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Michael Beacom[_4_] Michael Beacom[_4_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

My Zoom H4n died, Im looking for a roughly equivalent replacement.
If I were king, it would be a Sound Devices MixPre-10 II. Sadly, I'm
not, and the Mix-Pre crushes the budget.

What are your favorite models with at least 2 phantom powered XLR mic
inputs, in the $200 - $300 range? (More channels are nice.)

Thanks, Mike Beacom

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John Williamson John Williamson is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

On 04/09/2019 04:46, Michael Beacom wrote:
My Zoom H4n died, Im looking for a roughly equivalent replacement.
If I were king, it would be a Sound Devices MixPre-10 II. Sadly, I'm
not, and the Mix-Pre crushes the budget.

What are your favorite models with at least 2 phantom powered XLR mic
inputs, in the $200 - $300 range? (More channels are nice.)


The Zoom H4n is still available new online, and I saw one in reasonable
condition in my local used goods shop the other day. I would have bought
it, but my H2 is still working well.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.
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Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

On 9/3/2019 11:46 PM, Michael Beacom wrote: My Zoom H4n died, Im
looking for a roughly equivalent replacement.


If I were king, it would be a Sound Devices MixPre-10 II. Sadly, I'm
not, and the Mix-Pre crushes the budget.

I'm still happy with my TASCAM DR-44WL. Three things that I particularly
like, other than it sounds good and doesn't crash:

Hi, Mike -

- A mechanical record level knob, well, it's digital inside, but it's a
knob you can turn, and it's engaged and disengaged with a button, so you
won't bump it and change your record level.

- A limiter you can actually use without hearing it, good for when you
don't know how loud something is going to be before you start recording.

- Wireless remote control with a phone or tablet via WiFi - you can
start, stop, watch the meters, adjust record level, pretty near
everything you can do with the front panel, some things more convenient.

My review (it's had a couple of firmware updates since then) is he

https://mikeriversaudio.files.wordpr...4wl_review.pdf


--
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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

In article ,
Michael Beacom wrote:
My Zoom H4n died, Im looking for a roughly equivalent replacement.
If I were king, it would be a Sound Devices MixPre-10 II. Sadly, I'm
not, and the Mix-Pre crushes the budget.

What are your favorite models with at least 2 phantom powered XLR mic
inputs, in the $200 - $300 range? (More channels are nice.)


Your choices are the Zoom models or the Tascam models. Tascam makes two
lines, one for general purpose handheld stuff, and one specifically for
use with DSLRs. In the handheld line, I think the cheapest one with
XLRs is the DR40 which is definitely in your price range.

However... if you can stretch your budget another $100 you could get the
Tascam DR-680 Mk II, which gives you six tracks and surprisingly good
preamps. (Avoid the original DR-680, which turns up used at good prices
but which is comparatively quite noisy).

I don't know the Tascam DSLR line but it might be worth looking at. I like
the Tascam user interface better than the Zoom for the most part, but you
may not.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
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Michael Beacom[_4_] Michael Beacom[_4_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

On 2019-09-04 13:16:36 +0000, Scott Dorsey said:

In article ,
Michael Beacom wrote:
My Zoom H4n died, Im looking for a roughly equivalent replacement.
If I were king, it would be a Sound Devices MixPre-10 II. Sadly, I'm
not, and the Mix-Pre crushes the budget.

What are your favorite models with at least 2 phantom powered XLR mic
inputs, in the $200 - $300 range? (More channels are nice.)


Your choices are the Zoom models or the Tascam models. Tascam makes two
lines, one for general purpose handheld stuff, and one specifically for
use with DSLRs. In the handheld line, I think the cheapest one with
XLRs is the DR40 which is definitely in your price range.

However... if you can stretch your budget another $100 you could get the
Tascam DR-680 Mk II, which gives you six tracks and surprisingly good
preamps. (Avoid the original DR-680, which turns up used at good prices
but which is comparatively quite noisy).

I don't know the Tascam DSLR line but it might be worth looking at. I like
the Tascam user interface better than the Zoom for the most part, but you
may not.
--scott



The original thought was for a hand held recorder, and the Zoom H5 or
H6 was the
first thought.

But then, you mentioned the DR-680MKII. Another good idea, so I had a
look on e-bay.

I found a 680 MKII, and a nice looking K-Tek bag for $325- from the
photos look good execpt for
a crack on the top front of the case. Even if the recorder is a dud,
there's the case.

