Zoom H4n Is A Studio In The Palm Of Your Hand, But Weighs Much Less Than An Actual Studio

Ever the multi-tasker, Owen O'Malley holed up in the Gearwire studio recently and laid down a sweet track on the new Zoom H4n. Featuring more inputs and more control, this new handy recorder is handier than ever. Before you know it, Zoom's gonna figure out how to cram Albini into a handheld unit. . . . stilts 'n all!
See more on Gearwire.com.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thanks a ton, I've had my H4n for five years and absolutely love it! Just recently I am using it as an interface for live streaming, we didn't even know that feature existed

[@jasonsmithdotcom]

Thanks for being so generous and taking the time to share your thoughts on the Zoom. I enjoyed your presentation style.

[@plankspanker1969]

Nice job on this review, Owen. I liked how you went through numerous features and even a practical application in just 10 minutes--you really kept things moving. It seems that the background noise is just room noise (especially AC).

[@ham4dcamera]

Fantastic review. It is refreshing to get all the info you need, and be able to hear you clearly. Thanks much!

[@OccupyBuford]

If you will be using the Zoom H4n outdoors, I highly recommend a full-enclosure, fur windscreen called the StormChaser WindJacket, from TheWindCutterDOTCOM. Amazing sound, without all the wind noise!

[@reverendgroove]

I own one of these & recently did a 4 track recording of stereo electronic piano and 2 external mics (Vocal & Guitar). The piano went into the internal mic input on the back - it needed padding down but worked fine. I then mixed the 4 tracks in a DAW. I was really happy with the result, you can do a lot with this recorder. Highly recommend it for any simple recording task. The internal mics will handle high SPL without breaking up

[@melandale12]

I own one of these amazing devices! I am a freelance videographer and it is possibly the most important piece of equipment I have next to the camera. I can use it along with the camera sound to create stunning audio tracks! Compact and portable, and it fits in a mic stand! This Gearwire vid was the clencher. Do yourself a favor and spend the $250. Thanks Owen, and great presentation!

[@artgallery743]

Nice demo, concise well explained. Reading reviews, funny I didn't notice the "uh's" or "ums."

[@JWalking]

a very informative video.. its nice to see someone actually take the bother to go through some of the more advance functions and play back the results. Well done and thanks.

[@BryanDaste]

Very cool, thanks for the demo. I just ordered one of this and am excited to try it out!

[@trevorsullivan8876]

Great demonstration of the multi-track recording. Thanks!

[@PumpkinSeed17]

Thanks for such a detailed and accurate review! Took me a few weeks to figure all that out!

[@EnglishAddict]

That recorder is so amazing...I want one! You sing and play very well too. 8-))

[@Aziz_Cinematographer]

I don’t get it. Why do people do tutorials on audio and their audio is full with noise?

[@NikosKatsikanis]

did this guy die or smth?

[@SittingBearProd]

WAV 44100 (44.1KHz) is your highest quality. There are higher settings, but the fidelity of this one is amazing and pretty industry standard. MP3 mode is ok at it's highest setting (320kbps), but is about 1/4 the quality of WAV. Beware tho...the higher quality, the bigger the file sizes!!

[@EpictoneMusic1]

great demo! i hope the q3 can get close to the sound quality of this one.

[@PeterMcHugh100]

Really good job presenting Owen! Super helpful demo.

[@rapmaster]

Not sure I'm completely clear on your Q but if you record in MTR mode you should be able to have each instrument isolated on its own mono track.

[@DedHedJosh]

If you use a clapper or a loud sound to mark it doing it in post is super simple and fast. Really fast actually. Not to mention then you could have 2 audio sources. The onboard sound even though it's only mono could be used in the mix. Plus if you are hooking it all up to the camera I would get rid of the wires. Get a wireless send if you want to do it that way. Otherwise you have wires everywhere. I have essentially the same setup as you and have found it easier to just sync in post.

[@deanfrasermusic]

I just bought it last week. Thanks for the info. Love it !!

[@kkevinC]

usually you could bring both the video and audio files into a video editing program and merge them together or if your camera has the right imput you can use it as the cameras mic.

