Zoom PS04 Palmtop Studio 4-Track Recorder
4-track recorder uses Smartmedia flash rom. Includes 93 effects, drum/bass machine & built-in mic preamp.
Overall User Ratings (based on 299 ratings)
Submitted May 5, 2005 by a customer from cs.com
"40 V-tracks, excellent FXs, and a built-in drum/bass machine!"
40 V-tracks, excellent effects, and a built-in drum/bass machine! On a whim, I picked this unit up (I also own a Roland VS840gx and a Fostex MR-8); the Roland box is a lil' bulky on the portability scale, and the Fostex box has very limited effects. The PS-04 adds a decent built-in bass/drum pattern machine and has a plethora of EXCELLENT guitar effects. While the drum/bass patterns are a very high quality, PROGRAMMING them into a usable pattern is a bit tedious; there's a Pattern Editor PC tool (available via Zoom's website) that makes the chore a bit simpler. Jamming along with the drum/bass machine -- especially using the killer guitar effects -- is a complete blast!
Overall, this is an unbelievable unit for the money; it's got 16-bit/44.1 KS/s ADs/DAs, so it's truly "studio quality"; the effects are incredible; it's reasonably easy to learn/use (with the exception of programming the drums/bass as noted above). If you're looking for a terrific, on-the-go toy/scratchpad, THIS is the unit. Even if you're trying to produce a high-quality demo on a budget (noting of course that you're limited to only TWO tracks at a time for recording -- you can play BACK up to 4 tracks plus the drum/bass tracks while recording, so the 2-track record limit is usually NOT a problem in a studio environment), this dog'll hunt. Each "track" has 10 "v-tracks" associated with it (40 total); the onboard editing / bounce capabilities let you record different takes and mix-downs so that a final, 2/4-track version of your composition can be easily produced. Note that I've NOT used the built-in mic (I use a CS-1000/Tube Pac externally) so I cannot comment on THAT feature. All-in-all, for the price, this unit is PHENOMENAL!
Sound
The sound is digital, 'nuff said. It uses 44.1KS/s ADs and DAs, so unless you bounce tracks >10x, what you get out is what you put in. The built-in effects are incredible. The PCM sampled drum and bass sounds are terrific as well.
Features
Things they SHOULD have added: XLR mic input (gotta use an external pre-amp); USB Port (had to purchase a SmartMedia reader/writer for my PC -- a USB port would have been a cheap, HUGE improvement); Simpler drum/bass pattern entry/editing; AC Power Supply (WARNING -- the PS04 uses CENTER NEGATIVE polarity and you WILL fry this puppy if you try to use a "standard" 9VDC wall wart!); Padded carrying case; Better digital compression (you WILL quickly fill the supplied SmartMedia card; get a bigger card AND make sure you have the ability to download from SmartMedia.) MIDI in/out would have been nice, too, and the File Manager and Pattern Editor software should have been included.
Quality
This is an incredibly small, extremely compact, and mostly-plastic unit, so I doubt it would take much physical abuse (unlike the severe emotional abuse my soon-to-be-ex wife has heaped on me!). However, the box IS completely digital (NO moving parts save the sliders, knobs, etc.) and Zoom has a well-earned reputation for quality. Ergo I suspect with a lttle TLC, this unit should last a long time.
Manufacturer Support
The SmartMedia card/file Manager and the Pattern Editor software SHOULD have been included wih the unit. It was simple to download/install the SmartMedia Manager program, but you have to purchase the Pattern Editor (it's like $39 US). I've NOT had to contact Zoom's tech support folks yet so I can offer no comment on that function.
Musical Background:
Composer/guitar collector
Musical Style:
Zappa to Hedges
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Submitted December 29, 2005 by a customer from hotmail.com
"Now I can do EVERYTHING"
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I will definitely keep my little 'magic box' but ultimately, I will want some kind of bigger console recorder to use as well. They both have the same general purpose - recording music - but the PS04 is designed with a 'take-it-anywhere' kind of philosophy, which makes it more difficult to do heavy editing with. A big knob and slider console recorder is definitely on the horizon, but not at the expense of my Magic Box, just as a different tool for a different setting. If it were lost I would buy another of the same type. It helps musical goals by being easy and portable and readily available for inspiration moments but also techie enough to make proffesional sounding recordings with, I have actually sat at a table in my basement studio and worked the editing programs on this thing for hours at a time. I looked really silly in headphones with my gameboy thingy and probably would have looked more convincing as a sound engineer had I been in front of a huge mixing board, but I was accomplishing the same thing. It is the swiss-army-knife of music gear for a home recordist. I think one should be given to every kid in a grade school music class or every grown up kid in a post-college rock band.
