Topic: zoom h4 internal preamps...

[joeshambro]

the H4's internal pres...  i was expecting a little too much i think, since the box overall was amazing.

song from tonight, neumann km184 > h4:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/bp8fkh



kinda disappointed, but can't have it all.

[Will_S]

+T...interesting...definitely seem to hear something overloading, which I assume is your main reason for being disappointed?

What were your sensitivity settings and input levels?

I was a lot happier with my first shot at recording with the Zoom H4.  Audio Technica U873R hypercardiods (~40 ft from stage, 9 ft up, indoors, DINa) > Zoom H4, low sensitivity, input levels of 87.  This put my peaks at -12 dB, right where I wanted them for 24 bit recording.  Had the Zoom supplying 24V phantom which is all the U873Rs need.

Sample (24 bit flac):
http://homepage.mac.com/satterwill/BigOrganTrio.flac

This source material was probably somewhat quieter than what you recorded, but was louder than you might think.  Slightly painful to listen to without earplugs.

You can also hear how it did over a whole show here:

http://www.archive.org/details/jgb2006-10-27.U873Rhc.flac16f

Although I kind of screwed up on this one.  I switched out memory cards after the opening act, losing all my settings.  I got everything fixed except I was recording at 16 bit instead of 24, but still running conservative input levels to peak at -12 dB.  So I added a little gain in post, which I suppose COULD suggest the pres are SLIGHTLY more noisy than they really are.

[joeshambro]

i had the sensitivity on the lowest setting, i had the input setting at *59*, and it was still peaking out really hard.

i may have been too close, but i've taped in that same venue, same location, same mics (and similar mics) at least 50 times.