Another recorder is listed as a DR-680, but the pictures show it to be
a DR-680MKII, in excellent
cosmetic shape, for $50, as it 'works with problems'
From the listing:
"Last time I used this at a wedding, I could not get any levels to show
so I thought it wasnt working,
but when I checked the file it did record everything. Something is
going that makes the audio levels
not show."
The incorect listing and his decription of the problem makes me wonder
if it was operator error...

And another e-bay listing for a NIB DR-680MKII for $300.

Thanks for the comments, you have confirmed that my notion that Tascam
& Zoom are my choices.
Now I have to decide how much I value the size.

Cheers
Mike



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Michael Beacom[_4_] Michael Beacom[_4_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

On 2019-09-04 10:54:26 +0000, Mike Rivers said:

On 9/3/2019 11:46 PM, Michael Beacom wrote: My Zoom H4n died, Im
looking for a roughly equivalent replacement.


If I were king, it would be a Sound Devices MixPre-10 II. Sadly, I'm
not, and the Mix-Pre crushes the budget.

I'm still happy with my TASCAM DR-44WL. Three things that I
particularly like, other than it sounds good and doesn't crash:

Hi, Mike -

- A mechanical record level knob, well, it's digital inside, but it's a
knob you can turn, and it's engaged and disengaged with a button, so
you won't bump it and change your record level.

- A limiter you can actually use without hearing it, good for when you
don't know how loud something is going to be before you start recording.

- Wireless remote control with a phone or tablet via WiFi - you can
start, stop, watch the meters, adjust record level, pretty near
everything you can do with the front panel, some things more convenient.

My review (it's had a couple of firmware updates since then) is he

https://mikeriversaudio.files.wordpr...4wl_review.pdf


Thanks for the tip-
Scott was good enough to mention the Tascam DR-680 MKII, It's a good
suggestion, and now I have to decide how much I value the size of the
recorder.
I was originally thinking about the Zoom H5 or H6. Any opinions between
Tascam & Zoom?

B&H and Swee****er list the TASCAM DR-44WL as 'Discontinued'. Has
Tascam discontinued it, or are they introducing a new model?

Thanks again,
Mike

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Michael Beacom[_4_] Michael Beacom[_4_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

On 2019-09-04 07:10:36 +0000, John Williamson said:

On 04/09/2019 04:46, Michael Beacom wrote:
My Zoom H4n died, Im looking for a roughly equivalent replacement.
If I were king, it would be a Sound Devices MixPre-10 II. Sadly, I'm
not, and the Mix-Pre crushes the budget.

What are your favorite models with at least 2 phantom powered XLR mic
inputs, in the $200 - $300 range? (More channels are nice.)


The Zoom H4n is still available new online, and I saw one in reasonable
condition in my local used goods shop the other day. I would have
bought it, but my H2 is still working well.


Even better- the new ones are H4n Pro, and they have improved the
pre-amps over the original version. And it looks like the most
inexpensive solution.

Cheers
Mike

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Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

On 9/5/2019 1:14 PM, Michael Beacom wrote:
B&H and Swee****er list the TASCAM DR-44WL as 'Discontinued'. Has Tascam
discontinued it, or are they introducing a new model?


I asked about that at the TASCAM booth at InfoComm. They said that they
were still getting them, and there's no replacement planned, but that
some dealers have stopped selling them because they moved too slow.

You should be able to buy a new one, but the 680 is a good choice, too.


--
For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com
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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

In article , Mike Rivers wrote:
On 9/5/2019 1:14 PM, Michael Beacom wrote:
B&H and Swee****er list the TASCAM DR-44WL as 'Discontinued'. Has Tascam
discontinued it, or are they introducing a new model?


I asked about that at the TASCAM booth at InfoComm. They said that they
were still getting them, and there's no replacement planned, but that
some dealers have stopped selling them because they moved too slow.


Tascam really doesn't seem very heavily invested in that whole line, to be
honest. I asked about the 680 and the HS P-82 at the AES show, and they
said something to the effect that the film sound market was small and
saturated and it wasn't worth their time showing that stuff at trade shows.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
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Michael Beacom[_4_] Michael Beacom[_4_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

On 2019-09-06 01:18:17 +0000, Mike Rivers said:

On 9/5/2019 1:14 PM, Michael Beacom wrote:
B&H and Swee****er list the TASCAM DR-44WL as 'Discontinued'. Has
Tascam discontinued it, or are they introducing a new model?


I asked about that at the TASCAM booth at InfoComm. They said that they
were still getting them, and there's no replacement planned, but that
some dealers have stopped selling them because they moved too slow.

You should be able to buy a new one, but the 680 is a good choice, too.


