Zoom have announced the R12 MultiTrak, the latest in their line of portable multitrack digital recorders. Not only a multitrack recorder, the R12 has built-in rhythm parts and a playable synthesizer, can operate as an audio interface or DAW controller, and can be powered by a mains power cable, USB-C bus or with four AA batteries.
Building on features from the R20 released last year, Zoom have tried to maintain a similar experience with a 2.4-inch LCD touchscreen which is fully integrated with a multi-channel mixer and transport controls. The R12 MultiTrak has two combo balanced inputs to accommodate either an XLR or jack cable. These have separate +48V phantom power switches and a compressor effect on each channel. Two channels of audio can be recorded simultaneously, directly onto a SDHC or SDXC card up to 1TB in capacity. Users can record to any of the eight tracks, and playback is supported across all channels at once. For playback the R12 has stereo quarter-inch jack outputs and a headphone mini-jack.
In addition to the compressor effect on the two input channels, all eight playback channels have a pan control and 3-band EQ. The Zoom R12 has send effects with their own dedicated channel and fader, offering reverb, chorus and delay. It is also compatible with presets and effects from Zoom’s Guitar Lab software.
The R12 houses 150 internal rhythm patterns in a variety of genres, as well as an import function for adding your own backing tracks or samples. Connect a MIDI keyboard via the USB-C port and you can play the R12’s onboard FM synthesizer which offers eight-voice polyphony, 18 different synth sounds and one PCM drum kit. The device also works as a 2-in/4-out audio interface and DAW control surface compatible with Mac and PC.
Availability
Zoom have not yet announced the launch date or price, although they expect to start shipping the R12 MultiTrak in Q4 of this year.
