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[email protected] joe90@yahoo.com is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

Not billed as professional kit, but well worth including here on pure
merit. See he

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/

Had mine a couple of days now and it's amazing for the money - £134.99
UKP from:

http://www.imuso.co.uk/ProductDetail...ckCode=ST00643

The benefits a

1. Produces broadcast quality sound from the onboard mics, Sony
ECM-MS90 and via the line-in socket.

2. Low price

3. Decent build quality

4. Generous accessories, including...foam windshield, USB cable, Y
audio cable, DC power supply, conical handle, 0.25 inch standard screw
fitting tripod attachment, 512Mb SD card, drawstring soft carrying bag
& nice-sounding earbuds.

5. Takes Hi capacity SD cards up to 8Gb. I am using a Sandisk Extreme
III 2GB. So you can be sure it works with those.

6. Good printed manual in well-written English - easy to understand.
But most readers of this group could start using the H2 without even
bothering with the manual. Just make sure the battery meter is set for
NiMh cells (if you are using them) and that's your reading done. The
rest is so intuitive.

7. No 'funny noises' attending what you actually record

8. Date/time stamped recordings


And the demerits:

1. No balanced XLR sockets with phantom power

2. Very small LCD screen - reading glasses may be required

3. What appears to be a USB 1.1 interface. Transfers from the device
to the PC are slow. Best use a proper USB 2.0 card reader.

If you want to get great quality audio into your PC this is it. I
don't think there's anything else on the market right now that
trounces the H2 in terms of 'price versus performance'. I can't
recommend it highly enough.

A 'must have' tool for the discerning musician and journalist.
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Richard Kuschel Richard Kuschel is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Jan 4, 3:29 pm, wrote:
Not billed as professional kit, but well worth including here on pure
merit. See he

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/

Had mine a couple of days now and it's amazing for the money - £134.99
UKP from:

http://www.imuso.co.uk/ProductDetail...ckCode=ST00643

The benefits a

1. Produces broadcast quality sound from the onboard mics, Sony
ECM-MS90 and via the line-in socket.


Gawd I hate that term "Broadcast Quality". It relly used to mean
something when reel- reel was the standard. Now, with MP3's dominating
the airwaves, the only way that quality is measured is in profit.

I am certain that the H2 is a wonderful toy, but that is really all
that can be said for it- that and It's cheap!!!
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rboy rboy is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Jan 4, 8:20*pm, Richard Kuschel wrote:

Gawd I hate that term "Broadcast Quality". It relly used to mean
something when reel- reel was the standard. Now, with MP3's dominating
the airwaves, the only way that quality is measured is in profit.



Oh don't be such a grouch, Richard : ) I'm happy in my knowledge
that all the interviews I made on my Sony Walkman were "broadcast
quality". After all, they were "broadcast", as were the all the
telephone interviews into the Radio Shack cassette phone recorder.

I think it's an amusing concept. Does it mean it'll pass muster in
the AM radio in my car?
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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Jan 4, 9:33 pm, rboy wrote:

Oh don't be such a grouch, Richard : ) I'm happy in my knowledge
that all the interviews I made on my Sony Walkman were "broadcast
quality".


"Broadcast quality" is the new "CD quality."
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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

Mike Rivers wrote:
On Jan 4, 9:33 pm, rboy wrote:

Oh don't be such a grouch, Richard : ) I'm happy in my knowledge
that all the interviews I made on my Sony Walkman were "broadcast
quality".


"Broadcast quality" is the new "CD quality."


"Almost as good as AM radio!"
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."


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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Jan 5, 2:57 pm, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

"Almost as good as AM radio!"


But AM radio is better (fidelity-wise, not content-wise) today than
when I was growing up and listening on headphones connected to a
crystal detector. I think that I got to be the way I am today by
licking the lead mount for the galena crystal trying to get better
contact, for better reception.
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[email protected] phineas@engineer.com is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

It could be worse. "Broadcast Quality" is heavily abused on SSB(Single
Side Band) I guess if you can understand it, then it can be
broadcasted....lol

Phineas
aka K0KMA


On Jan 4, 9:33*pm, rboy wrote:
On Jan 4, 8:20*pm, Richard Kuschel wrote:

Gawd I hate that term "Broadcast Quality". It relly used to mean
something when reel- reel was the standard. Now, with MP3's dominating
the airwaves, the only way that quality is measured is in profit.


Oh don't be such a grouch, Richard : *) * *I'm happy in my knowledge
that all the interviews I made on my Sony Walkman were "broadcast
quality". *After all, they were "broadcast", as were the all the
telephone interviews into the Radio Shack cassette phone recorder.

I think it's an amusing concept. *Does it mean it'll pass muster in
the AM radio in my car?


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Scott Fraser Scott Fraser is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

Gawd I hate that term "Broadcast Quality".

Does it mean better or worse than "CD Quality"? When somebody tells me
something is "CD Quality" I usually reply "Oh, is it really that bad?"