Sound
sound is extremely good in HiFi mode, and the internal mic actually sounds better than most of my 'real' mics... good sound, especially the 'mastering' effects presets, but when using high gain guitar effects, over the top distortion, etc you do get a bit of a line buzz. Those with enough tech savvy can edit that stuff out of a recording, but chopping and pasteing takes some time and is not as intuitive a process as the rest of the machine's operation. Most of the guitar effect presets are nice and convincing - the beatle amp and the rectifier being my favorites.
Features
Like most Zoom gear, the PS04 was stuffed with a bunch of quirky little extras. Obviously the effects section is nice, varied, and really excellent sounding, with insert effects for gtar. bass, keys, line-in, etc. Very nice sounding stuff but that should be assumed for a company who's primary focus is effects. There's a guitar tuner, an extremely nice sounding built-in mic, there is a drum machine that is difficult to program unless you have a lot of time since there are no touch sensitive pads. The drum sounds are good, but hard to work with due to the restricted interface of such a small console. Real-Time drum programming is more or less futile except for very basic beats, but they do have the step-programming function for those with attention spans longer than mine. Also there is a bass program with a few different generic bass sounds...'slap','synth','picked','finger', and 'accoustic'. Once again, nice sounds, if you have the time you could make it sound good, but I often just use these extras as a metronome. Remember that it is firstly a recorder, not a sequencer. As a recorder it has all the effects and mastering and reverb send and chopping and pasting edit functions you could possibly need, the Drum machine is a bit of an afterthought. But it is a nice touch for the guys at Zoom that they stuffed ANOTHER quirky toy into the multitasking little game-boy looking thing that it is. Kind of annoying that it doesn't include an adapter and the mem card is too small to do more than a couple of projects at a time... but adapters are easy enough to get, as are larger mem cards
Quality
I have had no breakdowns on mine and I have owned it for almost 2 years and brought it all over the world when touring. I wouldn't suggest throwing it into a busy street, but it is durable enough to live in a guitar bag for months and sit atop amps in dingy smokey clubs and never protest. It is plastic, so don't run over it with a truck or anything, but it is hard plastic and it is well sealed so the occasional beer splash or smokey room abuse doesn't faze it. (so far)
Value
I have noodled around with the Korg Pandora palm studio and the Tascam palmtop, both of which are slightly pricier, but the Zoom is definitely my preferred portable. The Tascam has the advantage of being computer-link ready, and can convert to an MP3, but the Zoom can do that do with the right software and an audio cable, and for a couple hundred dollars less, and Zoom box has better effects. The Korg has a bunch of preset MIDI files but nothing programmable, and once again, Zoom was just more user friendly and had better effect sounds.
Manufacturer Support
Never needed them, but they have a website, so if I were to need them, I would look there first. I can assume that they have some level of customer support, but since most of their products are low price and fairly durable, I doubt if their help-line sees much action.
The Wow Factor
It looks like a gameboy, no points for aesthetics, but it has this sort of "I can take my entire studio with me in my pocket!" appeal... you get a mic, a programmable drum and bass, 4 tracks, more tracks after bouncing, and on and on... the idea being that if you use it right, all you need is your guitar and this box, and you can have a full on studio album (if you like synth bass at least)
Musical Background:
active musician, soundman, recording engineer, multi-instrument, vocalist
Musical Style:
rock. because rock rocks.
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Submitted December 2, 2006 by a customer from sbcglobal.net
"Cool little machine."
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This is exactly what I need right now. I would highly recommend this product.
Sound
This thing really sounds great for its price if you use it right. When I first got it I kept on putting the gain up way too high on it then figured out that I needed to lower it and it sounded a lot better.
Features
Again, for the price this thing is very much worth it. I has so many different features and things that I can't even figure them all out.
Ease of Use
It takes a little practice to get to know how to use this thing if you're not familiar with it. The manual explains everything fairly well, but it's still pretty difficult to understand the device entirely.
Quality
I've dropped this thing from about 4-5 feet off the ground and nothing happened so I'm pretty pleased with its structure, and it seems pretty damn tough.
Value
This has great value, as I said before, and is worth every cent I paid for it.
The Wow Factor
The reason I got it was because I needed a 4 track recorder and this one looked sweet. I got a hell of a lot more than just a 4 track.
