Zoom H1n Portable Recorder, Onboard Stereo Microphones, Camera Mountable, Records to SD Card, Compact, USB Microphone, Overdubbing, Dictation, For Recording Music, Audio for Video, and Interviews
Zoom H1n Handy Recorder
Features
- High quality condenser microphones in X/Y stereo configuration for versatile crystal clear recording
- High performance graphic 1.25” LCD display and new one-touch button controls
- Multi-language user menu supports German, Chinese, Japanese, French, and Spanish
- Advanced limiter allows distortion free recording up to 120 dB SPL
- Optional audio interface operation: USB class compliant
- Powered by 2 AAA batteries for up to 10 hours of continuous use
- Optional AC adapter Zoom AD-17 for continuous power (not included)
- Playback speed control, Voice Emphasize Filter, and A-B repeat playback
WHAT’S INCLUDED WITH THE H1N
- 2 AAA Batteries
- Steinberg Cubase and WaveLab LE
- Quick Start Guide
THE EVOLUTION CONTINUES
JUST PRESS RECORD
Creators everywhere are using Zoom Handy Recorders to capture sound and sample audio like never before. The new H1n is the ultimate take-anywhere recorder for every creator’s gear bag.
ZOOM YOUR AUDIO ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE
The H1n’s X/Y microphones capture high-quality stereo sound, supporting up to 24-bit audio at sampling rates of 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz in WAV and various MP3 formats.
ZOOM YOUR AUDIO ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE
The H1n’s X/Y microphones capture high-quality stereo sound, supporting up to 24-bit audio at sampling rates of 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz in WAV and various MP3 formats.
NEW CONTROLS
With the H1n, we’ve redesigned the user experience. One-touch button controls make it simple to record songs, audio-for-film, lectures, podcasting, and more. And its new monochromatic 1.25” LCD display is easy to read even in the brightest lighting conditions.
DISTORTION-FREE RECORDING
An advanced onboard Limiter offers distortion-free signal up to 120 dB SPL, cleanly recording the loudest of bands. A Low-cut filter also helps eliminate pops and unwanted low frequency rumble.
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recording | Stereo X/Y | Stereo X/Y, Stereo MS,2 Channel Surround, 4 Channel Surround | Stereo, 24 Channel Multitrack | Stereo plus Backup Recording, 4 Channel | Stereo plus Backup Recording, 6 Channel | Simultaneous recording on 12 tracks |
| Tracks | 2 | 2/4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 12 |
| Inputs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Separate Line Out | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight: | 60 g |
| Dimensions: | 13.75 x 5 x 3.2 cm; 60 Grams |
| Model: | H1n/UK |
| Batteries Included: | 2 AAA batteries required. (included) |
When H1n is only compatible with sd card up to 30G, why recommend me to buy it with a 64G card, which is invalid after all
Used it for recording a 3 piece band,great audio once situated correctly.
Battery life is very short so take plenty of AAA batteries with you.
Feels quite fragile,and plasticy.
Overall a good little recorder once mastered.
Purchased for multiple uses, the person using it was also surprised at the quality of playback, or use as a mic. Definitely would recommend buying the SD card to go with it though.
I got this as a supplement for my H1 and I must admit I use it all the time now. The buttons are all on the front of the machine and that makes it easier to use. Fantastic piece of kit.
This is fantastic value for money. I would highly recommend. The sound quality is excellent and the bass and high frequencies are all in tandem.
My Gods this thing is small but it works out of the box which is what you want…. Will need to test it more but in the time I have had it – works as I would expect it to.
Would recommend getting some rechargeable AAA battery’s to go with it as I think it would burn through normal alkaline’s quickly…. Also I would recommend getting an TRS or TRRS cable with it as non are included, in order to connect it to your camera or your mobile phone…. DONT Forget your Dead Cat as well – if you are going to use it out doors.
This is s present for my son who is doing Masters in broadcast journalist so it’s an ideal Christmas present.
Used the zoom several times, and I have been pleased with the results.
Excellent audio recorder. I use mine to record audio as a separate audio when using my Gopro Hero 5.
