Zoom H2 Handy Recorder
Posted by inetsynch on September 9th, 2010
Good morning, good afternoon, or evening as the case may be this is Sam Caldwell of the Windows 2 Apples podcast episode forty-two. In this episode, I review the H2 Handy Recorder manufactured by Zoom Corp. and distributed by Samson.
I discovered the H2, when looking for an alternative to using a laptop to digitally record field interviews and on site readings of audio books by authors uncomfortable with using computer software. I was intrigued by the many positive H2 reviews posted on the Internet and recommendations from other podcasters including my friend Allison Sheridan of the NosillaCast.
The H2 is billed by Zoom as “a nifty SD card based recorder with two operation modes for two – channel (stereo) or four – channel recording.” Nifty works for me. The device is handheld, battery powered and lightweight. It looks much like a traditional microphone with a few additional switches and LCD display panel tacked on. The Samson website claims the device is perfect for anyone needing a low cost, portable, simple to operate, digital recorder capable of capturing audio in monaural, stereo, and four channel, surround sound configurations.
With two AA batteries installed, the device weighs in at just 6 ounces. One of the reasons it is so lightweight is because it sports a rather flimsy plastic case. I suggest you look past the enclosure and consider relative cost, specifications, features, and performance when evaluating the device as a possible fit for your applications. I decided to make the purchase after listening to several on-line reviews recorded using the device. The on-line videos demonstrate impressive audio fidelity when recording speech and live musical events.
Although, the four microphone surround sound recording capabilities are impressive, I was most interested in using it to record speech … in that application, it excels. This podcast is being recorded using the H2 in the default stereo record mode. Aside from the flimsy feel of the plastic case, the only other noteworthy negative is the small, difficult to read LCD menu and options display. Maneuvering through menus is simple and straightforward but requires a bit of squinting and excellent lighting for these tired older eyes. The default, out of the box setting, was stereo audio recorded at 44.1 kHz per second and stored as a 16 bit digital WAV file. The stereo WAV sample rate can be bumped up to 48 kHz. When using the MP3 stereo mode, you may choose from bit rates between 48 and 328 kilobits per second.
Users have a surprising degree of flexibility in determining sample rate, recording format, microphone configuration, real time filtering, as well as access to optional features such as automatic gain, built in metronome, and chromatic tuner. Although the H2 will reset to the factory default settings when installing a new flash card, previous session recording options are saved to the installed flash card memory at the end of each session; saving considerable setup time when a new session is started. The internal microphones are more than up to the task of recording voice and live instruments. If you wish to use your own external mic or to record from high-level sources such as external tape recorders, Zoom has thoughtfully provided both external microphone and line in jacks. A comprehensive, well-organized manual and video tutorials found on the Samson website and YouTube greatly reduce the time it takes to become familiar with its many features.
The device can be powered using two AA batteries as well as an external power supply. Controls are simple and straightforward. The base of the unit is compatible with standard tripod mounting screws. The H2 is shipped with a triangular plastic base which when screwed into the bottom of the unit provides more stability when placing it on a flat surface. Alternately, a supplied plastic handle can be attached to the base of the recorder allowing it to be easily mounted on most microphone stands or booms.
The H2 comes with inexpensive ear buds for reviewing recordings and a USB cable for connecting to either a PC or Apple computer. When connecting to an external computer, you are prompted to indicate whether you want the H2 accessed as a storage device or USB microphone. When connecting to my Vista and Windows 7 machines, the first effort to install the drivers ended with an error message, but the second attempt always proved to be the charm. When connected to my Mac the device was immediately recognized. Accessing files on the H2 is straightforward. The manual claims a 4 GB (SDHC) memory card will store approximately 380 minutes audio when using the default setting of stereo, WAV sampled at 44.1 kHz.
The suggested retail price of the Zoom H2 is listed as $334, however, it can be purchased from many online stores for considerably less than the advertised list price. I purchased this unit from Amazon for $146.85. After spending almost two weeks with the device, I continue to be impressed with the recording quality as both a standalone device and external USB microphone. I can heartily recommend the Zoom H2, but will leave it to my listeners to decide whether they have the same warm and fuzzy feelings after listening to this podcast recorded using the H2 in the default standalone stereo mode.
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