Zoom H2n

[Gary Eickmeier]

Just got a fascinating little portable digital recorder, the Zoom H2n.

http://www.samsontech.com/zoom/products/handheld-audio-recorders/h2n/

This one little device can record in XY stereo, MS stereo, and
discrete or mixed down to 2 channel surround sound. There are four
microphones in it, an MS pair oriented in one direction and an XY pair
aimed in the opposite direction. It is unbelievably versatile in what
it can do. You can record in MS "raw" mode so that you can decide
afterward what mix of Mid and Side you want, using either your DAW or
you can mix it right inside the Zoom! You can monitor in either the
raw mode or in the resultant stereo mix, and you can set the mix and
have it record directly to MS stereo already mixed.

The surround sound can be recorded discretely in 4 channels and mixed
later or in 2 channels arleady mixed down. I am getting some
surprising effects in the various modes, listening in Dolby Prologic.
I am searching for the perfect mode to record surround sound of live
concerts.

The sound quality seems to be very good, although there are no figures
for measurements on it from the manufacturer. It can't be perfect for
a price of $199, but it is certainly a versatile companion for any
musician or producer who wants to capture an event or performance with
minimal fuss.

Does anyone know how to measure the frequency response of a
microphone?

Gary Eickmeier

[Audio Empire]

On Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:49:07 -0800, Gary Eickmeier wrote
(in article >):

> Just got a fascinating little portable digital recorder, the Zoom H2n.
>
> http://www.samsontech.com/zoom/products/handheld-audio-recorders/h2n/
>
> This one little device can record in XY stereo, MS stereo, and
> discrete or mixed down to 2 channel surround sound. There are four
> microphones in it, an MS pair oriented in one direction and an XY pair
> aimed in the opposite direction. It is unbelievably versatile in what
> it can do. You can record in MS "raw" mode so that you can decide
> afterward what mix of Mid and Side you want, using either your DAW or
> you can mix it right inside the Zoom! You can monitor in either the
> raw mode or in the resultant stereo mix, and you can set the mix and
> have it record directly to MS stereo already mixed.
>
> The surround sound can be recorded discretely in 4 channels and mixed
> later or in 2 channels arleady mixed down. I am getting some
> surprising effects in the various modes, listening in Dolby Prologic.
> I am searching for the perfect mode to record surround sound of live
> concerts.
>
> The sound quality seems to be very good, although there are no figures
> for measurements on it from the manufacturer. It can't be perfect for
> a price of $199, but it is certainly a versatile companion for any
> musician or producer who wants to capture an event or performance with
> minimal fuss.
>
> Does anyone know how to measure the frequency response of a
> microphone?
>
> Gary Eickmeier
>
>

Difficult to do. Microphone measurement requires a lot of specialized
equipment if the tests are going to be "normalized" enough to make any
meaningful measurements or comparisons. I have a Zoom H2 (the H2n's
predecessor), and used it for a long time as a backup recorder to my laptop
Mac/Audacity recording setup. It has saved my butt several times and I still
use it as backup with my Korg MR-1000 DSD recorder. At 24/96, it makes
impressive sounding recordings. I have played with it's built-in microphones
and can tell you that while they will make some decent recordings, there's
not much in the way of bass below about 80 Hz and they aren't the quietest
mikrophones in Christendom. That's just the nature of those small capsule
electret mikes, I'm afraid.

[Gary Eickmeier]

"Audio Empire" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:49:07 -0800, Gary Eickmeier wrote
> (in article >):

>> Does anyone know how to measure the frequency response of a
>> microphone?
>>
>> Gary Eickmeier
>>
>>
>
> Difficult to do. Microphone measurement requires a lot of specialized
> equipment if the tests are going to be "normalized" enough to make any
> meaningful measurements or comparisons. I have a Zoom H2 (the H2n's
> predecessor), and used it for a long time as a backup recorder to my
> laptop
> Mac/Audacity recording setup. It has saved my butt several times and I
> still
> use it as backup with my Korg MR-1000 DSD recorder. At 24/96, it makes
> impressive sounding recordings. I have played with it's built-in
> microphones
> and can tell you that while they will make some decent recordings, there's
> not much in the way of bass below about 80 Hz and they aren't the quietest
> mikrophones in Christendom. That's just the nature of those small capsule
> electret mikes, I'm afraid.

I just downloaded the Vortexzoom surround sound encoder that claims to be
able to make DD 5.1 compatible and DTS compatible discrete surround
recordings from the Zoom or any two WAV files. I have made a couple of
experimental recordings in full surround and in the process of seeing how to
record them to disc for playback on a typical home theater system. I will
have to try recording to both CD and DVD discs, then play them on both the
CD player and the DVD player (which has a TOSLINK optical connection to the
receiver). One way or another I am going to figure out how to make home made
surround recordings that I can send to someone else. If this works with the
Zoom, then I can also make higher quality recordings with four better
microphones and encode them.

