Zoom H2 - really amazing

Craig Bumgarner

So I received a Zoom H2 today and started checking it out..... I like it. Any suggestions as to what Recording Mode to use, as in WAV 44.1kHz 16 bit or WAV 48kHz 24 bit or MP3..... and so on. I have a 2GB card, so for most things, file size is not an issue. On the other hand, my playback equipment is not the finest, so I doubt I will benefit from the highest settings.

BTW, the screen is a little easier to read than the iRiver I mentioned earlier in this thread, but the text is just as small, I guess I need stronger glasses. The various lights: mic active, record active, mic mode, etc. are very helpful.

Craig

Bob Holo

16bit / 44.1kHz is standard CD quality uncompressed audio. If you plan on making CDs from the recordings - and you're not an expert mixer - use this setting. If you're making DVDs or DVD-A or something with a higher resolution native format then you may want to expiriment with the higher bit depth and sampling rate stuff - but if you're just using the recordings to make CDs (or load up your mp3 player or soundfiles for your website) basically you'll have to downmix the higher format stuff - and if you don't know what you're doing, you'll probably get the same (maybe worse) sound than if you just recorded in the format that you want to use. All it takes is using a dummed-down one-size-fits-all conversion program ... or even if you're using a professional editing program - if you mess up your dither settings a little or any number of other things and you will lose the benefits of the higher formats. So, best to keep it simple.

If you're recording mp3s - a good rule of thumb is don't go below 192. I always record MP3s at 320k which gives good resolution up to 16kHz which is higher than my ears go - (higher than most men's ears go after 35

Bottom line, you'll love it - whatever you do - but if you remember to record in the format & size that you want to use, then you won't have any up/down conversion loss - and if you're doing MP3 files - heck - just go with 320k (or the highest setting of VBR if it offers VBR MP3 ... VBR is variable bit rate - which allows the codec to scale itself up or down depending on how complex the material you're recording is... but some devices don't read VBR, so 320k standard mp3 is the best all around bet for best quality mp3 recordings with the maximum portability.)

Happy Zooming...

Craig Bumgarner

Thanks Bob, very helpful.

Craig

HCW

I've recently got the H4 and am very impressed with it. On balance I decided the 4 track capability would be useful. Inbuilt mics are excellent, all quite easy to use although the menu structure and controls are a bit fiddly. Since I got it, one musical collaborator also bought one, and another has decided its going to be his next purchase. Congrats to Zoom!

Stackabones

HCW wrote:

I've recently got the H4 and am very impressed with it. On balance I decided the 4 track capability would be useful. Inbuilt mics are excellent, all quite easy to use although the menu structure and controls are a bit fiddly. Since I got it, one musical collaborator also bought one, and another has decided its going to be his next purchase. Congrats to Zoom!

I love my H4 ... here's a post I did about it!
viewtopic.php?t=3669

Recently, I did a 4-track & mixdown while "in the field" -- on Christmas vacation. Wrote, recorded and mixed on location.
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6110135

Elliot

Do you have any problems with hum on the H4? I read something about that on the Zoom forum, more noise than the H2. I'm really having a hard time deciding which one to get.

Stackabones

Elliot wrote:

Do you have any problems with hum on the H4? I read something about that on the Zoom forum, more noise than the H2. I'm really having a hard time deciding which one to get.

Nope. No problems. I think there have been software updates since the original H4 came out that solved the humming problem. I didn't do a software update (I think my version is 1.30) ... still no humming. You can listen to my tracks to see if you detect anything.

The H2 sounds like a great little unit, but once you get into home recording I'd think you'd want to start multitracking -- which iirc the H2 doesn't do, but the H4 does. I found that the best deal on the H4 (with a 2GB card) was at amazon.

I really need to check on the software updates, for I've heard that the H4 can now use a 4GB card!!!!

Teddy Dupont

I have recently bought an H4 Zoom and I am very pleased with but I cannot get the Cubase LE program supplied with it to download and operate properly (or at all!).

It seems to download ok but when I click on the Cubase icon and the program starts, as soon as it gets to the "Audio System Test" my computer seizes and there is nothing I can do. In fact, it is then only possible to close down the computer manually, the system is so completely locked. I have installed and uninstalled the program 3 times (once in the presence of another H4 user who has had no problem with his Cubase LE) but the same thing happens every time.

If I choose not to do the Audio Test, the program still locks up.

Any suggestions from you computer whizzes would be very much appreciated.

Stackabones

I haven't even touched Cubase. I use GarageBand on my Mac. Maybe someone else can help?

La Gitane

Hi

I looked into a whole load of different solid state portable recording devices a couple of months ago, including the Zoom H2 & H4 and Endirol R-09 and Tascam MPGT-1 and DR-1.

After reading about some software and hum problems with the Zooms, I finally went for the Marantz PMD620.

It is a little more pricey than most of the above, but very compact, easy to use ("one-handed" operation - no fiddly menus), and gives amazing sound quality via its sensitive built in stereo mics (though it supports plug in mics and line in/out too).

(There was an issue with monitoring latency in the first releases, which led to some negative reviews, however this has been completely solved with a software upgrade).

It has been a fantastic purchase and I'd strongly recommend checking it out as an alternative to the others.

Best wishes