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Zoom H4n is the most sophisticated portable handheld recorder with new features and improved user experience at every level. Among its many new features, Zoom’s H4n offers superior, built-in X/Y stereo condenser mics that allow variable recording patterns at either 90° or 120°. Higher quality audio capture through its new, digitally controlled, high-quality mic preamp, the ability to use internal and external mics simultaneously for 4 channel recording, a large LCD screen,more intuitive interface and onboard reference speaker will take the user’s recording experience to the next level. The H4n’s onboard X/Y stereo condenser mics are arranged with the right and left mics on the same axis. This design ensures that the mics are always equidistant from the sound source for perfect localization with no phase shifting. Frequency response remains uniform throughout your recording. The result is great stereo recording with natural depth and accurate imaging every time. The mics also adjust for variable recording patterns at either 90° or 120°. Our unique design lets you rotate each mic capsule from 90° (standard) to 120° (wide-angle) stereo for the ultimate versatility in any recording situation. Everyone knows that proper miking is essential to making a great recording. The H4n is the only handheld recorder that allows you to record on four channels simultaneously by using its onboard mics with either external mics or direct inputs. You can then use its built-in mixer to blend the channels for perfectly balanced recordings. Now your recordings can be richer than ever before. Or, to get a great recording of a live performance, use the H4n’s onboard mics to get a room mix while simultaneously recording a stereo mix from the mixing board for a live recording that is easily one of the best you’ve ever heard.
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Technical Details
- Built-in X/Y stereo mics record at either 90° or 120°- Four channel simultaneous recording using built-in and external mics
- Digitally controlled, high-quality mic preamp for improved audio quality
- Large 1.9-Inch LCD screen and improved user interface for easy operation
- 24bit/96kHz Linear PCM recording for pristine recording
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By Sergey G. Ivanchenkov (Jacksonville, FL)
I rated this product as I did at 2 stars because of a complex of draw backs and cons which prevented me from hailing this unit and praising it as I hoped I would be able to. Let us see why step by step but first let me assure you that I am not one of those negative people who has generally negative outlook at life and whom it is virtually impossible to please. I rated other things very high and in some cases gave other products on other sites the highest ratings too. I am a videographer and purchased this unit in hopes to get professional grade sound for my videos. Reasoning was its compact size combined with ability to record at 24bit/96kHz as well as XLR inputs which are critical to me. I intended to use this unit as a backdrop environment sound for back channels in 5.1 or as a backup for main sound pattern in some cases.
I will start with topmost star rating of 5 as permitted on this site and go from there. I will explain each problem that Zoom H4n exposes and subtract corresponding value for each.
First thing first: the sound quality. While built-in microphones provide sufficient sound clarity and recording at 24/96 produces sufficient frequency spectrum, the level of self-noise is simply overwhelming to me. Do not be confused although, it is not overly loud for most consumer-related needs and will probably work quite well for most of the tasks which all other reviewers here seem to mention, but in my case the expected result is compared to a production level and it does not withstand even moderate criticism. I was able to get by only when I hooked up one of my studio mics (Audiotechnica 4033 to be specific) via phantom-powered XLR inputs, recorded voice-over narrations this way and then used software on my PC to apply noise gate at -40dB followed by voice compressor. Then only my recordings became more or less acceptable in quality for production. Forget "perfect" as many people here say and I am not even talking about decent, the quality reached mere acceptable status: the noise, removed from the pauses between speeches was still layered over the voice and you could hear it quite distinctively. To be fair although, many people may not notice it because they listen to the text and their attention is usually drawn to the context but since my job was making it sound right, I was paying attention to the sound itself and I could hear every flaw loud and clear while computer signal analysis visualizes the noise for me.
I decided to give it another try and attempted to record something which is quite hard to capture very clearly: a cat purr. This time I used built-in mics and chased my little kitty when she was purring in gratitude for food. I shoved this thing right in her face which made my pet scared for a while but eventually the job was done. Imagine my frustration when I looked at my sound in Sound Forge and heard it in my speakers. Forget computer hardware issues, I have highest quality 24 and 32 bit processing sound card and excellent sound system and I look at the sound in analyzer rather than relying on cheap speakers as many do. My recording went straight to trash. The job wasn't handled at all.
Again, if you are nothing more than an average person who never heard of 24bit DVD-Audio or Super Audio CD and spent no more than $1000 for your home sound system or do not work in audio/video production, you have nothing to worry about: you may not notice any issues with noise. But if you are a professional who needs quality above all, be forewarned. For this very significant and probably most critical issue with Zoom H4n I am taking one star off of the highest available rating. This is quite moderate subtraction in my opinion by the way. So far we are at 4 stars.