[@kerumbo]

I'd love to know more about the shock mount and how you rigged it with the H4N, because I am amazed by how little handling noise you got while tapping the mic all over. Mine hears EVERYthing, to the point you can't even touch anything- that's-touching-anything-that's touching the mic -- but that shock mount seems to be doing a great job..

[@vrvretro]

Seems to me he has a generic handle for a camera's mount hole, which is secured in the Zoom's mount hole, and then mounted this handle into a small diameter generic tubular microphone shock mount. Might be some thread adapter part or rubber grommet at the point of the mount on the back of the Zoom. Might have the handle wrapped in something like bicycle handlebar foam to make up a bigger diameter on the handle part. I know that I definitely have some various camera handles collected over the decades. It looks like a shock that would hold a Blue Spark type of mic, which is the narrowest mic I have. Or, yeah, a shock for a zoom mic.

[@tommiecooper6062]

This was great , didn't realize the capabilities of this recorder !!

[@miamicoldmedia]

Well done, Nice presentation and great overview of the fetures

[@arfurlife]

outstanding video tutorial a truly mighty well done. And hey, I dig your playing and singing too..nice one!!

[@DogAndDeuce]

Great video. I'm using the H4N for my podcast. How do you hook it up to a mixer?

[@DEVUNK88]

Well that was certainely a legit real world recording demo, nice job, that is pretty cool what you can do with it

[@lilcleo001]

great review! Loved the Thom Yorke choice for your example. ; ) Question: Once you record something, say a guitar. Can you overlay something, say vocals, on another track??? If yes, than I'm sold!!!

[@rubent100]

Yes my question also, im pretty sure you can though hook it up to channel 3 and 4 i guess. Otherwise your stuck with those two little mics .

[@stalman]

I too am wondering about your shockmount. I'm looking for one that will working on a boom.

[@mirronics]

I like your videos! They are very informative and interesting at the same time. Thank you!

[@NikosKatsikanis]

After eight years time to learn how to use this thing

[@jibbyjane]

thanks so much. I have one arriving tomorrow- SO excited!

[@audiopuncture]

Great video! Researching Tascam DR-100 v. Zoom H4n just like everyone else, and this was the best resource I've seen so far. Thanks for the review! p.s. Sweet tom fill.

[@Vortexcinema677]

it does a great job i will be doing a video interview soon. stay tunned.

[@wetbluesba]

You are cool man. Thank you for your explanation. What is your opinion: buy H4n or buy Tascam DP-008 + shure SM57 mic?

[@Packer1225]

You definitely don't want to use the onboard mics, that's for sure. You can get the H4N and it will work just fine for it and provide much better audio or you could also invest in a shoe-mounted shotgun microphone.

[@JonieGuz]

Amazing patience, articulation and ease of explanation but overall great talent. This video made me miss the late 2000's internet, when every channel had laborious creativity. Reviewers nowadays are just shit and they're piling up like manure. Thanks for the nostalgia stir but mostly gratitude for the great tutorial and superb vintage review!

[@oneeyedgeek]

Just got my H4n! Going through the manual all week so I look like an expert when I use it on set. :)

[@mali5591]

I want to record "wedding speeches" and "personalised messages" at wedding.. what would you recommend? I currently use the Inbuilt 5d mic and in inbuilt Sony Z5 mic, and no one complains.. but I just want to get better audio than that. What would you suggest? H4n or H4? Or anything else.. Thanks mate.

[@ecocultura]

HI, WHAT IS THE SR 17? AN AUDIO MIXER? WHAT BRAND? PLEASE LET ME KNOW, WE LIKE IT WITH THE zoom MIC.

[@SixStringSteve]

It looks great - but is it possible to use the files in windows movie maker to make audio & visual posts for youtube?

[@Kim-gu9wz]

Dude...these are GREAT and VERY informative videos!

[@laughingcrows]

Great review. Thanks. I wonder how it would work on a boom using it out in the field for an indie-movie shoot. Would this be all I need?

