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Zoom H4 Handy Recorder | 
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| Brand: Zoom
Category: CE
Buy New: £190.00
New (8) Refurbished (1) from £190.00
Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 4363
Legal Disclaimer: Please check manufacturer's website for product compatibility
MPN: H4
Model: H4
EAN: 4515260007080
ASIN: B000L0I0YC
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | 2 track and 4 track modes for stereo and multi track recording | | • | MP3 recording up to 320kbps | | • | WAV recording up to 24bit/96kHz | | • | USB audio and mass-storage interfaces | | • | XLR input with phantom power |
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| Similar Items:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Zoom H4 Handy Recorder.
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| Customer Reviews:
Simple once you get to know it July 30, 2008
A. Roberton (West Wales)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I also thought long and hard about which recorder to buy. In the end I narrowed it to just one, the H4 and was so glad I did. My intention was for a device that recorded both outside ambient sounds, such as water (streams), the sea, rain, wildlife and generally any sound I could use with my meditation/relaxation CDs. Reading the book I did become somewhat confused, but when I realised that a lot of the specialised things the H4 can do I would never use, I was able to learn the basics and switch on and record. I was so pleased with the results and with the ease I could transfer from H4 to computer software, wondered why I didn't make to move to this sort of unit before. I suppose because I come from the old school and felt that in order to record quality, a large heavyweight piece of equipment was necessary - how wrong I was.
I have used to H4 in several ways and have always been surprised at the quality of the results. I record my softly spoken speaking voice using the on-board mikes and external mike/preamp set up. Both work well, but to be honest I prefer the preamp/external mike setup. But in truth there is little difference - the internal mikes are very sensitive and are best (IMO) with ambient recording.
The batteries last well and with the price of SD cards plummeting, a couple of 2GB cards cost very little and hold so much. The only (small) criticism is with the earphones. when wearing them any movement where the wire rubs against anything causes noise, which can be annoying to say the least. My answer is to use good quality headphones and ignore the white ones that come with the unit.
Another small point, is really about me and not the H4. I am coming up to 60 and not as nimble as I was - who is - and I find the controls a bit fiddly. However, it is a small portable unit that does exactly what it is designed to do, and does it really well.
Of course there are things I would change, but in the end it is about the finished article, the recording quality, and that is super. The H4 is great value and if you are that way inclined, can be used as a 4 track recorder complete with effects. From my point of view, it does what it does, simply, without too much fuss and with a brilliant end product. if you are looking for a portable digital recording device that gives quality reproduction at a fair price, this is the baby for you.
Depending on your needs, a solid product October 24, 2007
Greedo (England)
39 out of 39 found this review helpful
I agree with the review already posted on this product, but thought I'd make some additional observations from my own point of view, as the "best" recorder for each person will depend on their tastes and requirements. Hopefully some of this will help people choose the right recorder for them.
OK...I ummed and ahhed for a while over which recorder to get, and narrowed it down to two choices: this one, and the M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 (a third recorder - the Edirol R-09 - also came into my thinking briefly). You can find excellent magazine reviews of each of these recorders online by a man called "Mark Nelson" (just Google his name along with the product name), which feature recordings of all three products for you to listen to.
My own personal reason for buying a recorder was for field recording, and hence I haven't used my Zoom H4 for multi-track recording at all. I wanted something portable that I could keep with me day-to-day, in order to capture interesting environmental sounds/voices which I could then import into my home studio and use to give my music some added depth and interest. With this in mind, ultimately the Zoom was the only answer, due to the built in stereo microphone set up. For the M-Audio Microtrack, I would have to carry around one or two microphones, along with a shotgun microphone holder and wind shield, and this just wouldn't be feasible in my day-to-day life, or when travelling.
With this in mind, the Zoom meets my needs perfectly. Being a music producer, the sounds I gather have to be of a certain quality to be of any use, and the Zoom is perfectly capable of achieving this as long as you set the levels correctly (which is actually very simple if you take half an hour to read the manual). You'll also need to buy a tripod for the recorder to cut out handling noise (as this isn't included). The thread to attach a tripod is actually the size used for camera tripods, so I was able to buy a small tripod from a camera store that does the job perfectly and fits in my pocket. Hence if I run it off batteries, all I need to carry to capture sounds on the go is the Zoom recorder (in its carrying pouch), the tripod, and the sponge windshield (which is provided). For my needs, this is absolutely perfect. Transferring the files to my computer is also very easy, as you can simply "drag and drop" them after attaching the unit via a USB port (cable included).
If your requirements are different to mine - for instance if you know for sure that you only want to use your recorder with external mics - then one of the other two products mentioned might be better (although I think the Zoom H4 is cheaper). Certainly the other two products might 'feel' like they are better when you hold them in your hands: the design of the Zoom is rather bizarre in that it looks rather cheap. This doesn't affect functionally at all (I find it very easy and reliable to use), but some people might want more aesthetically from something that cost them about 200! However, I have absolutely no complaints about this product personally, and it has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me with regards to getting good quality field recordings, and at an affordable price. For this reason, I would certainly recommend it if you want to use it in a similar way. As a self contained unit (no additional mics are needed, just the tripod which is cheap) I imagine it is also a decent solution for most other portable recording needs, such as live gigs, podcasts etc.
Excellent quality with lots of features for this price bracket October 6, 2007
S. Page (UK)
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
A microphone really has to be experienced first hand. It is as individual as a fingerprint so I am sure not everyone will agree with me. That said, in my opinion this is certainly a great starter mic and a whole lot more. I have tried it in wind, car and at home and every time it is a treat to use and to play back and listen to the quality of the captured sound. The combined XLR 1/4 sockets are genius. It has a line out AND a headphone socket so you can mix your recorded sound and monitor. There are sensitivity adjustments for in-built mic and plugged in inputs which is great. The effects are excellent and in four track mode are more adjustable. Four track mode is a lot easier than you think to navigate around. Recording is as simple as turn on, press record twice (it glows a subtle red) and your recording. Direct access to some preset values and menu access if you want to change them. Mine even came with a 512Mb card in the box! Sure its plastic, sure if you squeeze it then it will creak...so dont squeeze it. It is sturdy enough not to do this if you respect it. or use the stand adaptor and dont touch the thing. Excellent, cant rave about this highly enough.
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