Then I use my Editing software to sinc video and audio.
100% recommended from Zoom.
Lovely sound recordings, and plenty of features to play around with… not necessarily the easiest to use apart from the basics, but plenty of tutorials on YouTube to help you.
Ignoring the plasticky delicate feel (don’t drop it !), nice product. Used it several times, and playback is really good.
Am happy with it for the price.
For the price this is hard to beat. It gives great quality sound and can act as a quality audio capture device on the move. I use it to record video audio then sync the sound later with my video editing software. The device is small enough to fit into a coat pocket making it very portable.
I bought this to use for direct line piano recordings. The unit is good quality, although can consume batteries quite quickly. The controls are easy enough to use with some practice. Sound levelling is difficult to achieve as with either auto or manual settings there is a sonic boom when the instrument starts to play, which takes a while to settle down. Fine for mic recording.
I like this item. Still trying to figure out the buttons but I’ll get there. Good sound quality too
Very sensitive microphone, smaller than expected but great quality device
Perfect – bought for our disabled son who uses to remember things at college and normal day to day living.
Really like this recorder. Easy to use and versatile. Accurate sound
The Quality of the sound is just great. Really Easy to use!
Quality product – very pleased with this handy little audio recorder.
i love this brand of Mics
I use it for asmr videos and streamings in twitch.. And work very well
Bought this to record my motorcycle, it took a bit of research to get used to but the output is fantastic. I’d suggest adding a wind sock 0acl for about 13.
Reference: motorcycle exhaust is about 105db.
Qulaity is good but it is a bit lose performance is also outstanding would recommend i
I was in a search for a recorder for a long time, after some research I decided to go with this one & I’m definitely happy that I did. It ups your sound game a lot!
Great little mic, I love it! Easy to use, great quality, fits in a pocket. Perfect for the ambient sounds and to backup the audio of my videos
Bought for some research interviewing field work and it’s great for that but in lockdown has been used as a broadcast quality mic for a documentary and is just as good as devices many times its cost. It also has a PC-IN mode so can be used as a web mic or for streaming / gaming and powered from a USB port. Just an excellent bit of kit though a little heavy on the batteries when out and about.
The faults are all with the various “auto” settings that I never use anyway.
For one if you switch on the Limiter to reduce the loudest parts, it changed the Gain setting to a somewhat higher sounding one (very noticeable if you are monitoring it with headphones), the limiter and the Auto settings also seem to try and adjust the very quiet sounds, trying to make them louder plus whatever noises are behind them, an example is background urban roar is constant until a bus goes by in the distance, it will raise the level only slightly but also the background roar.
The low-cut does similar too.
Often the limiter/Auto settings will have a delayed effect too, example loco and first two coaches go past before the rest of the train is quietened a lot, destroying the whole effect.
As I have it on full manual settings these issues never effect me.
The all round audio quality is very good, putting the camera’s inbuilt mics to shame.
Stereo is a rather wide stereo for close up out door work, but great for our in the open field so to speak.
Battery life is good, but I do carry a spare set as battery indicator can drop to one bar just when you’re ready to start a long recording session.
The H1N uses two AAA Alkaline batteries. Also a micro SD card for storing it’s recording internally as well as having an output socket for a camera (3.5mm Stereo)
I really enjoy using this microphone.
There’s a good reason why this is the standard for independent film makers, journalists etc. So easy to use and delivers great results
Great product. Swift delivery. Very happy and would definitely recommend.
Easy to use and reasonable sound quality
Cheap plastic and doesn’t look like quality product
Sound quality is OK but not great, bought it to improve sound over my 11 year old Sony Nex camera in-built mic but at the end camera mic is recording better from far than closely recorded Zoom.
Just kept it for future use.
Marvellous little recorder. Records very clearly in high volume situations. The bundled Wavelab and studio software are good value and useful for trimming, normalising and mastering files. I used it for recording drum tracks and the sound balance between drums and cymbals was excellent. Also great for live recording of band rehearsals. Just place it in the room and the results are amazing.
amazing little recorder with a lot of functionality and great quality. though it feels cheap and plasticy, provides an amazing sound quality!