[@MrHamit64]

Respnd to this video... Can you use a phantom powered stereo mike like the old AT825 or the new AT8022? Or are the XLR connecters not close enough. I'm not sure how far appart the XLR ends on the cables for those mikes are. Thanks for your help.

[@TheMichaelJoshua]

@mandolinroad What product do you think is better? I need a good field recorder and I agree with you. This is a very amateurish product.

[@brianjcavanaugh]

IMHO, the 4 channel mode is not quite what it sounds like. Because the 2 built in mics are the equivalent of camera mics. For ex: If I wanted to record 4 people sitting at a table, I could run 2 shotgun or lav mics to two of them, but the other two would be recorded in more or less as ambient sound. So, it has 4 channels, but only two inputs.

[@Chr0nalis]

You can use a simple denoiser on your audio after you have recorded I use edison in fl studio

[@Mortaryan]

Why not just carry extra batteries (and switch them out at the 50% point)? And have you tested those new rechargeable Duracell batteries?

[@CinemaCaptureFilms]

@omnesilere I own a Zoom H4n as well. I know it has a 1/2 link which allows you to independently control the track levels. However, the 'mono mix' function only shows up under stereo mode, and not under the '4-channel' mode. As a result, if you are recording three sources at once (the built-in mic, a condenser mic, and a drum machine), you would have sound on both the left and right channels from the built-in mic, but not for the condenser mic and drum machine.

[@ChicopeeParanormal]

Hi I'm Tom fron Chicopee Paranormal, I just got the Zoom H4N and I will be trying to capture EVPs with it. If I capture anything I will post it on my channel.

[@mannikin27]

@the1andonlytjs yeah there is a button in the menu somewhere that lets you turn the mono off

[@MauricioDBahia]

Nice review! :-) Thanks. ps. There is a Zoom H4 "key hold" function. Just press end hold for a few second the "Menu Key". See H4 user guide, page 79.

[@johnnielawson]

Thanks for this, it's been a great help, now I know which recorder to spend my money on. Kind regards Johnnie Lawson

[@synthpopfan]

Hi, What SD Card works best with the Zoom H4n? Is the SanDisk Extreme the best way to go? Thanks!

[@secorta]

could this be the best hand recording for powerfull rocking and cosmic bluesing jam sessions?

[@rapmaster]

Informative and entertaining. Well done and thanks!

[@squidskunk]

nice rev....cool song what song is that...?

how can you achieve complete silence when not talking there always is a humming noise when i'm recording even though the lo cut filters and znrs are turned on please help me. Is my room a factor too?

[@themilkshakeboom4639]

This was extremely helpful. Thanks!

[@OptikC]

Thom Yorke!! Nice choice. Very good review, I'll probably upgrade from the H2!

[@Thudpaw2006]

@ABlumstein you should have bought the zoom q3. sounds like that was more of what you were looking for. i sure hope you found the q3 in time!! (i mean, that is IF you really even wanted the q3 at all) LOL (and sorry this is 6 months late)

[@CyrilAndPriscilla]

How does he sync the audio with the video, and what is he recording the video with?

[@Eniyi04]

@reverendgroove can you post the finished track?

[@arfurlife]

brilliant review and boy are you talented dude. its a great recorder.

[@DTRemcoG]

Very good review! Love your guitar/vocal presentation =]

[@welmoromero3995]

Great video, I would like to know the name of the tabletop stand. Thanks

[@bluelynch]

ok, so i took the SD card out of the h4n & put it in my Korg M50. I recorded a song, saved it properly on the card using my korg seq. etc..& now I put the SD card back in the h4n.... How do i get that file to playback on the h4n?? I'm new to it... any help would be ap[preciated thanx!

[@AlexStavi]

has a built-in compressor? no cliping? no distorsion?

[@GUSSTASS]

Hi where did you plug the play back to??

[@oggiemarinski]

A question I ve been struggling with in a 4 ch mode... How do you make mic 1, the vocal mic, to sound stereo, I can only get to to sound from the right speaker..? Thank you!

