[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