Musical Background:
Hobbyist/In a band
Musical Style:
Rock/Southern Rock/Alternative/Adult Alternative
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Submitted December 4, 2006 by a customer from yahoo.com
Zoom PS04 Digital 4-Track Customer Review
I will be satisfied with it as long as it continues to work. I would replace it if it broke if I were able to.
Sound
The sound can be as good as you are willing to put into it. After dealing with reel-to-reels and such ilk with the sound degrading after several retakes - this little do-dad is precisely what the doctor ordered since I usually need several retakes. It is also nice to be able to save the track directly to my PC. Hoo-hah! I don't give it a 10 because we all know something better will transpire.
Features
I'm overwhelmed with the range of things I can do here. I still haven't been able to encompass it all because I don't normally need much to get my point across. But - boy-o-boy-o-boy-o...!!
Ease of Use
It isn't easy to use but after you toy a bit it becomes a lot easier. I just don't care to push my own buttons, if you know what I mean. However, the 'drop-in' feature is so much nicer to use and set-up than my previous (old-world) equipment. It has taken a large chunk of recording stress away. You just need to be literate, folks.
Quality
So far it has worked well. I haven't had a lot of hours with it yet. Yes, I do have concerns with it breaking. It's the story of my life, though. I'd hate to spend my few remaining cancer-free moments of life devoted to a masterpiece that suddenly becomes inaccessible or detroyed because I depended on technology once again only to be dashed anew upon the rocky shores of reality. Grrr.
Value
Love it! I would have many more for future projects if I could in case I wear out the one my wife blessed my with.
Manufacturer Support
I haven't had to do this yet.
The Wow Factor
What do I know about sex appeal? I'm a Buddhist. Not a good one but you do what you gotta. I can say with certainty that my band members and fellow musicians love this thing and have either purchased one or remain in the misery of desire.
Musical Background:
all of the below
Musical Style:
Varies (have been reviewed as "Beatlesque" so I must be doing ok)
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Submitted March 4, 2005 by a customer from knology.net
"All that it should be, especially for the money"
It does everything I needed it for, If you want to produce full CD's you may want too look towards an 8 track or bigger, not because of the sound quality, that's fine, just a bit combersome to try anything really serious with. I was under the impression you could simply put the smart media into a card reader (to a PC) and copy the .wav file, but there are some steps to do this evidently, bouncing etc...
Do not be wary of this product for quality sound, it is very good, but it would be tough to do alot of tracks, only compaired to te bigger stuff out there.
Sound
The sound is great, assuming you are simply recording a clean, original source. What I mean is if you own a POD or V-amp, USE IT!
The included guitar stuff is OK for the "Jist" of something but not near good enough for a serious project. That being said, it's omly 2 bills!! So I'll take that!!
Features
This thing is cool for what I bought it for. I needed a good, clean sounding recodring device to record live gigs for bands to critique their live performance. I plan to use a Rode NT4 to plug into the 1/8" input so that should work great (hopefully)
Quality
Well it's just $200ish so you are presented with a solid platic piece of gear, should be ok if you are not throwing it around
Value
If you simply need a good digital recorder, you can't go wrong.
The built on Mic is surprisingly good for reference, but I would recommend a solid mic for anything serious. You get exactly what you put into it, which is cool.
Manufacturer Support
don't know
The Wow Factor
I don't mind only getting a 32MB smart media card to start, but I'd like to see support for larger than 128MB modules.
Musical Background:
Recording engineer, guitarist, singer, drummer
Musical Style:
Blues, Rock, Funk, Hard Rock
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Submitted April 21, 2006 by a customer from yahoo.co.uk
"read this review!"
Features
seriously, the mind boggles. Its like my old Zoom multi-effects pedal. But its actually a 4-track recorder too! Ok, with so many features and few buttons and faders you guessed it they have to have many functions per button but as long as you read the screen it all makes good sense. It has insert FX pre and post, Send FX, Mastering FX, a Drum track with really good (if a little dated) drum sounds and over 500 patterns to choose from. all FX sync to the project tempo so u always sound pretty good. still getting to grips with all the features here, i'm sure even a seasoned recording engineer would be impressed.
Quality
build quality is a bit lacking. It is all plastic and feels like you could break it quite easily if you wanted to. However the internal workings are (so-far) bug-less and flawless. After a while of using it you grow very grateful the guys over at Zoom didnt pack a lead brick in there just for the sake of adding weight. once you see what and how the unit can give you you won't care about its feel. its look is good though. And it is truely (jacket)pocket sized.