Thanks to you and Mr. Dorsey, I've identified two recorders, now I need
to decide between them.

Cheers
Mike



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Michael Beacom[_4_] Michael Beacom[_4_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

Thanks again for the suggestions-

I went the smaller route, and bought a Tascam DR-44WL on ebay for a
good price. It came with the 1 Gig SD card, and it sounded like the
original owner tinkered around with it a couple of times and sold it.
Its biggest fault is a little missing paint on the microphone gaurds.

I'll take it to a swing jam tomorrow night and see if they will let me record.

Cheers,
Mike


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Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
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On 9/19/2019 1:22 AM, Michael Beacom wrote:
bought a Tascam DR-44WL on ebay for a good price. It came with the 1 Gig
SD card, and it sounded like the original owner tinkered around with it
a couple of times and sold it. Its biggest fault is a little missing
paint on the microphone gaurds.


You can have fun with that. Hopefully the scraped paint doesn't mean he
dropped it, but it'll probably survive anyway. Remember that a 24-bit 48
kHz stereo file is about a gigabyte an hour. Get yourself a few 32 GB
cards. They're about $6 these days - a whole lot cheaper than when we
used to say "tape is cheap."

--
For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com
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Michael Beacom[_4_] Michael Beacom[_4_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

On 2019-09-19 11:25:55 +0000, Mike Rivers said:

On 9/19/2019 1:22 AM, Michael Beacom wrote:
bought a Tascam DR-44WL on ebay for a good price. It came with the 1
Gig SD card, and it sounded like the original owner tinkered around
with it a couple of times and sold it. Its biggest fault is a little
missing paint on the microphone gaurds.


You can have fun with that. Hopefully the scraped paint doesn't mean he
dropped it, but it'll probably survive anyway. Remember that a 24-bit
48 kHz stereo file is about a gigabyte an hour. Get yourself a few 32
GB cards. They're about $6 these days - a whole lot cheaper than when
we used to say "tape is cheap."


It works well, and taking some getting used to. Got a nice bit of audio
at the Swing Jam. On a whim. I took the recorder outside, across the
street, and walked in while they were playing. Got lucky with a couple
of car passes just before I entered the building.

Right up there with 'tape is cheap' is 'gaffers tape is cheap' I just
wonder if it used to be cheaper in the past...

Cheers
Mike

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Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
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On 9/24/2019 1:16 AM, Michael Beacom wrote:
Right up there with 'tape is cheap' is 'gaffers tape is cheap' I just
wonder if it used to be cheaper in the past...


Real gaffer tape has always been pretty expensive. What was cheap was
duct tape, and that was used all too often, leaving a gummy residue on
everything it touches, including ducts.

--
For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com
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Ralph Barone[_3_] Ralph Barone[_3_] is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

Mike Rivers wrote:
On 9/24/2019 1:16 AM, Michael Beacom wrote:
Right up there with 'tape is cheap' is 'gaffers tape is cheap' I just
wonder if it used to be cheaper in the past...


Real gaffer tape has always been pretty expensive. What was cheap was
duct tape, and that was used all too often, leaving a gummy residue on
everything it touches, including ducts.


Are you talking about real duct tape (adhesive backed aluminum foil), or
just that cheap junk you can buy in every store? :-)



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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

In article , Mike Rivers wrote:
On 9/24/2019 1:16 AM, Michael Beacom wrote:
Right up there with 'tape is cheap' is 'gaffers tape is cheap' I just
wonder if it used to be cheaper in the past...


Real gaffer tape has always been pretty expensive. What was cheap was
duct tape, and that was used all too often, leaving a gummy residue on
everything it touches, including ducts.


Real gaffer's tape is expensive, but it's a lot cheaper than refinishing a
violin.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
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Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
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On 9/24/2019 8:41 AM, Ralph Barone wrote:
Are you talking about real duct tape (adhesive backed aluminum foil), or
just that cheap junk you can buy in every store?


The hardware store variety. The aluminum foil backed tape is great for
sealing ducts but doesn't have a place in the audio industry. I'd say it
might be good for damping a drum head ring, but it would be difficult to
remove. It has really good stickum.

--
For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com
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[email protected] thekmanrocks@gmail.com is offline
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Default Zoom H4n Replacement

Mike Rivers:

Would real gaffers tape be easier to pry apart in cases where the
banquet - and not the AV - crew pull wires up ahead of a room
flip, resulting in said tape being wrapped completely around said
wires? (A situation I regularly found myself in as AV tech in hotels
and conference centers!)
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