Anyone using Zoom R16 as audio interface in Linux?

[Veerstryngh Thynner]

Hello all,

I'm currently working on getting my home studio out of the doldrums. My production unit is a desktop with KDE Mint "Rosa" on it.

A budget for necessary investments is available, but all of it has already been allocated. Therefore I don't have anything left for a decent audio interface. And thus I thought of using audio interface mode on my Zoom R16. However, when testing that, several days ago, with QJackCtl as "adjudicator" (Jack > Start > Settings), R16 didn't show up at all in Jack (Settings, under Interfaces)

Hence my question: has anyone on Linux Musicians run Zoom R16 with any success, as audio interface, on Linux?

Veerstryngh Thynner

[sysrqer]

Which kernel version are you using?

[Drumfix]

Zoom 16/24 require kernel >= 4.4

[sysrqer]

Zoom 16/24 require kernel >= 4.4

Yeap

Linux Mint 17.3 "Rosa" (kernel 3.19, xorg 1.17, mesa 10.5.9)

[eric71]

Just to add, I use a R16 with Mint KDE. It works fine these days, although I had to wait years for that to finally come in kernel 4.4. I don't get really low latency with it, but at least below 10 milliseconds. Also works as a control surface in Linux, and it has the added value of working as a field recorder onto an SD card. Great for recording practices and gigs without bringing a laptop along. Huge value in the 300 euro range.

[Veerstryngh Thynner]

Being on a continuous learning curve, with Linux:

-how to find out which kernel has currently been inserted?

Zoom 16/24 require kernel >= 4.4

Linux Mint 17.3 "Rosa" (kernel 3.19, xorg 1.17, mesa 10.5.9)

And since this is an area totally new to me:

- can an existing kernel be replaced?
- if yes, how?
- what are the risks of attempting that, when that has never been tried before?

it has the added value of working as a field recorder onto an SD card. Great for recording practices and gigs without bringing a laptop along. Huge value in the 300 euro range.

My own experience exactly, Eric. And do you know what else? Zoom R16/24 are also ideal for silent band practice!

Thanks again for all your help.

Veerstryngh Thynner

[Luc]

Being on a continuous learning curve, with Linux:
-how to find out which kernel has currently been inserted?

Open a terminal and run
$ uname -a

- can an existing kernel be replaced?
- if yes, how?
- what are the risks of attempting that, when that has never been tried before?

Yes, it can, and it does get updated quite often if you allow your OS to be updated. It's mandatory (and sometimes disastrous) in other OSes, but Linux lets you choose.

How you do it depends on what distro you are using. I am not familiar with Mint so you will have to ask someone else, but I'm sure it's nothing difficult. Mint has a strong reputation for being user friendly.

The risks are minimal to none. There was a time when I dreaded kernel updates because they used to break VMWare, but that doesn't seem to be happening lately.

[Veerstryngh Thynner]

Zoom 16/24 require kernel >= 4.4

Hello all,

Four months after seeking your advice on how to make my Zoom R16 compatible with KDE Mint 17 ("Qiana", not "Rosa", as I wrote earlier, mistakenly) , I can report that R16, in audio interface mode, is now fully operational. Furthermore, a good friend pointed out to me how surprisingly simple replacing the existing kernel with kernel 4.4 actually is:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-lowlatency

Since kernel 4.4 has been brought in, Zoom R16 is now appearing in Cadence/qjackctl, meaning that it's well and truly recognised and identified.

I thought you might like to hear of this pleasing development.

Veerstryngh Thynner

[protozone]

I used to own a Zoom R8 and successfully used it with Ubuntu Studio, but I ended up selling it and switching to MX Linux. Ubuntu Studio is nice, but I find that MX is easier to configure, etc.

[chaocrator]

looked at R16, but then LiveTrak L-12 was released, and it's completely operational in linux when in class compliant mode.