Value
unbelievable. was debating getting a $400 tascam to do this. but really glad i went for this instead. i picked it up for
Musical Background:
Active Musician/songwriter/lead singer in my own band)
Musical Style:
Rock/light rock
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Submitted September 29, 2006 by a customer from mail.com
"Digital recording and MORE!"
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I figure that I will eventually replace this with a USB unit for my laptop, but it works just fine, so that day is a ways off. What it is really most useful for is a sort of a musical scratch-pad for jotting down musical ideas before you have a chance to forget them.
Sound
I bought it for the recording capability and wound up using it as an FX box. The sound quality is decent, although with my single coil Strat, it does sometimes add unwanted noise to the signal. Some of the FX are over-the-top and not really what I want or use. The "acoustic guitar" simulation with my Strat gives a very good clean sound.
Features
It might just be a little overloaded with features. Some of the instructions in the manual are difficult to follow and it has a fairly steep learning curve to get the full bennefit. And you positively must download the memory card manager software from Zoom -- otherwise you can't get the music stored on the card anyplace. Not included with the unit. This little piece of software is not exactly "user friendly" either. Took a bit of trial-and-error (emphasis on error) to get it to work and learn how to use it.
Ease of Use
This is it's weak point. The instruction manual is difficult to follow sometimes. The buttons and sliders have multiple functions. The learning curve is a little steep. I've had the unit almost a year and I'm still wrestling with some of the features.
Quality
The sound it produces is quite good, considering the price. It is a little fragile. Don't drop it! I wish it could take some of the new larger memory cards, but it won't support them. It limits the amount of recording time, so you are constantly transferring projects from card to computer and back again. The internal mics are remarkably good! And the built in rhythms are fun to just punch up and jam to!
Value
It's definitely worth the price.
Manufacturer Support
I don't know... Never had to call for support.
The Wow Factor
If you want to get into digital recording on the cheap, this little unit is great. It has a lot of extra features thrown in for good measure that you may not realize you really wanted.
Musical Background:
Active Musician
Musical Style:
You name it, I play it
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Submitted February 20, 2005 by a customer from Phreaker.net
"BIG sound, LITTLE machine"
I will not even consider upgrading until i get enough money to buy a high quality 16 track (or higher) digital recorder.
Sound
This has an amazing sound for such a little piece of equipment. The built-in mic is amazing, it does not come through as tinny or thin...its like a real mic. The mastering effects do wonders.
Features
The features are awesome too. There are a TON of effects on this machine, and all of them are adjustable, so if you dont like the factory preset for that effect, you can change it until you like it. I wish it came with a bigger memory card. 16 MB is not enough.
Quality
I was expecting the thing to break the first time i dropped it, and i have dropped it about 50 times by now, and nothing has happened except for some insignifficiant scratches on the back of it.
Value
This product is well worth the money and then some...it is amazing
Manufacturer Support
I have emailed zoom many times, and they are rather slow with responding, and they always seem to refer you to the site for further questions, almost as if they dont want to be bothered by you again. Also, i got confused trying to find the website to download the free software. it is www.zoom.co.jp
The Wow Factor
I LOVE this, because using digital is much easier than the old fassioned analog, and it is easy to adjust things after they are recorded.
Musical Background:
Multi-talented musician
Musical Style:
anything and everything
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Submitted February 6, 2007 by a customer from eyejazz.com
Zoom PS04 Digital 4-Track Customer Review
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I looked around a bit before buying this. The size, sound quality and multi-track ability were most important to me.
I wanted something I could use to jot down song ideas and vocal arrangements quickly and painlessly. This unit has turned out to be perfect for that!
One thing I hate about it though is that it uses a Smart Media card. What? You can't even find these dinosaurs anymore.
Sound
Amazingly good quality built-in mic for the size of this unit. Could use a bit more input gain.
Features
The best feature is that it's tiny. That means I can keep it with me all the time and when the muse arrives I'm ready to go.
Ease of Use
Could be layed out better but I got used to it pretty quickly.
Quality
For what it is, it's laughingly good sounding.
Value
For the price, what more do you want?
Manufacturer Support
N/A
Musical Background:
Producer/Songwriter
Musical Style:
Alternative, Jazz
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Submitted September 18, 2004 by a customer from yahoo.com
"Great product for first time digital users and great for home demos"
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I will probly use this product for 10 years so long as it dont break.