Scott Fraser
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[email protected] joe90@yahoo.com is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Fri, 4 Jan 2008 17:20:02 -0800 (PST), Richard Kuschel
wrote:

On Jan 4, 3:29 pm, wrote:


1. Produces broadcast quality sound from the onboard mics, Sony
ECM-MS90 and via the line-in socket.


Gawd I hate that term "Broadcast Quality". It relly used to mean
something when reel- reel was the standard. Now, with MP3's dominating
the airwaves, the only way that quality is measured is in profit.

I am certain that the H2 is a wonderful toy, but that is really all
that can be said for it- that and It's cheap!!!


Yes. You are right. It's been a long time since I was in
broadcasting... The days when Studers, Nagras and Uhers ruled the
roost and most journos dashed about doing interviews with Sony
Professional Walkmen, the recordings from which, BBC studio managers
would regularly refuse to dub because of the poor quality. Then, as
deadlines approached, tempers flared... Great fun.

But with this little gadget - the H2 - I don't somehow think even the
crankiest AS could object to the quality from it. The only downside is
the lack of professional features. But at this ridiculously low price
one cannot really complain.
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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Jan 5, 6:12 pm, wrote:

But with this little gadget - the H2 - I don't somehow think even the
crankiest AS could object to the quality from it. The only downside is
the lack of professional features.


If I remember correctly, you can turn on a pre-record buffer to catch
what was said or played a few seconds before your finger hit the
Record button. That's a "professional" feature that a lot of
journalists probably wished they had at some time or other.


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John Lamp John Lamp is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

Mike Rivers wrote:
On Jan 5, 6:12 pm, wrote:


But with this little gadget - the H2 - I don't somehow think even the
crankiest AS could object to the quality from it. The only downside is
the lack of professional features.



If I remember correctly, you can turn on a pre-record buffer to catch
what was said or played a few seconds before your finger hit the
Record button. That's a "professional" feature that a lot of
journalists probably wished they had at some time or other.


Yes, a two seconds pre-record buffer. It's on by default. Absolutely
life-saving.

Cheers
John
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Fran Guidry Fran Guidry is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Jan 4, 2:29 pm, wrote:
Not billed as professional kit, but well worth including here on pure
merit. See he

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/

Had mine a couple of days now and it's amazing for the money - £134.99
UKP from:

http://www.imuso.co.uk/ProductDetail...ckCode=ST00643

The benefits a

1. Produces broadcast quality sound from the onboard mics, Sony
ECM-MS90 and via the line-in socket.

2. Low price

3. Decent build quality

4. Generous accessories, including...foam windshield, USB cable, Y
audio cable, DC power supply, conical handle, 0.25 inch standard screw
fitting tripod attachment, 512Mb SD card, drawstring soft carrying bag
& nice-sounding earbuds.

5. Takes Hi capacity SD cards up to 8Gb. I am using a Sandisk Extreme
III 2GB. So you can be sure it works with those.

6. Good printed manual in well-written English - easy to understand.
But most readers of this group could start using the H2 without even
bothering with the manual. Just make sure the battery meter is set for
NiMh cells (if you are using them) and that's your reading done. The
rest is so intuitive.

7. No 'funny noises' attending what you actually record

8. Date/time stamped recordings

And the demerits:

1. No balanced XLR sockets with phantom power

2. Very small LCD screen - reading glasses may be required

3. What appears to be a USB 1.1 interface. Transfers from the device
to the PC are slow. Best use a proper USB 2.0 card reader.

If you want to get great quality audio into your PC this is it. I
don't think there's anything else on the market right now that
trounces the H2 in terms of 'price versus performance'. I can't
recommend it highly enough.

A 'must have' tool for the discerning musician and journalist.


I did a little comparison of my H2 to my full boat recording rig:

http://www.fxguidry.com/pblog/index....y071201-161322

If the H2 is a toy, it's the single niftiest toy I've ever had in my
hands.

Fran
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haligonab haligonab is offline
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Posts: 25
Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 10:03:44 -0800 (PST), Fran Guidry
wrote:

On Jan 4, 2:29 pm, wrote:
Not billed as professional kit, but well worth including here on pure
merit. See he

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/

Had mine a couple of days now and it's amazing for the money - £134.99
UKP from:

http://www.imuso.co.uk/ProductDetail...ckCode=ST00643

The benefits a

1. Produces broadcast quality sound from the onboard mics, Sony
ECM-MS90 and via the line-in socket.

2. Low price

3. Decent build quality

4. Generous accessories, including...foam windshield, USB cable, Y
audio cable, DC power supply, conical handle, 0.25 inch standard screw
fitting tripod attachment, 512Mb SD card, drawstring soft carrying bag
& nice-sounding earbuds.

5. Takes Hi capacity SD cards up to 8Gb. I am using a Sandisk Extreme
III 2GB. So you can be sure it works with those.

6. Good printed manual in well-written English - easy to understand.
But most readers of this group could start using the H2 without even
bothering with the manual. Just make sure the battery meter is set for
NiMh cells (if you are using them) and that's your reading done. The
rest is so intuitive.

7. No 'funny noises' attending what you actually record

8. Date/time stamped recordings

And the demerits:

1. No balanced XLR sockets with phantom power

2. Very small LCD screen - reading glasses may be required

3. What appears to be a USB 1.1 interface. Transfers from the device
to the PC are slow. Best use a proper USB 2.0 card reader.

