>The H2 also has a 2 second pre-roll buffer to help you catch the
start of a vocalization.
Oryoki,
is it the same thing of 2 seconds pre-buffer recording with Fostex FR2-LE?
Like to say: I walk with H2 in pause, a bird starts to sing, I push
REC and I'm able to record the whole song?
If so, it's fantastic!
Marco
--- In "oryoki2000" <> wrote:
>
> 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.
>
> If you wish to share this message with others, please indicate that
> the source of the message is the Naturerecordists group on Yahoo.
>
> --oryoki
>
> ------------------------
>
> 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
> 3.5mm 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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