Topic: Zoom H4

[Will_S]

Reading these rave reviews I picked one up myeself for times I don't want to (or can't) drag along my Firebox, laptop, and backup battery but still want to use phantom-powered mics.

Battery life while supplying 24V phantom (my choice as my mics will take it) was more than adequate.  Using 2000 mAh NiMH AAs I made it well past the three hour mark and got bored of recording my stereo.

Mostly echoing others' comments:
Worked with a 4GB Transcend card out of the box.
Headers get screwed up on >2G files.
No problem with multiple files that combine to exceed 2G.
It only takes a second or two to end one file and start a new one.
It did remember my settings (external input, phantom on, 24/44.1) even when the power was cycled and the batteries removed briefly.
Level meters are pretty decent.
My Mac only recognizes it as a USB 1.0 device, so transfers are slow (about 20 min / gigabyte)   
XLR inputs seem to hold onto a cable pretty firmly, but there is no locking mechanism.  Not sure about the long term implications of that...
The headphone amp is a piece of crap.  Really, it's awful.   Definite buzz even when not playing anything back.
Line out sounds decent though, and the recorded files sounded nice when played back through my main system, although it wasn't really good material to judge on. 

I should be taping a show with this on Friday and will post a sample for everybody asking about the preamps etc.

[dogmusic]

Reply to divamum re:

"Also am I correct in thinking that the Zoom has no mic-in socket? "



Au contraire: The Zoom H4 has two separate combo XLR/Phone mic inputs -- with phantom power.

[spyder9]

Reply to divamum re:

"Also am I correct in thinking that the Zoom has no mic-in socket? "



Au contraire: The Zoom H4 has two separate combo XLR/Phone mic inputs -- with phantom power.

I think he's asking about a 1/8 connection INto the Zoom.  That it does not have.  Like Doc Spider says above, you must go the XLR/TRS route.  So you'll need adapters.  Zoom has line-out and phones-out, though.

[dogmusic]

Reply to divamum re:

"Also am I correct in thinking that the Zoom has no mic-in socket? "



Au contraire: The Zoom H4 has two separate combo XLR/Phone mic inputs -- with phantom power.

I think he's asking about a 1/8 connection INto the Zoom.  That it does not have.  Like Doc Spider says above, you must go the XLR/TRS route.  So you'll need adapters.  Zoom has line-out and phones-out, though.

Sorry for the confusion. To this old Tape-Head, a 1/8 connection is a negative!

[divamum]

I think he's asking about a 1/8 connection INto the Zoom.  That it does not have.  Like Doc Spider says above, you must go the XLR/TRS route.  So you'll need adapters.  Zoom has line-out and phones-out, though.

Indeed I was (and I'm a, er.... umm... "she" )

For those of us who stealth that's significant....  I see that SP has some adapters, but as somebody else said, by the time you've added those you're nearly up to the price of the Edirol anyway.

What a great time to be taping, though - so many choices!

[rreidiii]

Now can I use my MK4 caps in the Zoom H4 

[flintstone]

One example of an adapter cable for the H4 is the Hosa CYX 402. 
Price is $15 at B&H Photo Video

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&kw=HOYCSMM2XM6&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=160630

The cable has
a stereo miniplug (3.5mm TRS) on one end,
two male XLR connectors on the other end, and
6 feet of cable in between.

[joeshambro]

used it tonight, very impressed.

i did a little test recording on the opening band with the internal mics, which i'll post here.  to be honest, for stealth, this would probably be an acceptable all-in-one box to use if you don't have access to stealth mics.

battery life is good but i haven't figured out how to meter it. 

USB 1 transfer BLOWS though.  that's something that needs to be addressed.  it took 21 minutes to import the show over, 1.1 gb.

[guysonic]

One example of an adapter cable for the H4 is the Hosa CYX 402. 
Price is $15 at B&H Photo Video

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&kw=HOYCSMM2XM6&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=160630

The cable has
a stereo miniplug (3.5mm TRS) on one end,
two male XLR connectors on the other end, and
6 feet of cable in between.

While no one could argue this adapter is low cost and easily available, the straight 3.5 mm plug is a liability in easily stressing the minijacks on these decks, and is not so good a deal if the plug is given an accidental bump or if the cord is tugged hard enough to damage or weaken the jack.  Cost/time of replacing the input jack on the deck needs be considered. 

Might be wiser to spend a bit more for an adapter sporting a 'well designed' low profile molded right angle plug with very flexible cord that avoids stressing the deck's input jack.

[dogmusic]

USB 1 transfer BLOWS though.  that's something that needs to be addressed.  it took 21 minutes to import the show over, 1.1 gb.

Are you using a Mac or is it as slow on a PC?

[joeshambro]

USB 1 transfer BLOWS though.  that's something that needs to be addressed.  it took 21 minutes to import the show over, 1.1 gb.

Are you using a Mac or is it as slow on a PC?

i'm using a mac.  so it may be just a mac issue, the guy at zoom who sent it to me who's been REALLY informative and helpful with my evaluation of it was sent an email this morning, i'll see if he knows anything about it.

but you know what, i laugh... we're sitting here complaining about it taking 20 minutes to move a show over, when the days of DAT transfer in realtime wasn't all that far back. 

[WiFiJeff]

I'm just back from taping four flavors of a piano quartet. One ("real live sound" version) was Josephson C617s (Gefell 1" caps) to 722, two of the others were machines using internal mics: the Zoom H4 and the Sony D1.  Should have everything transferred by Monday, I'll post impressions of the Sony and Zoom internal mics and maybe cut a CD of one comparison track.

Does anyone else notice that the H4 smells not like a new car but vaguely like Lapsong Soochong tea?

Jeff (tapin' too hard)

[Will_S]

Does anyone else notice that the H4 smells not like a new car but vaguely like Lapsong Soochong tea?

Definitely noticed some kind of smell unpacking mine.

[joeshambro]

first tape i made with the H4:

http://www.archive.org/details/OAR102606

sbd + shure vp88 mix

[eric.B]

first tape i made with the H4:

http://www.archive.org/details/OAR102606

sbd + shure vp88 mix

Is this "line-in" joe?