Zoom HD16CD Multi-Track Recording Studio

Are you looking to produce some decent, full-band demos? Got the next bedroom symphony masterpiece trapped in your head? Thinking about getting into audio engineering? A digital multi-tracker is a great way to start making your own recordings, and the Zoom HD16CD digital hard disk recorder has everything you need to take your music from concept to completion. While many multi-track recorders are either powerful but difficult to use or simple to operate but lacking in features, the HD16CD strikes the right balance to help you make the most of your sessions. Its intuitive layout makes mastering the basic recording process a snap, with an amazing depth of functions typically unheard of in its price range. You'll be laying down tracks right away, with plenty of pro-quality extras waiting for you when you're ready to dig a little deeper.

Lots Of Tracks, Lots Of Record Time
With sixteen tracks, you'll be able to track and mix projects both big and small. Whereas most multitrack recorders in the same price range are capable of only two- or four-track simultaneous recording, the Zoom HD16CD can record up to eight tracks at at time; plenty for recording full, professional-sounding drum tracks. And you'll still have plenty of room for multiple overdubs. Fill up the remaining tracks, and you can mix them down to a dedicated bounce track to free up even more tracks for overdubbing. You even have up to ten virtual tracks per channel, meaning you'll be able to record multiple takes of, say, a vocal performance, without ditching the previous attempts. You're able to try them all on for size and pick the one that really shines through. With an 80GB hard drive included, you won't have to worry about running out of available recording time. The HD16CD can hold up to 240 hours of CD-quality, 16-bit/44.1kHz digital audio.

A Self-Contained Production Studio
With the Zoom HD16CD, you'll be able to realize complete productions, from tracking through to finished CD. A whole studio's worth of high-quality digital effects are all at your disposal, all arranged into different groupings for easy access. You get specialized vocal, guitar, and bass effects make it sound like you've been tracking at a world-class studio, whether you record in your rehearsal space or your basement. Integral recording effects like compression, limiting, and Zoom Noise Reduction are on-board, as well as rhythmic effects like chorus and flanger that can be synchronized with your performance by setting a master tempo. For the final steps of the recording process, the HD16CD sports a suite of pro-level mastering effects, including a multi-band compressor. Twenty one mastering presets make it easy to give your finished projects the punch, sheen, and polish of your favorite records. Once you're happy with the results, send the master WAV files to your computer over USB, or pop a blank CD-R or CD-RW into the built-in burner and hand out CDs to all your soon-to-be adoring fans. Recording, mastering, and distribution? You're a mogul!

Session Rhythm Section Inside!
Not many studios come with their own rhythm section, but the Zoom HD16CD does! Nine trigger pads with three sound banks let you play one of twenty different kits, with drum sounds ranging from studio-grade acoustic sets to old school electronic drum machines. Combine them with the eleven distinct bass voices, and you've got a built-in rhythm section that would make Sly & Robbie nervous! You can even build your own percussion kits using the 70-second sampling capacity.

Connect Your Computer, External Sequencers
While the Zoom HD16CD is more than capable as a stand-alone recorder, expandability is also an option, thanks to smart USB and MIDI support. Use the USB connection to drop your recorded WAV files into computer-based workstation software, and then use the HD16CD itself as a control surface for tactile mixing and transport control! Adjust fader levels, pan tracks, and more from the hardware, and your software follows right along. Do you have a hardware sequencer or additional recorder? The Zoom HD16CD can tempo sync to any MIDI-enabled audio device for nearly infinite expandability, with or without a computer.

You're gonna be doing this music thing for a long time. You want a recorder that's easy to learn, but you won't outgrow in a few months. You want a serious piece of gear that won't put you seriously in debt. You want to be able to share your music with the world. You want a Zoom HD16CD digital multi-track recorder.

A Personal Studio with Power and Simplicity
When inspiration strikes, you need a recorder that's responsive and easy to use so you can capture your ideas as quickly as you get them. And when it comes to arranging, mixing and mastering, you need functions that enhance all of your creative instincts.

