externally, trying to sync audio is a nightmare so feeding into camera is the solution and here is where I need your help. Since I can't use 32bit and event's have loud music, clapping and speech I need to understand how to control levels. My Zoom H4N has an auto mode that does it for me based on my target db setting. But it doesn't have the quality of the F6. I own an F6, does it have an auto setting? Would that be auto mix? My understanding is that auto mix is for when you are using 2-6 mics. What if you are using one mic for the whole event? I use one AT 4053B and surprisingly it works externally in 32 bit and sounds great for events with a little post processing. My issue is with long events so I want to feed in camera. Does auto mix work with one mic?

[@LearnLightAndSoundSessions]

Automix does not do anything for one mic alone.

[@livemusicreportscustommusi4245]

I wanted to learn about the limiter on the line out. First thing you do is point to the headphone out side and then talk about the line out on the other side. Then you say if you aren't set at the correct level for line out you will clip... What about the limiter for the line out?

[@LearnLightAndSoundSessions]

You can set the output limiter, yes, but the sound will be severely limited if the audio exceeds 0dB by a substantial amount. So yes, it helps, but it doesn't sound great in all situations. I still advocate for setting your levels responsibly so that the audio which goes to camera will also sound good and will NOT be severely limited.

[@beng4797]

Soundies, I love that ahha

[@curtisjudd]

🎙🎧

[@avimukta1]

Best avoided if possible in audio you get what you pay for .

[@nathanksimpson]

What is that little French(?) crab doing back there? Also why doesn't Sound Devices have such a nice app?

[@curtisjudd]

LOL on both counts! The crab is Pincer and he's the mascot for this show. As for the SD Wingman app...I'd love to see Sound Devices make it more functional.