[Dixielandjazz] More on the Zoom H2

Thu Feb 21 11:04:13 PST 2008

The Zoom H4) has another model the H2 for $200 which is $100 cheaper than the H4.  I just bought one and it's a gas.  There are more bells and whistles on this thing that it takes a 91 page manual to go through all the stuff.

Things of interest:
1. has 4 mikes that are capable of doing surround sound or operate independently depending on the coverage you want.  Is capable of recording inside of the band - you don't have to place it out front.  Shows recording levels of all 4 tracks.

2.  Has a built in tuner and metronome.  (Bah humbug)

3. Has a power meter that you can set for alkaline or NIMH batteries.  Missing on the H4

4. Has a remaining recording time available read out.

5.  Records at many more regular and compression levels and bit counts.   13 different settings for mp3 and 6 for wav. plus you can convert a wav file into mp3.

6.  Has a much improved mike stand attachment.  This is a big drawback in the H4

7.  battery compartment access from the back and this is a plus over the H4

8.  Chip is accessed separately from the battery compartment as in the H4

9.  Has a line in as well as a line out.  The H4 does not have a line in

10.  The controls in front work easier than on the H4.

11.  comes with a wind screen, earphones, 512 mb chip, mike stand adaptor and a desk stand and carrying bag.

12. Can use an external mike that has 1/8" plug such as the Sony stereo mike.

13.  If you want to practice something with a recording it has an A - B repeat feature

14.  Has settable gain controls (8 AGC settings) as well as  auto recording, on, off features that you can set.

15.  Will pre record several seconds before you start recording with the button in case you hit the button late.  

These last two settings might be very useful in a concert setting where you want the recording to start with the band but you can't be out front as well as handling possible distortion levels of sound.

16. Has a normalize function.  Very cool if your recording is a little low in volume.

17.  the chip that comes with it, 514mb,  will record for several hours in the mp3 mode.  I suggest getting some larger chips.  I think my H4 will do 3 hours with a 2 gig chip recording .wav files.

18.  Smaller and lighter than the H4.  It's about the size of a king size cigarette pack.  It fits in my Soprano Sax case easily.  Even with the mike stand attachment  which is very clever.  It's sort of cone shaped like a microphone to go in a standard microphone holder.  This recorder looks like a microphone. 

This recorder is amazing and the only problems that I see with it so far is the readout on the front is, to me anyway, microscopic so carry a magnifying glass and that from what I have heard is a battery hog like the H4.  Downloading a big file takes awhile.  The H4 comes with some editing software but the H2 does not so plan on getting something for that if you don't have Qbase or sound forge or one of those like them.

After you get it set up recording is simple.  Push the record button twice (or once if you are in record mode) and you are recording.  Fantastic sound is all I can say.  

Ten years ago about the only thing available was a small DAT recorder that cost $400+ with no bells and whistles everything else was out of sight cost wise and huge.  I can only imagine what recording will be like in ten years.  I imagine a whole lot of smart functions that will eliminate a whole lot of the different settings and put perfect recordings in any setting into nothing more than a push of a button.
Larry
StL