Zoom H6 might work. I have one but never used it beyond an initial test. So not sure of the fine details. And if it’s of interest I might be listing it for sale, although UK sale only.
Sound Devices stuff mentioned below is of a much better quality, but at a much higher cost.
Hi, Check these:
I recommend having a look at the new Zoom F3. It is super compact and works perfectly well for recording. It also works as an audio interface (max 32 bit/96kHz) and I believe it can loop back signals via USB, but I have not used this function yet.
I don’t know about that specific workflow, but I’d second the Sound Devices stuff as being a cut above Zoom. Is there a reason you don’t want to record on the computer too?
No real reason not to record on the computer. I’ve never done it before; never owned a good enough laptop or an audio interface.
I am just asking here because I’m still learning and trying to figure out a lot of stuff about gear, workflow, etc.
I guess recording on a dedicated recorder seemed easier to me?
I like my Zoom F8n Pro. 8-in/4-out and it can record/stream in 32-bit float/96kHz while simultaneously recording to an SD card as well. I have a Tascam Portacapture X8 and a Zoom H4n Pro which would also get the job done. As others stated, Sound Devices are also great, just at a higher price point.
What you’re looking to do you could do with just about any contemporary field recorder that has 4-in/2-out USB audio interface capabilities.
I guess that what I would like to know is if a field recorder with audio interface capability is in any way comparabile to a dedicate audio interface.
Of course that depends on the recorder and the audio interface (too many models to compare)…
But I would like to know if it makes sense to spend money on two separate devices (say, a F3 and Focusrite/Motu interface) or just buy a more expensive unit that does both (say, a F6 or Mixpre-6 II)
I do understand that there is no easy answer, but I’m asking anyway…
Afaik, F3 does both as well…
Zoom H6 covers your usecase. But be aware that there’s no MIDI – for me that was reason enough to return it. But you get up to 6 inputs in a very small package.
me too, where can I hear your music? 
(I’ve used a Zoom H2N, but recently bought a H6 so I have phantom power and can use condenser mics.)
I don’t think it makes sense to get separate devices unless you need to. A good quality field recorder interface will, in terms of sound quality, be just fine.
What might be an issue is: how annoying is it to use as an interface? Does it have enough i/o for your needs? Do you need phantom power? Is the shape of it just going to be too aggravating once you have it plugged into monitors etc?
I would also suggest that you simplify your thinking re sending stuff into a DAW and back to the recorder. That creates a real headache of latency and endless bouncing and hassle. How strong are your reasons not to record and mix in a DAW?
Without knowing your exact situation I’m gonna make a suggestion. Get a cheap ish field recorder, tascam, zoom, whatever, they’re all pretty good these days. Use that to record yr pots and pans and courting frogs and whatever. Transfer those to a computer as a sound source.
Get a cheap ish audio interface. Use this for recording instruments, and mixing. There’s no real difference in sound quality until you’re spending thousands, and even then it’s the marginal difference that only seasoned pros would notice.
If you don’t have a computer that can do DAW stuff, get one. If you’re mostly manipulating audio you’ve recorded, it doesn’t have to be super powerful at all. Avoid CPU-heavy VST instruments and effects and you can use the weakest computers on the market. Short on cash? Use Reaper. Invest some time into learning a DAW and it will save you a lot in the long run.
TLDR; cheap stuff is good enough in the modern world, certainly until you have enough experience to hear the minute differences (your audience won’t). And record to a DAW, save a lot of time and $$.
Thank you for your advice.
Honestly, learning a DAW is just too difficult for me. I’ve tried Renoise and Bitwig, but it gets very frustrating very fast. I have learning/concentration issues, if not helped.
I’ve looked into courses / private lessons, but the prices are insane. Something like 850 € for a 16-hour course is too much for me.
Apart from the fact that I like hardware, the good thing about it is that it’s easier to learn on your own and you can resell it with a minimal loss. And computers seem to get old very fast.
But anyway, I was just asking. Not planning to buy anything soon. I’ll reconsider the DAW way. Thanks for the input!
While I understand your concern, setting up a DAW so that audio comes in, runs through plugins and then goes back out to your digital recorder is more complex than just working inside the DAW. It will be harder to find people who can help you out, so you may end up more frustrated.
When I got into music way back there was a Seattle focused rave/dance forum that I frequented. I offhandedly mentioned that I was having trouble with my DAW and 10 minutes later I found someone who lived blocks from me that was offering free herb and beer if I’d come over and jam together. We quickly became friends and had many fun adventures together.
If I were doing it again today, I’d bring the beer and herb in thanks for help, but I hope you are able to find a friendly local who can help you out for a much more nominal cost. 850EUR feels like what you’d charge parents of annoying teenagers, or tech folks with more money than sense like me 
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I really have to second the above. I don’t think there’s a hardware/software hybrid recording workflow that is simpler than recording direct to a DAW.
There are some standalone recorders, like the Tascam ones, that are probably easier to record to with good results than a DAW if you’re starting from 0. You give up a lot of flexibility and useful tools though.
Keep in mind that if you just wanna record audio and do some basic mixing, you don’t need to learn 90% of DAW functions. Just figure out the right audio input and output settings, which can be annoying, and learn how to record and move audio on the timeline. Get that bit done and the rest can come in time.
Yep, this way lies madness, but I totally sympathise with the aspiration.
It probably depends a great deal on how you like to play and record music. Are you basically wanting to sequence the whole arrangement, apply fx, then mix down to stereo and print all in one go? If yes a DAW with basic plugins will do the trick and ultimately will be way less fiddly to do the recording than on a field recorder… and once you figure the DAW basics out you are likely to follow the path of least resistance.
If you like to layer instruments one by one then a field recorder that lets you record and layer separate tracks and then copy into a daw to apply fx might work for you, but expect the workflow to be fiddly. I do this with a Zoom H5 and while I enjoy the fiddly recording process to avoid the computer, guess what, I never load the files in for mixing haha. It’s all crap anyway.
Another option you might look at is the Tascam Model 12. It’s not a field recorder sure, and take with a grain of salt as I haven’t used it, but it seems to be the best affordable combination of mixer/standalone recorder/audio interface on the market at the moment, with the bonus of midi. I don’t think it quite does the workflow you suggested, but I think it’s a box that could let you try out 2-3 different ways of working to figure out what suits you best.
If 2 inputs are enough, I really recommend looking at the F3. It records in 32bit, provides phantom power, has very good battery life and excellent ergonomics - I did not find anything fiddly or ill implemented so far. The form factor is great, and the metal outer frame provides a sturdyness and overall haptic experience way beyond my old Zoom H4n.
floating point.
Yes, of course, thanks for pointing this out - even the Sound Device Mixpre series record in 32bit float. In practice, for me it means that recording is very much plug and play with less need to set levels (even though you might still want to set the range of the signal on the metering screen).
just FYI, all 32bit floating point recorders have one problem, very dynamic(taser for example, it is a sound that goes from almost silence to very loud, very quick) sounds might have switching adc noise and high frequency “tearing” (above human hearing, but will be noticeable when pitching down by a lot). It’s a rare occurrence, but it exists. To be fair for me the convenience of 32bit float is much more important, than a rare unusable outcome, i don’t do location work so it’s a non issue for me.