This recorder is brilliant, nice and clean pre amps and crisp audio. The amount of extra features included such as audio pass-through and the ability to use it as a USB audio interface are above and beyond! Great product!
Bought this for my girlfriend to use on her YouTube channel as the camera audio was pretty bad. This was significantly better.
Great value however it’s missing a few functions for playback and file selection, other than that it’s brillia
If you’re unfamiliar with the Zoom H1’s quality, it’s really great, so long as you set it up correctly. Using a device with built-in recording means that you can bypass the flaws, extra noise and distortion that can be introduced when connecting a high-end microphone to a less suitable computer/soundcard.
The H1n is also relatively easy to connect straight to Windows as a USB microphone following the instructions given, if you want to do that. The quality was fine when I did that with my conputer (contrary to some other reviews here).
If you get/use this microphone I strongly recommend getting a little wind/pop protection hat, they cost next-to-nothing and make a big difference.
No USB cable and no batteries included in the box I received (even though batteries were promised in the details), and the printouts look like they were roughly stuffed into the box, makes me wonder if I was sent a returned item, but it seems to work as expected having found some power for it.
I wanted something to record my guitar playing and legally purchased music etc Does the job, running off battery lasts about 10 hours Takes micro D usb connecter (as per phones) for power and micro SD card. NEITHER of these items are included. Small in size and quite flimsy but does what I want.
its fantastic,easy to use,great sound quality, I use it with my panasonic camera for filmmaking.
Love using this it’s so so easy to use for recording voice memos and podcasts just don’t try to use a huge sad card as it won’t work.
It actually does what what it says it does. I’ve read other people who complain about the quality of build and battery covering and such. I can only disagree with that. I am very glad I bought it. G
It’s a Zoom, so of course it is good!
Due to the small size and plastic construction, it is obvious that this unit is built to a price. Therefore the quality of the built-in pre-amp is not on par with studio-grade recorders – the noise-floor is quite noticeable under some circumstances. As a field recorder it excels. Controls and functions can be a bit fiddly if you use an external microphone.
Well worth the money, very glad I bought it.
Arrived very quickly. I brought it with me at the studio at my band’s rehearsal to test it. The quality of recording is excellent and no distortion whatsoever (I had used my phone before but the recording was distorted and the quality was mediocre)! Other pluses, it’s small and portable and it’s easy to use too!
Used this for backup sound for a short movie. Easy to use and great sound quality (for an amateur anyway). Only negative was that when the mic cover was on the dial was covered so was hard to set.
The handy recorder is easy to use and has a good sound quialty. The only thing that’s bad is the microphone sensitivity adjuster sometimes moves about when it’s in your pocket or while you’re moving it around, which is quite frustrating. You can always put tape over it, but would of been better if there was a lock, so it wouldn’t accidentally move and make the level of sounds I’m recording different. Apart from that, great!
Very handy and easy to use. I mostly use it to record sounds to make ringtones and to record drums. A mount is essential as it is susceptible to hand noise – it picks up everything! A ‘dead cat’ is needed for outside recording to eliminate wind noise. Good little unit.
Bought it as a gift and he loves it! Easy ro use and the sound quality is as good as it can get =)
Another awesome product feom Zoom Lab! You can use a lav, a shotgun mic or as is, the sound will still come out as beautiful as promised!
Bought for my grandson, he’s finding it useful for his filming.
Sounds great, operation great no issues and full instructions are available. Feels a little flimsy due to the plastic casing but works perfect for function.
This seems to be a very good product though I have not used it very much yet. The on-line detailed handbook is much clearer than most other handbooks.
The first unit I bought had a fault but it was replaced without any quibble.
Found it a bit too directional for what’s essentially an atmosphere recorder, or a podcast recorder where you have 2 or more people talking and this lil fella staying in the middle. Don’t get me wrong the sound is there but its a bit too deep than what I’d want it to be. Good recorder nonetheless, super duper easy to use, just don’t forget to buy windshield even the tiniest of breezes will screw your recording up easily.