The Zoom HD16 gives you versatile, intuitive multi-track recording with a clear, intuitive interface. You can send your recorded WAV files to the included DAW software in your computer via its USB connection. Then, use the unit as a control surface to adjust, fade, pan and mix every aspect of your project. Recording, arranging, mixing and mastering has never been easier or more immediate.

Multi-Track Recording
A responsive tool for professional multi-track recording With a large, 80GB hard disk, the HD16 provides about 240 hours of recording time using 16-bit/44.1 kHz sampling in WAV format. Each track has ten virtual tracks, so you can record multiple takes to get each track right. The HD16 allows recording on up to 8 tracks simultaneously to capture a live performance of your band, or even a complete drum kit - all on separate tracks! With the HD16 you can record live or in your home studio with confidence... you have all the tools you need.

Bounce to a dedicated mastering track once you have captured individual tracks, then push the mixdown key to bounce your tracks to a stereo track. In addition to your audio track contents, you can include the rhythm track and effects return signal. This frees up tracks so you can record additional instrumental or vocal parts. Even large ensembles that exceed the default number of tracks can be managed this way. And you don't need an external master recorder for the final mix.

Get creative with versatile editing functions The HD16 offers powerful editing capabilities. In addition to standard copy, move, and erase functions, you can trim the overall length of recorded data, adjust the tempo with time stretch, create precision fade-ins and fade-outs and even reverse the contents of a track. With tools such as pitch correction and a harmonized pitch shifter, your vocal tracks will sound like you recorded them in a full production studio.

Locate function supports pin-point editing Directly access any point on any track using up to 100 freely specified marks. A-B repeat makes repeated playback or recording of a specific sequence quick and easy. Auto punch-in/out ensures that you get the exact result you want.

Build tracks from looped material The phrase loop function lets you put build a full-fledged loop track simply by lining up audio phrases. Create the backing for an entire song with just a few keystrokes, by specifying the playing sequence and repetition count. Use parts of recorded data or WAV/AIFF files as loop material, or get sources from a computer via USB or from the CD-R/RW drive. The HD16CD comes with 96 ready-to-use preset loops containing drum, bass, and guitar phrases to build your project from the ground up.

Drum & Bass Machine
Real drum & bass machine with sampler function. With over 500 drum sound sources, the HD16 offers versatile percussion choices from rock drums, funk drums, jazz drums to every kind of acoustic and electronic drum sound you can imagine. But that's not all. 20 preassembled drum kits with 27 sounds each (3 banks x 9 pads) are onboard. The HD16 includes vintage drum machine sounds with numerous auxiliary percussion and special effects sounds.

A sampler with 70 seconds of sampling capacity lets you assign any part of an audio track or an imported WAV/AIFF file to the onboard pads allowing you to build as many as 1,000 distinct drum kits. Eleven bass sound sources including electric bass, acoustic bass, and synthesizer bass are also built in.

475 preset rhythm patterns. The selection of preset rhythm patterns covers a wide range of styles from rock and pop to jazz, funk, club and more. Choose from a wide variety of intros, fills, and ending patterns to quickly create a rhythm track for your project. Set your groove with the nine touch-sensitive pads for real-time rhythm programming. Up to 511 original patterns can be created and stored. Standard MIDI Files (SMF) can be imported and used to play internal rhythm sounds as well as external MIDI sources. A software plug-in for programming and editing patterns is also included.

Multi-Effects
Utilize studio-quality effects At every step of your project, you have access to 130 types and 370 patches of DSP effects. Effects are configured with seven modules featuring various settings for guitar, bass, and vocals. Two types of send/return effects are ideal for fine-tuning the overall ambience of a song. And all three effect types can be used simultaneously. Optimize the dynamic range with a compressor/limiter and minimize noise with Zoom Noise Reduction (ZNR). Choose from a wide variety of studio-quality effects including chorus, flanger, phaser, delay, and reverb. Or you can synchronize delays or modulation to the song tempo with BPM effects. The HD16 also offers the "8x COMP EQ" effect for use on up to eight inputs simultaneously to individually optimize dynamics and frequency response when recording multiple tracks at once.