If you want to get great quality audio into your PC this is it. I
don't think there's anything else on the market right now that
trounces the H2 in terms of 'price versus performance'. I can't
recommend it highly enough.

A 'must have' tool for the discerning musician and journalist.


I did a little comparison of my H2 to my full boat recording rig:

http://www.fxguidry.com/pblog/index....y071201-161322

If the H2 is a toy, it's the single niftiest toy I've ever had in my
hands.

Fran



Thanks for the real-world demo. The difference is quite obvious, but
for the $$ that little thing sounds great. I think I know where some
of my tax refund will be going.

SWB
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John Lamp John Lamp is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

Fran Guidry wrote:

I did a little comparison of my H2 to my full boat recording rig:

http://www.fxguidry.com/pblog/index....y071201-161322


Many thanks for that comparison. An interesting test.

If the H2 is a toy, it's the single niftiest toy I've ever had in my
hands.


I am more than happy to be using it. One work around for the crappy
mechanism for attaching it to a mic stand is to use the Roland OP-R09M
adapter for their R-09 recorder.

http://www.roland.com/products/en/OP-R09M/

Cheers
John
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Geoff Geoff is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

John Lamp wrote:
Fran Guidry wrote:

I did a little comparison of my H2 to my full boat recording rig:

http://www.fxguidry.com/pblog/index....y071201-161322


Many thanks for that comparison. An interesting test.

If the H2 is a toy, it's the single niftiest toy I've ever had in my
hands.


I am more than happy to be using it. One work around for the crappy
mechanism for attaching it to a mic stand is to use the Roland OP-R09M
adapter for their R-09 recorder.


A standard security camera ball-joint swivel stand is great. And the plastic
lug thing works fine. But it took me a few minutes to firgure that it wasn't
a cheesy 'handle' !!!

geoff




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Geoff Geoff is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

geoff wrote:
John Lamp wrote:
Fran Guidry wrote:

I did a little comparison of my H2 to my full boat recording rig:

http://www.fxguidry.com/pblog/index....y071201-161322


Many thanks for that comparison. An interesting test.

If the H2 is a toy, it's the single niftiest toy I've ever had in my
hands.


I am more than happy to be using it. One work around for the crappy
mechanism for attaching it to a mic stand is to use the Roland
OP-R09M adapter for their R-09 recorder.


A standard security camera ball-joint swivel stand is great. And the
plastic lug thing works fine. But it took me a few minutes to firgure
that it wasn't a cheesy 'handle' !!!

geoff


The only TOTAL COCKUP is that is only has a USB 1.1 interface, not USB2.
WHY did they do that ? Yes, you can stick the card in an external
card-reader....

geoff


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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Jan 6, 4:43 pm, "geoff" wrote:

The only TOTAL COCKUP is that is only has a USB 1.1 interface, not USB2.
WHY did they do that ? Yes, you can stick the card in an external
card-reader....


What's the problem? Speed of transfer? Start it copying files and take
a leak. Have a cup of tea. Pet your cat. Decide who you want for
president. It was probably a cost/compatibility issue. The H2 is more
of a "real people's" recorder than a cutting edge product. If it was
an 8-track recorder, that might justify the speed of USB2, but there
just isn't that much data to worry about speed.



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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Jan 6, 12:27 pm, Organfreak wrote:

1. No balanced XLR sockets with phantom power

That's why they also sell something called the H4.


No, the fact that too few people used the XLRs and phantom power drove
them to building the H2 without. All in all, unless you really need
features of the H4 that the H2 doesn't provide, the H2 is a far better
product. It's easier to use than the H4, the mics are more versatile
and they sound better, and it'll probably not break as soon.

"Specs" have little meaning in a product like this. It's performance
and usability that count, and I think the H2 does a good job. Would I
sell the Nagra? No. But I'd buy an H2 and use it for things it does
best.
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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Jan 6, 1:39 pm, Organfreak wrote:

Fine, I wouldn't disagree. But all I did was state a fact for those who are
looking for Canon mic inputs.


Those looking for XLR inputs should be looking at the total picture.
It may be that the H4 is the best choice for them. I could point out
the 2 second pre-record buffer of the H2. Those looking for that might
have to choose between the buffer and XLR inputs. Adapters are easy to
make. Buffers and phantom power supplies are not, but phantom power
supplies are easier than buffers.
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[email protected] joe90@yahoo.com is offline
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Default Zoom H2 Handy Recorder - Brilliant!

On Sun, 06 Jan 2008 09:27:35 -0800, Organfreak
wrote:

blatted:
Not billed as professional kit, but well worth including here on pure
merit. See he

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/

[SNIP]
And the demerits:

1. No balanced XLR sockets with phantom power


That's why they also sell something called the H4.


But was there not a 'whistling' issue with that? And besides, the H4
looks absolutely awful - rather akin to one of those electric shock
devices used for self-defence. There are some things you just cannot
be seen with, no matter how well they perform (or not).

Whereas, the H2 is devoid of undocumented features and looks fine.

It's also exceptionally well-priced...


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