I was honestly shocked by how well this records drums. I use it to record practice so I can analyse my technique and it picks up so much nuance. This is much better than the snowball USB mic I bought and much more convenient.
I probably wouldn’t use it to record a studio drum track, but that’s not what it’s really for. But honestly you could get away with it for a demo if you’re style suits slightly lo-fi recordings
It can also be hot shoe mounted on my camera and record audio into the camera input or, for my A6000 which doesn’t have a mic in socket, directly on the microSD card.
Quality is just excellent. I like this little sound recorder so much I’ll be doing a YouTube review of it for video makers.
I’ve been using the Zoom H1 for a few years and never had any problems with it. Seeing the new features and design of the upgrade to H1n, I just had to buy it. Again, great quality. Placing the input level as a dial on the front of the recorder was a great change. Visually it’s easier to see input levels due to the new interface with a much brighter screen. Highly recommend. You can’t ever go wrong with Zoom.
Excellent value for money unit which, even though only used for testing at presents, shows it is an excellent product with good sound quality.
Sound quality is great – I use it for recording audio at weddings by connecting a small mic. Simple to use.
Wonderful device very easy to use. We record all all live performances on this and are very pleased with the results. We have used snippets for recording and for sharing on Social Media. VFM this is brilliant!
Just what I needed! I plug my rode videomic into this recorder because my cameras pre amp is terrible so I would always have a hissing sound in the background with the amount of videos I watched on YouTube, I couldn’t fix it. When plugging into this there is only a little hissing in the background but it was very simple to fix it in post. Brilliant product! It’s a lot lighter than I thought and it feels quite cheap because of the plastic but the quality of it is amazing!
Great product…arrived on time and looking forward to using it.
It wasn’t made clear that the SD card isn’t included with this particular model (included with other models). It’s cheap to purchase a card for approx 5 but it was a hassle that I didn’t need.
I’m delighted with my pocket recorder – it is really easy to use and the sound quality is great. It is so small that it does not intrude when I am recording oral history – a great product!
****** What does it do? ******
In a nutshell, you can use it to record sounds/speech/music using an in-built or external mic, and play back using the in-built speaker or headphone/line output.
It is stereo, and is great for quickly grabbing high-quality sound. I use it for interviews and presentations, recording material to be added to a video later for instance.
Using it is easy – press the round record button, and the adjacent red indicator lights up, and it auto-increments a file name (like ZOOM0012.WAV) and records the audio, until the button is pressed again. Simple. There is a manual knob to adjust the recording volume level (or you can set it for auto-level within a menu option).
****** Recording Quality ******
The unit has two built-in microphones, and the quality is not bad. I’d say it is as good as any 100-200 microphone solution. You can hear the noise floor especially if the interviewee speaks quietly, but I don’t think it is any worse than a 200 microphone. You’d have to spend 250+ on a better mic, and then 200+ on a mic preamp, to get better audio.
If your source is at a decent output level, then I think there is no real issue. But, if you’re using this for presentation recording such as YouTube videos, and are concerned that occasionally you may have low-volume interviewees, then there are software tools to remove some noise. I’m quite picky when it comes to audio, so I wouldn’t say I’m entirely happy with the noise level, but I accept it’s not possible to get an improvement at this price point. Bear in mind, something like an AT2020USB mic, which gets good reviews from YouTubers, has the same issue when it comes to recording quiet people. The H1n is no different in that respect, and is cheaper and has more functionality. Also, even if you spend a lot of money on a decent mic, it is all to no avail if your preamp is noisy (and many consumer preamps only look like they are low-noise when set to minimum gain! the story is very different for low-level audio). So the all-in-one H1n solution starts looking very attractive in comparison, for that use-case.
****** More Advanced Features ******
It will do everything the old-school tape recorders did, but has specific features to allow you to locate content quickly – you can insert markers as you record. The files are recorded in standard WAV or MP3 formats (I set mine to uncompressed WAV since you can store loads on a micro SD card these days – I can get 12 hours from even an 8GB card at 44.1k 16-bit setting which is CD-quality). You can select the recording quality up to 24-bit 96kHz which is awesome and generally there’s no need to skimp, because you can insert a large micro SD card as mentioned. Incidentally if you’ve got WAV files recorded from elsewhere, they play with this Zoom device – just stick them on the micro SD card. There is no need to remove the card, you can use the USB connection to view the files on the micro SD card.
