Easy-to-Use Multitrack Recorder. The Zoom R20 Portable Multitrack Recorder has six XLR inputs, two combo inputs, and sixteen total tracks—eight of which you can record to at once—making it perfect for singer-songwriters, full bands, and other musicians working with just about any configuration of instruments and gear. Input 1 has Hi-Z for electric guitar and bass, while inputs 5 through 8 have 48V phantom power which is switchable on pairs of channels. New preamps and a low noise floor help you capture performances exactly as intended, and you can record audio in up to 24-bit / 44.1 kHz resolution WAV files.

Intuitive Controls and DAW-Style Interface. If you’re used to working with a DAW, you’ll immediately feel at home tracking, editing, and mixing with this recorder’s DAW-inspired touchscreen interface. It lets you drag and drop, pinch, and swipe to navigate its functions and features. The R20’s faders, gain knobs, and touchscreen regions are all color-coded so you’ll immediately know which channel you’re adjusting. And if you’re more comfortable using a familiar DAW, the R20 also functions as an eight-input/four-output USB Type-C audio interface.

Effects, Synths, and Drums. The R20 has several built-in effects, synths, and rhythm loops in case you need them. On the effects front, you get essentials like delay, reverb, chorus, and distortion. The synth sounds aren’t anything too out there, but there’s a range of your standard electric-piano, pipe-organ, bass, and brass sounds, among a few others, all of which you can play on the touchscreen or via a MIDI controller. As drum loops go, you get 150 rhythm patterns in 30 genres to help you keep time. If you don’t need elaborate timekeeping, there’s a fully adjustable click track available at the push of a button. On top of that, you can import and play back standard MIDI files so that you can use your own basslines, melodies, and the like.

Memory and Monitoring. Dual SD card slots let you record on SDHC cards up to 32 GB and SDXC cards up to 1 TB, giving you the potential for plenty of high-res recording time. There’s a quarter-inch headphone jack for monitoring while you record, and dedicated quarter-inch line outputs so that you can monitor your mixes on your preferred speakers.