Sound
I give it a seven it sounds good. I might come back and give it a 10 after i record vocal in a sound booth I am building.
Features
Very cool vocal effects, It has cool guitar effests but I Dont play the guitar.With it had more of a selection for vocal but it comes with some nice ones.
Quality
I give it a 10 for using it at my home studio it works perfect i dont take it on th road or in my car. It los fragile but nothing has broke on it with my use of it I am gentle with it.
Value
I think this price is woth what I bought it for.
Manufacturer Support
The support rocks I have e mailed with questions and they responded quick.
The Wow Factor
For what I am doing it really seaves its purpose. Perfect for laying out your rough draft recordings.
Musical Background:
Hobbyist
Musical Style:
Alternative Hip Hop
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Submitted March 16, 2004 by a customer from yahoo.com
Zoom PS04 Digital 4-Track Customer Review
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Only complaint is only one 1/4 inch input and a line in.
Sound
It's digital..enough said.
Features
Drum machine that has authentic drum sounds. Guitar effects are very nice too.
Quality
Pretty good quality....only the size of a walkman. Tascam's PS-4 is much larger.
Value
$200 for a digital four track. It's a great value.
Manufacturer Support
Haven't had to speak with them.
Musical Style:
Country Alt
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Submitted April 18, 2005 by a customer from aol.com
"If you don't sound good on the PS04...It's YOU!"
It will be obsolete in a few years, like most electronic gadgets. But, I'll get my money's worth before then and will have a decent second recording studio for travel or the kid's bedroom when she gets older. It does everything a recorder should do. I just wish I was a better musician!
Sound
sounds great with a cheap pair of Roland powered speakers.
Features
Everything you need. But, you have to work to understand the functionality.
Quality
It's not cast iron. If you are reasonably careful you won't have any problems.
Value
Bought it with a 20% off coupon...$160 brand new. A true throw-away when I upgrade down the road.
Manufacturer Support
Don't know yet.
The Wow Factor
I have a complete recording studio in the family room that is barely noticeable. With the speakers, I can fit the whole thing in a shoe box if I want to take it on vacation.
Musical Background:
Hobby
Musical Style:
acoustic
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Submitted April 4, 2005 by a customer from nc.rr.com
"Very satisfied...but consider........"
Might upgrade to a digital 8 track or synth workstation when the budget allows, but can't find a better device to start with.
Sound
Drum sounds are great. Guitar effects adequate.
Features
Lots of cool stuff on a handheld studio. Needs some on board storage, perhaps a USB connection to get a 10.
Quality
Definitely feels a bit "light." Level controls a bit flimsy. Battery cover doesn't lock in well. All of this might be expected in a $200 unit.
Value
Consider your goal with buying a unit like this. Probably not a bad investment if you are just getting started with digital recording. Give it to your kid brother when you upgrade.
Manufacturer Support
untapped
The Wow Factor
Can't beat this for palmtop recording on the go or as a starter component.
Musical Background:
hobbyist
Musical Style:
alternative rock
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Submitted October 25, 2005 by a customer from sylvan-co.com
"Novice users will love it"
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Sound
Sound presets are excellent.
Features
I'm still looking for a power adapter
Quality
I'm concerned about the long term use - buttons and sliders seem to be weak and may not stand up over the long haul.
Manufacturer Support
No need so far.
Musical Background:
Active Hobbyist
Musical Style:
eclectic
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Submitted April 2, 2004 by a customer from hotmail.com
"two inputs recorded at the same time, long battery life, decent sound and features, good price: what more do you need!"
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this product will keep me happy for years and years. i will probably always look at it and smile and think of it as a rare gem i've found.
Sound
the sound on this is good for scratch and demo material. i have a roland vs-880ex, a computer running cubase and scads of preamps i use to record our actual production level stuff. then again i haven't really run this through its paces in terms as creating full fledge tunes.
my main use for this is to record songs in the rehearsal room and then work record scratch vocals on it later or even just in the next room while they practice. for that purpose it is perfect. i went as far as hooking this thing up to my radio in my car so i could work on scratch vocals to the tracks while i drove :) when you drive 1hr total everyday for work it makes for very productive use of your time!