Will let you know.

Gary Eickmeier

[Jason[_14_]]

[snip]

> If this works with the
> Zoom, then I can also make higher quality recordings with four better
> microphones and encode them.
>
> Will let you know.
>
> Gary Eickmeier

Gary, I took a look at the H2n specs and I didn't see a provision for
external mics. Did I miss that?

I use an H4n with external mics to record chamber performances and I love
it. I agree with a pervious poster on the quality of the built-in mics -
pretty good, but not much bass. Since I usually record in noisy places, I
use the H4n's hi-pass filter at 80Hz anyway to get rid of traffic
rumbles, HVAC, etc. I've recorded without the filter and applied EQ
afterwards. Frankly, I cannot hear much if any difference. I use a Tascam
recorder for backup, but I may buy the H2n and let it record in surround
mode for backup.

Thanks for the info!

Jason

[Audio Empire]

On Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:05:04 -0800, Jason wrote
(in article >):

> [snip]
>
>> If this works with the
>> Zoom, then I can also make higher quality recordings with four better
>> microphones and encode them.
>>
>> Will let you know.
>>
>> Gary Eickmeier
>
> Gary, I took a look at the H2n specs and I didn't see a provision for
> external mics. Did I miss that?

The H2N has only a single mini-stereo plug (1/8") input (IIRC) and it
switches between 2-channel line-level and TWO external microphones (for
which it will supply "plug-in power"), but not four.

The main differences between the H2 (like I have ) and the H2N is that the
"N" model has a different way of selecting the built-in microphones' pick-up
patterns and a more user-friendly control interface. If one is going use
external microphones with the recorder, there's little real difference
between the two, feature-wise and spec-wise, but the addition of a remote
control for operating the recorder on a folding camera tripod makes it much
more useful as a stand-alone recorder (you don't have to physically touch it
to start and stop the recording). Too bad the remote isn't infrared or RF and
is, instead, wired. Maybe in the recorder's next iteration!?

[Gary Eickmeier]

"Jason" > wrote in message
...
> [snip]
>
>> If this works with the
>> Zoom, then I can also make higher quality recordings with four better
>> microphones and encode them.
>>
>> Will let you know.
>>
>> Gary Eickmeier
>
> Gary, I took a look at the H2n specs and I didn't see a provision for
> external mics. Did I miss that?
>
> I use an H4n with external mics to record chamber performances and I love
> it. I agree with a pervious poster on the quality of the built-in mics -
> pretty good, but not much bass. Since I usually record in noisy places, I
> use the H4n's hi-pass filter at 80Hz anyway to get rid of traffic
> rumbles, HVAC, etc. I've recorded without the filter and applied EQ
> afterwards. Frankly, I cannot hear much if any difference. I use a Tascam
> recorder for backup, but I may buy the H2n and let it record in surround
> mode for backup.
>
> Thanks for the info!
>
> Jason

Jason - and all -

Yes, the H2n has one external mike input, a stereo mini jack. That is an
EXCELLENT idea Jason. I have some Audio Technika mikes that I could use for
the front channels in XY or MS mode. I guess I could even use them in my
favorite 3 spaced omni configuration, mixed down to 2 channels. Then the
little Zoom's rear mikes could be balanced with the front in editing with
some cut and try on levels. I must read more in my manual to see which side
the external mikes would sub for, and therefore how to proceed.

But the exciting part is this:


I have finally succeeded in making surround sound recordings that can be
played on CD in your home theater receiver. I'm talking discrete 4 channel
surround in a DTS 5.1 format file. You can get the encoder for $20 here

http://www.vortexzoom.com/

The procedure is to make a surround recording with two stereo mikes pointing
foreward and aft. I am using the little Zoom H2n recorder that I bought at
Best Buy for $147. It is making full surround recordings for me that are
clear as a bell and so easy to do...

But you can use any two WAV files that are 16 bit/44.1 k. You then download
to the computer and drop the front and rear files onto the encoder and it
will make a DTS surround file for you, which is an interleaved file for all
5.1 channels, even though the center and the .1 subwoofer channel are blank.
The resulting file looks like a compressed disaster and sounds like white
noise if played normally, but when put through your DVD player with digital
output to your receiver it decodes into a full fidelity DTS playback.

I am still working on editing these files. The trick is to keep front and
rear in sync while you edit Probably will use some form of Multitrack edit
and then output each track seperately rather than mixing down to one stereo
file in Audition.

Anyway, when done encoding into the DTS stream, you open in Audition and
drop into your CD list and Write CD. If you have broken up the recording
into several cuts, the CD will play that way, and you could see the
different cuts onscreen if viewing it in a DVD player. It shows the cuts and
the track times etc on my particular player. I imagine I will eventually be
shooting surround sound Hi Def video, if I can figure out the editing of
these weird files to keep them in sync with the shots.

This is superb.

Gary Eickmeier