Overall Design:
The way the Zoom H4n looks and feels when you hold it in your hand is that of a solid recorder, a professional audio recorder built to last. Compared to its predecessors, it’s a vast improvement over the H2’s cheap plastic construction. Compared to the design of other higher priced recorders like the Sony PCM-D50, it holds up pretty well, offering pretty much the same features and more, at a much lower price. The H4N is a bit bulky, definitely not a pocket-sized recorder. But of course, it’s a professional recorder with 2 XLR inputs, so there’s a reason for that. The microphones are well designed and well placed in aluminum housings and can rotate in 90 or 120 degree recording patterns (for wide angle recording).
One thing to note is that there is no microphone protection like you might find on a Tascam recorder for example. So you have to be careful as just dropping it once could make these mics inoperable. Also, the Zoom H4n is wide enough (2.75 inches) that it can be placed vertically in case you need to use the mini-jack on the back and place the recorder on a table. Another thing to note is that the design and feel are very intuitive. If you were to search for buttons in the dark, it would be easy to feel the offset record button and menu controls. And if you’ve never used it before, it’s easy to navigate the menu and recording options. If you’re playing your audio, on the back you’ll find a built-in speaker that will allow you to listen to your recording without having to use your headphones.
Finally, we have to mention that along with the recorder, you get a microphone stand, an SD card (1GB), a black foam windscreen that covers both microphones at the same time, and a power adapter in case you’re close enough to a power outlet. and you don’t want to waste your batteries.
Recorder Controls and Tour:
If you hold the Zoom H4n in your hand and look at the screen, on the left you will have:
Power button, which allows you to turn the recorder on/off by sliding it and holding it down for a few seconds
Headphone Levels – Some people confuse this with the recording level button. It’s on the left side and allows you to set the playback audio level.
On the right:
Menu button and jog dial: On the right side of the recorder, after pressing the menu button, you can navigate and select specific menu sections with the jog dial, which moves up and down and can be pressed.
Recording Level Buttons – On the right side of the recorder and allow you to set the recording level.
On top:
the microphones
Below the recorder:
XLR inputs
In the back:
AA battery slot in the center and just above the battery slot, the “Stamina Switch”: Well hidden behind the recorder, this switch sets the recorder to 16-bit format and 44.1 Khz sample rate so that batteries last more than 10 hours. .
Mini jack port.
Up front: 2-inch screen, record button, record controls, and input select buttons.
Characteristic
First of all, let’s explore the recording options of the Zoom H4n, which set it apart from its competitors as it can record stereo, 4 channel or in “MTR” mode i.e. multi-track recording.
Stereo is obviously the most used and natural recording mode, but 4-channel recording can be a useful feature in many situations, as recording 4 channels at the same time will allow you to record large-scale projects or use this feature alone. for backup purposes. In this mode, you basically have two stereo files, one for the built-in mics and one for any mics you plug in. Basically you will be able to record ambient sound and at the same time more directional audio, it can be an interview or a performance of any kind. Very nice.
If you are a musician, you will also find interesting the MTR mode, the multitrack recording option, which allows you to overdub instruments with vocals without much effort. On each track, you can even adjust the level, volume, effects, and pan before you mix them down.
Like many other similar audio recorders, it offers various recording formats (MP3 or WAV) at sample rates of 44.1, 48 and 96 KHz. Files can be recorded with a depth of 16 or 24 bits. If you want your batteries to last a long time, you can select 16bit/44.1KHz, which is called “Stamina Mode”. If you want to clean up your audio with Pro Tools, we recommend the 24-bit/48 KHz format.
The Zoom H4n allows you to set the recording level manually or leave it on automatic. Additionally, the auto-recording feature allows you to have Zoom start recording automatically once the audio threshold of your choice is reached.
Low cut noise is available and is useful in windy conditions.
Phantom voltage for the XLR connections that allows you to connect shotgun microphones that do not have a power supply.
Built-in phase trainer, which has a playback function that will allow you to change the speed from a maximum of 150% to 50%. This will not alter the pitch.
Studio-quality DSP effects to polish tracks
The H4n can be used as a USB audio interface. This is a feature that allows you to record audio directly to your computer using whatever recording software you have in case you want to start editing your audio right away to speed up the editing process.
Finally, record to SD or SDHC cards
recommendations
If you’re not recording the latest Hollywood blockbuster but are looking for a high-quality, affordable audio recorder for your music, performance, podcast or interview, the H4n will be your optimal choice. It’s a solidly built recorder that’s very easy to use, has plenty of recording options, and will last you a long time.