[@espilehiyo]

yom man,,, how come i dont have the mode option in my menu? do you know why? thanks man

[@msz16]

Fantastic. I was looking into this mic for recording concerts at local venues with my T2i DSLR. I was wondering if it has the capability of being run into a camera as an external mic. If so, would it still have the same audio quality? I came across your video, and had to ask, because essentially it seems like you are doing what I would like to do. This is assuming you are recording with a camera and your main mic is the Zoom H4N (during the first half of the video). Please respond, thank you

[@Hyminym]

Also I don't know ANYTHING about audio files. So what is the highest/best sounding recording file for audio?

[@MongooseReflexes]

What stand & shock mount did you use with the H4N in this vid?

[@GPSxLeGiT]

Hey .. how much does an "vocal Mic " like yours cost ?! And what is the name of yours?!

[@omnesilere]

@CinemaCaptureFilms Hey glad to see someones thinking : ) as i got one today i can answer. it has an option for '1/2 link' and another option for 'mono mix' (which you need the link enabled to do). im not sure if he mentioned the built in lo cut (from 80-237 hz) great for field recording. i would also have to say this menu is amazingly user friendly, i almost wish it was more complicated so i can look smarter for using it. he should have shown the 120* image completely

[@MrDrummerOnDrums]

Hopefully, I will get mine for Christmas

[@kawaa_andy]

Nice review. Gets straight to the point :D

[@TheRobertCostello]

can you plugin a power supply and recoard at the sametime???

[@Wistbacka]

Was the drummachine input with a normal Line-cable?

[@serpz123]

can i use this in music production?

[@nigelcarren]

Outstanding tutorial buddy. Merci mille fois

[@PolymerJones]

do you basically have to have line inputs and outputs split into L R or else they sound like crap?

[@ThePhotoTruth]

Everytime I hand hold it or if anything taps any part of it it sounds like a metal ding in the microphone. No matter what sensitivity. How are you touching the sides without it making the ding?

[@Tomzworthy]

sweet recording whats the ribbon mic your using?

[@PoetWithPace]

Timeless. Thank you!

[@JZ-Sounds]

Great vid! What's the model of the shockmount you are using?

[@IStoleYourPotatoes]

Great video. I bought one of these recently and this helped me make up my mind. I am now looking for an external microphone to use with it. I am thinking about getting the AKG Perception 120, an electret that is billed as a condenser. The mic he is using sounds great to me. He says it is a ribbon mic. Probably out of my price range, but does anyone know what it is? I am very happy with the Zoom H4n btw.

[@meangreen4321]

Thanks so much! Anyhow, I own the H4 and I'd like to know how you hooked up the drum beat unit? Do you simply connect it to an amp? No sound comes through the device right?

[@陈瀚龙]

Where's that video on Multi-tracking? I'm about to toss this thing. The manual is baffling, and I followed another video demo on multi-tracking, and mine didn't do what it was supposed to do. There's no playback on the previous track, when you move on to record the next track.Furthermore, I can't figure out how to even play back what you may or may not have multi-tracked. What's overwrite and always new? Someone, PLEASE HELP!:)

[@GqFq]

So it's probably the best there is? Is it?

[@ykdrums]

thanks for the video mate! i'm looking at getting one of these for recording an audio book, so it needs to be practically noiseless in the background. It sounds really quiet until you plug in your ribbon mic. Is that just because it takes allot of gain to get it going, or are external mics always gona have white noise? Thanks in advance :)

[@GirlPaint]

Man, that's all ya need, huh? Nice demo.

[@UTRevents]

wow not ony great review but I really liked your singing. That was amazing how you were able to record that so easily with one take on the H4n.

[@subbookkeeper]

can you record standard 700mV stereo souce with that ? like cd and dvd audio output gives.

[@moliba11]

what kind of vocal microphone did you use?

[@AdnanAlsannaa]

That demo came out of nowhere hahaha. Amazing review

[@EzyoMusic]

Awesome review!

[@CinemaCaptureFilms]

When you're recording in 4-channel mode, how did you get your condenser mic and your drum machine to come through both speakers? Since they are plugged into the left and right channels of stereo track 2, I would expect that the sound for the vocals and the sound of the drum machine would come out of separate speakers. Were these sound files mixed down to a mono file in post?