Next, it allows 24bit at 96kHz recording in Mono and Stereo mode only. For 4 channel recording you are limited to 24bit at 48kHz only and if you hoped to use MTR mode, forget 24 bit, you are back to basics and that is 16bit at 44.1kHz only. Too bad, I wish it allowed 24 bit across the board. In my dreams in case with Zoon H4n although. Subtracting one more star and we are at 3 now.
Next, Zoom H4n ASIO driver is not meant to work with 64bit operating systems. This means that if you have Vista 64 or Windows 7 64 bit, forget about connecting your Zoom and using included Cubase LE4 directly. Not going to happen. All you can do is get your SD card, copy files via card reader and work with files this way. This also means that all promised native support in inclosed Cubase LE4 is gone. If you wish it worked as promised, get yet one more PC or make you computer multi-boot and install 32bit OS. This means additional draw back which makes me very disappointed. Visit this forum and see what user Guyatone who seems to be working for Zoom Corporation says about not being interested even in making their product 64bit OS compatible: [...]
I want to be moderate and I subtract half a star at this time. Therefore we are at 2.5 stars now.
Next issue is with included Cubase LE4. While this software is supplied by Steinberg (http://www.steinberg.net) rather than Zoom Corporation, it is still sold together with Zoom and therefore becomes part of the deal. As such it affects the general perception of the product and therefore Zoom folks should pay very close attention to this piece as well in order to keep their face up. Unfortunately, there is a huge problem here too. You cannot use CubaseLE4 more than 30 days or 3000 launches without activation but Steinberg's software activation web page does not work. First, you create an account on their site which works ok. Then you are forwarded to a page where you select Cubase LE4 for activation and registration and that's when you get "Error 404: not found page" message. Excuse me? Yes, you bought this product legitimately, you wish to register and activate it and instead you get "404" garbage. I don't know about you but this makes me very mad. Steinberg is yet to fix their issues, I am still not activated yet: we will see how long it would take them to fix their poor design issues. But because I am such a nice and cool guy, I am subtracting another half a star only. And that brings us to 2 stars only.
I hoped to sing praises to this unit when I ordered it based on feedback of all other reviewers on this site but after encountering all mentioned above issues I am contemplating on returning my unit for refund. I still need some compact low noise recorder with 24 bit capability and XLR input as Zoom didn't stand up to its reputation.
By khalid
this product is great it can do a lot of stuff and i have been using it for a month now for many movies as dubbing audio from it.
its capacity is high i can plus many kinds of microphones and it has phantom power.
bs its only down size is its size ITS HUGE in comparison with other smaller recorders like Sony and other brands
By M. Otis
The Zoom H4n is a replacement for my H4. I like it a lot. The basic features in the STEREO Mode are easy to use, the menu structure is easy to navigate, and the ergonimic layout of the H4n itself is good. I don't find the comment of some other reviewers that the SD card door might pop open allowing the SD card to pop out to be a concern. The downside: Now I need to buy _The Zoom H4n User Guide For English Speaking Users_. Some of the more powerful features are in the MTR(Multi-Track)mode. The Operation Manual that comes with the H4n (H4n-5000-1 is the part number on the back cover) does a good job of explaining WHAT the recorder can do but trying to figure out HOW to use these MTR capabilities remains a mystery due to the fractured English used attempting to outline some critical explanations.
Bottom Line:
Hardware: *****
Manual **
By W. Pearson (S.E. USA)
Recording devices have been part of my life since I was a kid. Tiny reel to reel recorders, cassette, big reel to reel machines, VHS format,DAT, ADAT, hard disk systems, the list is still growing.
Now what we've got here is damn near a studio in your pocket. Up to 24bit resolution, phantom power to run better mics than the on board ones. Or you can go 'line in' from a board, or plug in an instrument. Did I mention it fits in your pocket?
This rascal is very useful and can't be easier to use.
I've been recording live shows with it for the last month. Satisfaction meter is at full deflection. It comes with CuBase which provides hours of fun and frustration.
Dislikes are, the 90 to 120 degree pickup pattern on the mics is useless. Why they even tried to do it this way is beyond me. The mic stand adaptor should be a shock mount type, not a stand in for a microphone body that slips into a mic clip. Better storage case would be nice as well.
Overall good, useful, feature laden tool at a reasonable price musicians should not be without.
By Jason Shafer (Miami Beach, FL)
I'm a classical musician (clarinet). This is much better than any other recording device I have ever tried...the quality is just as good (if not better) than professional recordings made using the microphones in our symphony hall. Worth the money!!!
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