There are all sorts of fancy features like recording once a sound is detected, timer based and so on. I’ve not needed to use all these yet, but it is good to know they are there. You can plug in an external electret mic if desired (the higher-end larger Zoom products allow for balanced dynamic mic inputs too as I understand) and the input/output jacks (3.5mm) double as Line-level inputs/outputs too, although there is no explicit setting to switch between the modes.
Other features like adjustable high-pass filter are useful when recording, to cut out some background noise such as wind.
Incidentally if you connect the H1n via USB, you can even set it in a mode where it will act like a USB microphone! Then you can use PC software applications to record audio.
During playback, an excellent feature is the playback effects such as Speech and Bass modes. The bass mode really helps if you’ve recorded speech and you’re listening through the in-built speaker. It makes the unit sound less tinny (the speaker is very small – the entire unit is about the size of a mars bar).
****** Usability ******
The display is very clear, it is backlit. Also, I like that there is a red LED indicator that is permanently lit when recording, so you don’t make a mistake like assume it is recording when it isn’t. The indicator flashes if the volume level is too high, so you know to back the level off. The display shows a fairly responsive bargraph too.
The back of the unit has a threaded hole (1/4″) that is identical to the thread on cameras, so it will fit the small tripods. To be honest the tripod isn’t really needed if all you’re doing is recording during an interview. The unit does need to be pointing toward the person speaking (it will pick up sound indirectly too, but the elements have a cardioid-like pattern), so if you’re not using a tripod you’ll have to manually point it in their direction, or you could use a small mobile phone stand to prop the unit at an angle on the desk. That’s what I do – a small plastic folding mobile phone stand is more compact than the tripod.
****** Battery Life ******
The H1n uses two AAA batteries. There are some reviews that state that the H1n chews up batteries even when powered off, but to be honest I have not found that to be an issue. I was curious, and decided to measure it. I measured 30uA of current when powered off, and it rises to around 70mA when powered on or recording. The 70mA figure is consistent with what Zoom suggests is the battery life – 10 hours. When powered off, at 30uA, the battery should last for more than a year and still provide 5 hours of recording time. I think that’s reasonable (and I don’t like leaving alkaline batteries in a product for more than a year anyway, since a lot of modern alkaline batteries can leak, even Duracells). Another option is to use NiMH batteries (rechargeable). You can set in a menu on the H1n that you’re using NiMH, and the battery strength meter will then provide correct information (NiMH has a slightly different voltage compared to alkaline). Something like Panasonic Eneloop Pro will last about the same time as an alkaline, and can be recharged 500 times.
****** Design and Build Quality ******
The unit looks to be made from decent quality plastic. The microphone end doesn’t look overly fragile at all, but nevertheless I take some care when putting it in a bag with other stuff. You could purchase a small pencil case for it.
The overall design of the unit is a bit weird and futuristic looking, but it is what it is. It is reasonably ergonomic, the round record button is easy to feel with the thumb. There are volume up/down buttons for playback use, on the left side of the unit. The 3.5mm input and output jacks are on the left and right side respectively.
It has a hold button. The battery compartment is easy to use (it is not hard removing the batteries). The micro SD card slot is one of those push/push slots (push in to insert the card, push in to eject it) and has a rubber cover on it for some protection. There is a lanyard hole at the bottom of the unit. The rotary level adjustment dial is very smooth, well greased I suppose!
****** Summary ******
I enjoy using the H1n. I get good results out of it, and it has increased my productivity with the marker capability to quickly go through recordings. The sound quality is pretty good for the price, and there are a surprising amount of useful features in this device! My next recorder will also be a Zoom, but I will always have space in my bag for the small H1n, to record audio whenever required.
Bought it for my short video projects with the dslr. Does the job nicely.