Features
This thing is amazing for its size and price! First and foremost is the fact that you can download the CardManager software from zoom so you can read, write and convert files to and from you PC via the smart media card. My roland doesn't even give you that ability (they are jerks about protecting their file formats). it has insert AND send/return effects built in. granted this effects are pretty primitive and not the greatest quality but you have to be impressed that they are even there. Really easy to use to. Another thing that amazes me is that it has 10 virtual tracks per actual track. that means you could have 40 tracks in total (only 4 playing at a time). i don't even use that many on my vs-880ex. The built in mic and the fact you could record 2 tracks at a time is also simply amazing. I can't go on enought about this little box. If i ever became homeless all i would need is this, an acoustic guitar, some headphones, and maybe a decent mic to keep productive. really, its amazing how liberating that concept is to me.
Quality
this thing is light without the batteries and is made of plastic. i would be afraid to drop it and wish somebody made case for it.
Value
if it where lost i'd buy another one if i had the cash. you can find 'em pretty cheap. if you live in an apartment and want to use it to record, or if you are in a band and want to use it as a writing/scratch and maybe even production tool then go for it.
Manufacturer Support
the only issue i've had is one 128 meg smart media card i bought for it didn't work but another did. probably a bad card as i can't see why it wouldn't be compatible. since then no issues and no need to call support.
The Wow Factor
this is just a fun liberating product. you would need other gear like preamps and compressors if you wanted to get a much better recording out of it.
Musical Style:
heavy alternative
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Submitted January 17, 2009 by a customer from kootenay.com
"Satisfied"
Once I have used this enough , I believe it is all I will need unless
I go to a full studio.
Sound
Not finished experimenting.
Features
No accessories.
Ease of Use
Learning curve but did not know of accessories.
Quality
Have not had trouble at all and seems stable enough.
Value
I paid more back in 2002.
Manufacturer Support
Have had no problems.
The Wow Factor
Practical for my uses.
Musical Background:
Hobbyist
Musical Style:
Folk/blues
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Submitted June 2, 2007 by a customer from hotmail.com
"THE MAGIC BOX"
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I think I've pretty much summed it up already. lose a point for the data problem, lose a point for the silly drum machine (but only 1 point - because its still a programmable drum machine - it's just hard to use and I'm lazy about meticulous programming)
Sound
I enjoyed a lot of the gtar amp sims... especially the rect-big and beatle sounds. I wasn't too impressed with a lot of other ones, but really I only use a couple of tones anyways. I liked having access to so many options though. The bass sim is laughable but I didn't want it for that, and the drum machine sounds like... well... it sounds like a drum machine. I guess it works if you want to make cheesy pop or simplistic beat music but its no sub for real drums. The internal mic is absolutely awesome in my opinion, but careful it will pop if used for close in singing. decent mic technique is a must. I usually used it on hi-gain setting from 2-3 feet away rather than closing in on it. One last thing - and this makes the whole thing seem worth it to me... the MASTERING and SEND effects are so easy to use and a lot of them drasticly improve your end mix. By the end of my stint with this thing, I no longer used it for 4-tracking, but just input my mix externally, added a hint of verb and dialed thru the preset mastering until I found something tight. It was extremely easy to get a good semi-pro final result like this.
Features
Zoom has this tendency and I have used a lot of their stuff: They pack a little bit of all sorts of stuff into one item. It can be a live guitar tool, a recording tool, a goofy little drum machine to dink around with, a microphone, or a mastering station. I like having so many things to play around with, and when I had mine, I was travelling a lot and this, my guitar, bass and hand drum were all I had with me and I liked that it still allowed me to experiment around with so many different idea angles to come from whenever I got bored. As a recorder/mixer it does what its meant to, and a lot of the guitar effects are really fun to play with (a lot of them are useless too, but thats why they let you program it). I would have given it a 10 except the drum/bass machine is not intuitive enough to get a good vibe from unless you WANT it to sound like a drum machine.
Ease of Use
If you aren't dumb, you'll get the hang of it quick enough. Well - some aspects of it. The learning curve is pretty steep at first unless you are just recording, overdubbing and mixing using the presets. When you start digging around with track editing, bouncing, cutting and pasting, drum programming and so on, it's good to have your manual handy for reference. It isn't "ease" of use - but after a while the book becomes less and less necessary.
Quality
I lived with this thing in a backpack for 3 years and the only things that ever failed on it were the data dial started skipping and became harder to just twirl to get where you want when selecting effects - that and one of the volume sliders lost its cap. It saw a heck of a lot of abuse in the time I had it and toughed it out until I sold it a couple months ago. We used to call it "The Magic Box".
Value
Other than the card issue, there is nothing I DON'T like about the magic box.
