I had a chance to spend a few hours with the new Zoom H2 recorder
today. I am favorably impressed with this $200 model. I think the H2
could displace the Hi-MD minidisc recorder as the "budget" nature
recording tool.
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--oryoki
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The Zoom H2 is a digital recorder, capable of using WAV and MP3
formats. WAV files can be quantized at rates up to 24/96. MP3
encoding is available up to 320 kbps. Variable Bit Rate MP3 is
supported, too.
The process of starting a recording is simple. Press the record
button and the H2 enters record/pause. Check the metering levels on
the LCD display. Set the levels by pressing + and - buttons. Then
press the record button to start the recording. Another press of the
record button stops the recording. Recording doesn't get much easier
than this!
The H2 has a couple of features to help make better recordings. The
microphone sensitivity switch adds about 10dB at each step from low to
medium to high. The H2 also has a 2 second pre-roll buffer to help
you catch the start of a vocalization.
The H2's preamp is mediocre, typical of the under-$500 recorders. It
reminded me of the Edirol R-09 and M-Audio Microtrack 2496. I think
the preamp in the H2 is similar to the design in the Zoom H4, a model
that approaches the quality of the Sony Hi-MD preamp, according to
Klas Strandberg. (Hi Klas!)
My H2 recordings using high preamp gain had a noticeable background
hiss. Using high microphone sensitivity can make the recording too
bright. I found the best result came with medium sensitivity and
medium gain. On the H2, the gain scale steps from 0 to 127. I got
good results at a setting of 90 when using a Sennheiser ME-62.
In my sample recordings, I was not aware of the recorder capturing RF
noise from the LCD screen or from RF interference generated while
writing to the SD card.
The H2 has 3.5mm (1/8") jacks for stereo mic input and line-level
input. The mic input provides 2.5V DC power to microphones that
don't have a power supply. There is no digital input or output. The
Message: 3.
Subject: 5mm headphones jack doubles as a line output.
The H2 has an unusual built-in microphone, It's an array composed of
four small cardiod mics. The pair of mics facing the front of the
recorder are most sensitive in a 90 degree arc. The pair facing the
rear best capture a 120 degree arc. You can select to record in
stereo using either pair.
Zoom also makes it possible to record from all four mics
simultaneously, useful when recording ambience. The result can be
saved as a conventional two channel WAV file. Alternatively, the front
and rear mic pairs can be captured in two separate files. These two
files can be encoded into a 5.1 surround format in post-production.
(Software to do so is not included.)
The H2 uses Secure Digital flash memory cards for data storage.
According to Zoom, standard SD cards up to 2GB capacity and 4GB SDHC
cards are approved for use. I tried a 4GB Transcend standard SD card,
and it works, too.
The H2 takes a long time to start up, about 25 seconds with a 4GB SD
card. This will be frustrating when an unexpected recording
opportunity appears. Shutdown takes just 4 seconds.
Battery life using two AA alkaline cells is good. I'm running a test
now. The recorder has created a WAV file 4 hours long, and the
battery meter still shows "full." There are two hours left before I
run out of space on the 4GB SD card.
The H2 file system adds a date and time stamp to recordings. Files
are stored in up to 10 folders to organize them. Files can be renamed
and deleted through the menu system, and split into shorter segments.
File operations include the ability to normalize a recording (that is,
raise the overall volume of a recording so the loudest sound is
exactly 0dB).
Physically, the H2 is quite small. It weighs 166 g (5.9 oz) ready to
record. It's not as slim as the Microtrack 2496 or R-09 recorders
are, but it's easy enough to hold the H2 in one hand and operate the
controls with your thumb, like you would with a cell phone.
Overall construction of the H2 is adequate. The body of the recorder
is silver plastic, similar to the body of an inexpensive digital
camera. The buttons controlling recording are small and offer little
tactile feedback. The doors covering the battery compartment and the
SD memory card slot are not particularly strong. The LCD panel that
displays the recorder's menu system and metering levels is small, but
seems easy to read.
The H2 kit includes a short handle to reduce noise when holding the
recorder in your hand. The handle screws into a threaded socket in
the base of the recorder. The socket accepts the screw on most camera
tripods, making it easy to mount the H2 for unattended recording.
The kit also includes a windscreen that completely covers the
microphone capsule.
The Zoom H2 is widely available for about $200. After the initial
demand for the recorder is met, I think the price will decline a bit.
Read more about the Zoom H2 here:
http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1916
"While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause
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