Ho lo zoom h6, ma uso molto pi questo ormai! Sia per le dimensioni, sia perch oggettivamente regge il confronto. Per lo zoom h6 ho comprato lo shotgun e lo uso per cose un po’ pi “estreme”.
Bought for my daughter, shooting docs abroad. Provides clear, high quality filtered sound. Lightweight, easy fit to DSLR , mics etc . Very good for documentary work and self shooters.
Excellent little recorder that I use regular for weddings. This is theatest version with the upgraded screen. Takes 3x aaa batteries that last for a long time.
This microphone is amazing! I record a lot of guitar and singing sessions and this picks up everything perfectly.
This is a very nice little recorder for the money. I would prefer that it used standard SD cards instead of the fiddly little MicroSD cards, but that’s a minor issue. The functionality of the recorder is excellent and easy to use in spite of only having a few buttons. The mics are good quality with low noise, and it has line in as well, so you can connect an external mic if you want to. It does support plug-in power (NOTE: not phantom power) so if your mic requires plug-in power, you should be fine. The ability to plug the recorder into your PC, Mac or iOS device is very useful. I use it with my PC, and you can either get access to the files, or use it as a sound source straight into your PC, which is very easy to so with no drivers (at least on Windows 10). In theory you can use it for Skype as well as capturing audio for recording. In addition, it has a standard tripos thread on the back, so you can mount it on a tripod if you want it off the desk or at standing height – that’s a great benefit. The only thing I would say (in common with many even more expensive recorders) is that it picks up handling noise very easily, so you will need to hold it very firmly is you want to record into it handheld. Also, there is no foam wind shield supplied, so you’re not realistically going to be able to use it outdoors unless it’s a very calm day – same goes for using it while walking. Any breeze at all will affect the sensitive mics. There is an adjustable low frequency cut filter, but it doesn’t have a huge effect in masking handling or wind noise. It’s nice to have a rotary knob to adjust input level – just a shame you cant adjust left and right channels separately. Realistically though, on a small recorder like this I don’t see the need for being able to do that unless maybe you were mixing two separate external mono mics into the line-in. All in, at this price, you can’t really complain – it’s a very functional and effective digital mic. Shame there is no foam wind shield included, so I’m knocking off a star for that. You will be able to pick up a decent quality furry wind shield for about 20 on Amazon.
Some years ago I was a concert in the local church and someone from the orchestra was recording the event. I got chatting to him during the interval and asked about the recorder he was using. He was very enthusiastic about his Zoom which he had mounted on a tripod. He sent me a CD of the recording and the sound quality of the recording was first class.
So the opportunity to try a Zoom recorder was a great one.
The sound quality from the twin microphones is excellent. However, this particular Zoom feels really plasticky, which should be a plus, but it feels too lightweight especially as the primary use for many is likely to be in a musical environment.
I suppose ultimately it is the quality of the end sound product which matters and in this regard this definitely delivers.
Most excellent little handheld sound recorder.
Feels light at first, twin AAA batteries make it feel more balanced, included.
To use this unit, you need to provide your own micro SD card, upto 32GB max.
Also to read this unit into a computer, you also need to provide a USB to micro B cable, fully wired version. The Amazon basics cable is useable,but a lot of micro B cables are just for charging and don’t have all the wires connected. I tested this myself, some cables will power audio to micro speakers, but still not work with the H1N.
There are a lot of guides to previous models on YouTube.
One is by a university and is is very good, it point sout one should always wear headphones connected to the H1n to get the sound levels correct. I tried with and without and found this to be true.
This unit will record in Wav and MP3 with various settings, again watch the university video for a guide.
After messing around for an extended period, I manage to get a self recording without ‘pops’ from my breathing sounds! The headphones help.
I do think for that price a basic USB cable should be supplied in the box.
Software, there are two licences for LE (light) versions of Cuba’s for recording bands etc and a Wave editor, bit basic and no sound filters to remove the pops or wind noise.
There is a licence key, but the instructions for access are missing.
Trick is, go to Steinberg.com, the URL is given.
Then register an account, a licence key input is then offered, fill it in and send.
Now you can download and install the programs, afterwards it emails you another numerical key to activate it. it’s still not finished being a pain the glutinous maximums.
