My initial thoughts on the build quality is that it’s excellent! When I first held the F8, I was surprised at how much it weighs: more than all the other units. In fact, it’s comparable to the Tascam + Marantz (both filled with batteries).

To my ears it’s essentially the F8 followed by the Marantz + Mix Pre D, then finally the Tascam DR-70D

Sample - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2jtjgvmq0k4hkzt/AABwE35DNSArSq8W91u4i0XHa?dl=0

http://www.lightformfilm.com/blog/zoom-f8-impressions/

Zoom will be much more handy, this is for certain. But can be overkill.

If it is not hurry - good advice to wait for factory refurbished or sales in December.

Manual - https://www.zoom.co.jp/sites/default/files/products/downloads/pdfs/E_F8_0.pdf

Sound On Sound just put up their review of the Zoom F8: "Once in a while, a high-quality, affordable product comes along that makes the professional competition look overpriced..." http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec15/articles/zoom-f8.htm

Overall, then, I am deeply impressed with the F8. It offers excellent capability and versatility in a very compact package, with a design that is generally well thought out. The F8 unquestionably offers remarkable value for money, and nothing else with a comparable number of inputs and recording tracks, let alone the rest of its comprehensive facilities, comes anywhere close. .

Alternatives:
At around 8.5 times the price, the Nagra VI arguably sets the benchmark for eight-channel recorders (although it only has six analogue inputs), while the Sound Devices’ SD-788T (a shade under seven times the F8’s price) is a very popular alternative in the professional film and TV market. The Tascam HS-P82 (just under 4.5 times the F8’s price) forms a very attractive lower-cost option, but the closest direct competitor for the Zoom F8 is the Roland R88 — and even that costs almost exactly twice as much!>>

Well, I won't be getting the Zoom F8 myself as I've got my eye on a Sound Devices 552 instead. But thought others here might find the review interesting :) Looks nice!

And yeah, that music vs film divide is why you have things like the H4n which is aimed at musicians and has horrible pre-amps because it was not intended for quiet dialog but noisy music instead (but filmmakers bought up the H4n anyway by the boatload, as back then they didn't have many other options going cheap).

This is a very useful box, and signals, I think, the end of the overpriced solid state eight track era. Now, or in the near future, there will be no real difference between boxes like this and the so called audiophile gear. So good news all around. I would hasten to add that the big flaw is the lack of digital I/O.

NB: For this reason, the Tascam 680 is not only cheaper, but will give you either as good or better sound with a decent digital front end, with lower noise as well.

However, the "one box mutitrack" era is here to stay with lots of choices.

@IronFilm

If you have good preamp with digital output :-) And for most usage Tascam 680 is more than enough.

All because Zoom didn't spend $10 for a digital input or spend $2 for a quiet preamp chip & design.

Most fun thing is that still good solid state preamps for recorders are considered something like magic :-).

Another review of the F8 with pics of it showing a couple of other common ones so you can see its relative size: http://www.lightformfilm.com/blog/zoom-f8-impressions/

It's also nice that it offers tone and a slate mic as well as master timecode. Three important things that a DR 680 doesn't have. It's hard to pay a grand to upgrade when I already have a suitable system (and hire a sound guy with gear for bigger shoots) but if I were starting out fresh right now, it would be a no-brainer.

Few reviews

• http://www.sam-mallery.com/2015/11/should-you-buy-the-zoom-f8-field-recorder/
• http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=175264.0
• http://mixeli.us/technology/zoom-f8/

As a dubbing mixer and previously a location mixer - these ISO recorders (as luxurious as they seem) can be a pain in the arse in the mix sometimes, and reduce the skill required for capturing on set - I had 2 channels as a boom op and recordist and never had a problem in the most complex of setups - post cost and time >> than to do it right at source. How many channels do you need these days lol And I must say quality of location sound is so much worse than several years ago - hey ho get paid by the hour shouldn't complain! But polishing turds doesn't fill me with joy, I'd rather be mixing.

Very cool kit

Sennheiser MKH 416 Short Shotgun Interference Tube Microphone with Zoom F8 Multi-Track Recorder Kit for $1499

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1302267-REG/sennheiser_sennheiser_mkh_416_shotgun_microphone.html