Achieve professional-level results with mastering effects Multi-band compressor, normalizer and other mastering effects assist you in the control of dynamics and listening level of your final mix. With 21 mastering presets onboard, we put the experience of seasoned recording engineers at your fingertips. Create a final mix and master that rivals the major labels. These tools are also very useful when importing audio from analog sources such as LPs or cassettes.

Advanced amp modeling with Zoom G Series on-board With 18 different guitar amp models such as Fender, Marshall, Vox and Mesa Boogie, and 6 bass amp models such as Ampeg, Bassman and Hartke you can connect your guitar or bass to get a distinct power amp and speaker cabinet character. And a built-in tuner keeps your instrument ready for your recording session.

Digital Mixer
Professional control layout and panel design The HD16's faders, control knobs, and level meters are arranged in a clean, professional layout modeled after expensive mixing consoles found in the best studios. Each track has a rotary encoder that quickly adjusts parameters such as 3-band LOW/MID/HIGH EQ, 2 effect send actions, panning and more. A solo function lets you specify each track for individual monitoring. Its controls, with a unique, studio console design make recording your project immediate and intuitive. We include scene memory to store up to 100 settings for quick recall.

Combination XLR-1/4 in. line inputs Onboard combination XLR-1/4 in. line inputs connect to an internal preamp with phantom power to provide unsurpassed flexibility for your recording set-up. The HD16's 8 of these connectors. Because the HD16 features individual phantom power on/off switches, you can configure a multi-mic environment with a combination of up to 8 dynamic and condenser mics. A high-impedance switch allows direct connection of sources such as guitar, bass and keyboards. Master outputs are also available as analog RCA jacks or an S/PDIF optical output. Two headphones jacks are also provided, so a performer and an engineer can separately monitor the recording and playback. Like professional consoles, the HD16 even lets you create a monitor mix that is separate from the master output.

Expandability
Quick connection to a computer via USB cable A 2.0 USB port supports high-speed data transfer at rates of up to 480 Mbps. Simply drag and drop audio files in WAV format recorded on the HD16 to the computer. Fine-tune song arrangements with DAW software, or convert files to MP3 for uploading to your web site or sending by email. The possibilities for personal recording projects are endless. Data backup, restore and importing of WAV files are also quick and easy.

DAW software control surface capability You'll find the studio recording console features so convenient and intuitive, that you'll want to keep using them when the HD16 is connected to a computer. Using either USB or MIDI, the HD16 can act as control surface for a DAW application. The faders, keys, and rotary encoders can be assigned to control the mixing functions of the software, which makes transport control and mixing operations like fade, pan, and EQ adjustments much more "physical." Adjustments that are difficult with a computer mouse, such as using multiple faders simultaneously are a breeze with its control surface. The HD16 also comes with Steinberg's Cubase LE, so you can use your computer for sophisticated graphics-based mixing and arranging right away.

Support for synchronized playback using MIDI time code or MIDI clock MIDI time code and MIDI clock output capability lets you synchronize playback operation with an external sequencer or recorder. Or set up a larger system to coordinate the HD16 with other computer DAW software or additional multi-track recorders.

Write an audio CD right away The HD16 comes with an onboard CD-R/RW drive to let you burn audio CDs or backup data CDs quickly. Disc-at-once writing is supported, which is great for producing live albums or mixes without gaps between tracks. Capturing the audio data of a CD for use as V-takes is also possible.

Features:
16-track playback, 8-track simultaneous recording with 160 V-takes

8 balanced XLR -- 1/4 in. phone combo inputs with phantom power

16 bit / 44.1 kHz linear PCM recording in WAV format

Over 100 effects for guitar / bass / vocal recording, mixing, and mastering

Drum / Bass machine with touch-sensitive pads and over 500 drum sounds

Built-in CD-R/RW drive and 80 GB HD

Control surface function for DAW software

Bundled with Steinberg Cubase LE

Sampler function lets you add original drum sounds to Drum Kit

Expanded sampling memory to 60 seconds

Built-in USB 2.0 port

Easily viewable 5-segment LED level meters