Now a lice manager opens and you must enter the activation key.
Having entered the activation key, it finally is usable. Painful experience.
However the H1n does a neat job of recording, once you have mastered the settings. Take spare batteries, there is no
Remaining life indicator of reserve power.
Initial startup instructions are good, no usage guide though, again use YouTube.
I had to contact Customer Service and they responded within hours and resolved the problem within 48 hours. Excellent service and they are in Hertfordshire.
If you want to get a bit more sophistacated, then that’s easy too. A refreshingly straightforward interface means that everything is front and centre in terms of control. There are no long-presses or sub-menus as everything you need has a dedicated button. The controls are kept simple, so there is nothing to get between you and what you want to record.
It’s small enough to carry around with you and great for building up your own collection of foley if you’re into making films. Build quality is a bit plasticky, but the microphones themselves are well made. I would recommend a small hard case for it though. Another useful extra would be a windscreen.
It’s the simplicity of this that sells it though. There is no messing about trying to get the thing set up when you want to get going. Most useful is the levels. You can use autolevel which makes a guess at the correct level to record, but I find this a bit coarse and end up with unwanted background noise. The big wheel at the top of the recorder controls gain of the microphones in realtime, so just wind it up and down until you find a level you’re happy with, and because it’s a dial and not a button, it very easy to fine tune. You can watch the meter on the screen, and a red LED will flash when the sound clips. Or, even better, just plug some headphones in and listen. You can adjust the microphones to be amazingly sensitive and they have enough range to resist excessive clipping on unexpected loud noise.
There is a line-in and a line-out socket too, making this really great for use with DSLR filmakers. You can even set it to generate a tone when you press record so you can sync different audio sources together later in post. There is a tripod screw on the bottom.
Playback is just as easy, just hit play. There are transport controls for fast-forward and rewind, and again these are all hard buttons making everything super easy.
The only downside really is it’s quite sensitive to handling noise. Pressing buttons will leave a clearly audible click on your recording, and picking up or handling the recorder will leave bangs and creaks on the recording, which can be a problem if you mount this on a DSLR. Being careful not to knock it is important.
This is a great little recorder, good value, and does everything you really need with no gimmicks you won’t use. If you’re in the market for something like this, I think you’ll struggle to get better.
The H1n has moved the main buttons to operate it to the front of the recorder making it easier to go from recording to pausing, and from stopping to navigating between tracks. It has a clear LCD screen which is reasonably intuitive to use and feature buttons that allow you to change the sample rate and resolution, apply a low-cut filter for mitigating rumble, turn the built-in limiter on and off, and set auto-level. There is also a manual rotary gain dial so that you can set it yourself
The recorder is designed for musicians, journalists, and podcasters, recording WAV or MP3 files directly onto a micro SD card of up to 32GB which is not supplied. It uses a stereo X/Y microphone configuration that captures a realistic stereo image designed to minimise phasing and supports WAV audio at rates up to 24-bit / 96 kHz, and MP3 audio at rates up to 320 kbps.
A 3.5mm input for an external microphone or music player and a 3.5mm headphone/line output lets you connect headphones to monitor the sound and for playback. There is also a built-in speaker but it is very tinny and only really useful to confirm a recording has been made. The recorded sound quality though is excellent with good separation and a clear crisp sound. A USB 2.0 port allows the transfer of data to your PC and there is even a threaded mount for a tripod to allow it to be set up remotely.
Overall this is a well thought out device that is an improvement on its predecessor although it is significantly more expensive as well. But if you need to record high-quality audio it packs a lot of features into a compact package.
I used the device in auto adjust mode for the volume. This worked really well. I also love the fact you can record as WAV or MP3. I prefer mp3 as I’m only recording for practice purposes.
It is extremely easy to get the clips off the device. Just use a usb micro cable and you can save them to your PC/Mac.
There are more advanced features but I haven’t used them yet so I can’t comment on them.
I am going to use the recorder with my other band tonight. It’s a four piece with guitar, bass, drums and vocals. I’ll have to see how it holds up to all that volume!