Manufacturer Support
The data cards it uses no longer exist. You are stuck with the card that came with it. Sad really because everything about this little thing is so cool except for that. I hope they reissue it using a more updated format for storage. I am pondering getting another one just for all it's other handy little gadgets. But as a standalone recording studio it is no longer viable because you will run out of card space before you get to your final bounces. You'll have to have something outboard to mix onto unless you use lo-fi mode, use very few tracks, or delete each project once it's finished.
The Wow Factor
It was 'The Magic Box' and the center of my band's creative outlets for 3 years as travelling musicians. I miss it very much. I'm sad that it became obsolete because of media format. Still... I miss The Magic Box and would get another one when I have the opportunity. I can deal with the card problem, it just frustrates me.
Musical Background:
singer/songwriter, former professional musician, amateur engineer, ex rockstar
Musical Style:
shao-lin temple style ultramodern uber-rock
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Submitted December 13, 2005 by a customer from yahoo.com
"FREE Digital Recording Studio With Purchase of Effects Unit"
I'm always looking at new products, but this baby ain't going anywhere. If a snowplow ran over it today, I'd cry my eyes out.
Sound
With the built in effects (which are all customizable) and the great mastering patches, you can get a great sound from this unit. I'm working on a film soundtrack and the director has no idea I'm recording on a little plastic box with a guitar and $99 keyboard. I put this over into my pc and then use Audacty (a free multitrack download recorder) to add more tracks and trim the mix to perfection. Look at it this way.....you pay this much for a good effects pedal.
Features
Keep in mind the price here. If you can't coax a great demo from it, then you need to just keep learning the unit. And have patience. I finished a 26 song cd and it sounds as if it were done in a big studio. Just remember to put a piece of foam or pantyhose on a coathanger between you and the built in microphone as a pop filter. The mic sounds great. I was wary at first, but it's a good sounding and very useful mic.
Quality
I worry that the plastic construction and knobs may give way, but with reasonable care mine's lasted 8 months so far.
Value
For the price of an effects pedal you get a recording studio.
Manufacturer Support
I haven't had to use that aspect.
The Wow Factor
Not the prettiest box out there, but it isn't too offensive!
Musical Background:
Composer/Multi-instrumentalist/Vocalist/Film Scoring/Make a few cd's of originals a year
Musical Style:
From Alice Cooper to Ricky Ricardo
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Submitted January 6, 2007 by a customer from sfasu.titan.edu
" Avoid this Cheesy Thing At All Costs"
i am sending this thing back and telling all my friends to avoid it. i have never had a 4 track that was actually a 2 track and is still so complicated and limited that it is a waste of time.
Sound
easy to set for 'a' sound, but it sounds mediocre, at best. it won't be a sound you would care to record.
Features
horrible, faux bass and drums that predetermine what your recorded track will be like. i agree that the bass guitar is useless, and the drum track (note: there are no touch sensitive pads, thus no drum machine, really) is no better. effects are limited, and most are pretty bad. distortion is fake sounding, flange and phasers are ridiculously fake.
Ease of Use
i wanted a 4 track and this one has two tracks, with the lousy bass and drum using up the other two tracks. there is no way around this and it is not easy to set up in a way that you would like. recording is a complicated, and not very satisfying task.
Quality
seems to be built okay, but the quality of the effects, 'rhythm section' and the recording is pretty poor.
Value
why spend good money and then turn around and spend just as much on support items, such as a ac adaptor, expensive and outdated smartmedia sm cards and card readers. this is a waste of time and good money. buy the boss recorder for a eighty bucks more and you will be much happier.
Manufacturer Support
there is no support for this product. you would think zoom would help users by providing a source for smartmedia cards. but, no dice. this is a discontinued item and they are dumping it and moving on. i am doing the same.
The Wow Factor
clunky, hard to program outdated technology does not scream, 'i want it'. it screams, return it.
Musical Background:
musician
Musical Style:
rock
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Submitted March 13, 2005 by a customer from hotmail.com
"It may not be good but boy is it crappy."
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I hate this thing. Maybe I am an idiot but I can't get this thing working well. You can't monitor what is being recorded while it goes. The volume setting indicators for recording are complete crap. I can mix sounds and record on my PC better than the Palmtop studio and that's with a $39 program.
Sound
Faily fun to use the bass and drum beats to keep time, the reproduction is average
Features
I guess the features are okay but how do they work?
Quality
My toggle wheel has been broken for months and is a key component. It is still usable but the pad falls off and I have barely used the thing. I have not tried to get it repaired so maybe I will be amazed by the service.
Value
I will give it a 5 as a gift. In retrospect I should have saved up for a decent recorder.
Manufacturer Support
Not tried yet
The Wow Factor
I needed recording capability and a way to edit tracks. This is far too difficult to use. Maybe too many bells and whistles. I would pay another $100 for a product I can simply record on and move digital music to my PC for mixdown.
Musical Background:
Hobbyist
Musical Style:
Many genre from Rock to Hawaiian
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Submitted November 1, 2006 by a customer from hotmail.com
"Save up for a good one!"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I went for the good price and knew I couldn't afford much more. If I could do it over I would just wait and save money. Now I have to wait a long time before I can afford another.....that is unless you want to buy my used broken one?
Sound
It's fine for sound
Features
There are some nice features but they are hard to use because each button has a bunch of functions.
Ease of Use
Pretty tough overall compared to many other products but it is cheap.
Quality
Mine broke after very little use. It was hard to learn so I set it aside for quite a while. By the time I used it and broke the wheel the ten minute warranty was up.
Value
I don't know how others have fared but mine broke quickly, I think the wheel is a bad way to operate it. I cannot believe that you cannot recored more simultaneous tracks at once.
Manufacturer Support
No experience
The Wow Factor
Spend the money and get a good one.
Musical Background:
Hobbyist, small gigs
Musical Style:
ecclectic, depends on who I play with
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Submitted November 1, 2005 by a customer from yahoo.com
"Cool idea, too bad it wasn't implemented"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I returned it after about 3 weeks, it was that bad.
Sound
The sound quality is good, the built in mic is good. I used it to record 2 live events one indoor, one out. It picks up everything (including the audience talking). No problems with record quality at all, except for the fact that you can only record 2 track simultaneously when using the stereo input (which means using a mixer to get a mic and something else into the unit).
Counting the built in base and drums as recording channels is a bunch or horse hockey.
Features
Most Useful:
Battery powered, take it anywhere, no cords
Least Useful:
SmartMedia required (and even then only certain brands), why not support multiple memory card formats? Or pick one more readily available.
Quality
Well, the unit stops for no reason during playback, don't understand why, it just does. Luckily it never did this during record.
Value
If it was a 4 track you could make a real comparison, but it isn't a 4 track, it is a 2 track recorder in a 4 track box
Manufacturer Support
It took them 13 DAYS to answer one email about information that was NOT in the manual. Google was more help than they were.
The Wow Factor
The Battery operated part of this thing is one hot feature, the SmartMedia (with limitations as to which brands you can use) is a HUGE draw back.
Musical Background:
Active Musician
Musical Style:
Jazz, Pop
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Submitted January 24, 2006
Zoom PS04 Digital 4-Track Customer Review
Sound
The sound is not bad for a studio the size of a game boy
Features
It has some nice features but it was very hard for me to figure them out
Quality
No the quality is terrible mine was kept in good condition and then one day it stopped working and all me work was lost
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Submitted January 24, 2006
Zoom PS04 Digital 4-Track Customer Review
Sound
The sound is not bad for a studio the size of a game boy
Features
It has some nice features but it was very hard for me to figure them out
Quality
No the quality is terrible mine was kept in good condition and then one day it stopped working and all me work was lost
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Submitted January 4, 2006
Zoom PS04 Digital 4-Track Customer Review
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Sound
I had a little trouble at first for understanding it but I can't make a CD with it on the com..
Features
Great features it has everything!
Quality
The back battery piece snaped right away.
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Submitted October 7, 2004
"I sit alone but a group backs me up."
After 3 songs, still learning more about it's features and functions. I keep going back and improving the songs already recorded. For a single guitar musician, it's very adequate.
Features
Can't find mike stand adapter anywhere.
Quality
Well made. Dropped it 2x so far with no discernable damage.
Manufacturer Support
Product is fine but who sells accessories?
Musical Background:
Hobbyist (active many years ago).
Musical Style:
Rock, Jazz, Ballads
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Submitted June 22, 2004
Zoom PS04 Digital 4-Track Customer Review
Sound
Overall sounds great, lots of possibilities that I haven't even begun to explore. Some of the presets for guitar could be better although admittedly I haven't tweaked them much yet.
Features
For the money and size this is a great tool to get some ideas down and practice too.
Quality
Seems rugged enough for plastic.
Value
Worth it, lots of features and fun.
The Wow Factor
Sexy? Duh, I don't know about that.
Musical Style:
rock
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