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Zoom H4n Handy Mobile 4-Track Recorder with True X/Y Stereo Mics, Built-In Speaker, Backlit LCD Display, USB 2.0
SKU: ZOH4N
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Questions & Answers
Shopper : does the h4n supply phantom power for a shotgun mic?DANIEL D : Yes. Standard 48V phantom power. Must be enabled in menu. The H4n can also provide "plug-in power" for mics plugged into the stereo mini jack on the back that overrides the built-in mics.KARLIE V : Yes, you can turn on phantom power in the settings. It will drain the battery a bit faster though.KENT P : It does on my unit. It powers my Sennheiser MKH416.
Dale G : What is a 200-400$ wireless lapel mic kit I can pair this with? best options?KENT P : For your price range I would consider a used Sennheiser EW 100 Wireless Bodypack SK-100 G2 Transmitter system. I have seen then on ebay in your $ range. The G3 series has a few more features but I use both G2 and G3 daily and unless you buy the rackmount receivers that have true diversity antennas, my experience is, you will see no significant advantage.
Be careful of the freq band you purchase. The REALLY cheap ones may use one of the now illegal bands.
Even though I own a Sound Devices 442 and a 664 I still use my H4n for foley and client conferences. It does what it does, very well.
Shopper : I'm looking to shoot a few live videos as intros for an online training I'm putting together. As such, I'm thinking of using something like the H4n with a corded lavalier mic to capture the audio.
Any suggestions as to the corded lav I should get?
Thanks!JUAN M : "I used the H4n in conjunction with my Canon EOS 1D Mark 4, to shoot a video/audio song for a band call 3RD Base Picnic. I hooked the headphones out from the H4n into the mic of the Canon. Great sound, it was easy to adjust the the volume and the video came out spectacular. The recording was pro quality, we are getting ready to record a few more songs using the same technique. Good luck"JUAN M : I used the H4n in conjunction with my Canon EOS 1D Mark 4, to shoot a video/audio song for a band call 3RD Base Picnic. I hooked the headphones out from the H4n into the mic of the Canon. Great sound, it was easy to adjust the the volume and the video came out spectacular. The recording was pro quality, we are getting ready to record a few more songs using the same technique. Good luckBOBBY E : If you are less than 19 feet from the speaker would be fine. have not used a lav because I have not needed a lag mike yet. People routinely use a Gorilla, and just turn on the recorder and let it run. I have observed the Hn4 being mounted on a stand in a sweet spot to record orchestras. Get the remote fuzzy wind protecter. It really works.
I hope this information is helpfulTONY G : My suggestion is don't go corded. Wireless is the way to go. I have some Sennheiser G2 100 series wireless lav mics and they are the best for when you're on an intro budget. If you're on a tight budget I suggest you find your local rental house and look into renting wireless lav mics. As far as corded mics go, I can't really say. My opinion is to invest in or rent wireless lav mics. My mics are near the low end of intro price points and they're still great quality with a nice range.
According to your situation, here is what my tip would be. Set up the Zoom H4N in the center of the room. Have the recording set up for 4 channel recording. Use the two built in mics to record ambient sounds from the event. Hook up two wireless lav receivers to the H4N through the XLR inputs. As one speaker goes on stage to talk, take the departing speakers wireless lav mic and transmitter up to the next speaker. This way you have clear audio of the presenters/speakers and you also have a two channel recording of ambient room sounds and crowd voices to edit into the video if you need to.
My suggestion is don't skimp on sound. Sound makes up such a large portion of what the viewer takes in. If you skimp on sound you're going to hurt the end piece.
Reviews about this item
Review Summary
2015-06-10T21:00:00
Rated 4 out of 5
Recorder and interface, pretty good!
I purchased this for recording rehearsals and maybe studio takes. Then I realized that as a interface the Zoom H4n communicates perfectly with my Logic Pro X in my mac. Man, I can record at 48 Khz, I don't need to pay a for a studio to record amplified instruments and vocals for my band!. Of course, mastering knowledge is required, but c'mon you have the chance to record in controlled situations like a pro for a very convenient price. MTR mode seems very poor compared to the processing power of a audio software, but 10 years ago I think it was a good idea. If you are recording outdoors for video I would recommend the Zoom H5.
Roge
2015-05-18T21:00:00
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent product!
Very handy and reliable - wonderful sound and great price! I can compare it to my old Nagra IV and its sound is just as brilliant and well defined. a great buy!
Simon N.
2014-06-16T21:00:00
Rated 5 out of 5
Solid Audio Recorder at a Good Price
I bought this to serve two purposes; to record interviews, and to act as an on-camera mic on my DSLR video rig (at least until I pick up a shotgun mic to replace it). I'm still learning the ropes, but so far audio comes out clean and spot on; the capture is excellent. I've used a wired LAV mic successfully, and had luck using it on top of my DSLR rig as well. Having four tracks to record to is excellent, XLR inputs are handy, device seems reasonably powerful. So far, so good. That said, the menu is clunky and not quick to navigate, memory cards take forever to format/load, the entire unit feels a little too delicate; I plan on using this extensively in the field, and depend on my gear to take a bit of a beating. But at this price point, I suppose I can't complain.
Shawn P.
2013-12-31T19:00:00
Rated 4 out of 5
Nice to have
Easy to use, hard.
MEGGY M.
2012-11-04T19:00:00
Rated 2 out of 5
Good, but I'm a Tascam guy.
While it is not a bad recorder by any means, I will no longer be recommending it since I bought my Tascam DR 100MkII. I used the H4n extensively for a few months when I was working for a friend who already had it and I found it to be very usable, but just not as professional as it should be for the price. It is very plasticy and somewhat cheap feeling, my iPod feels like it is more durable than this recorder. While the sound quality is good for most situations, there is too much self noise to really be used as a primary audio source. This is especially true if you are recording foley or other sound effects, as the noise will be noticeable when the sound effects are cut in to a video. Also, there are no locks on the XLR connectors. I've never had a cable fall out, but it could be a disaster if you step on the cable mid-shot. Also, there are almost no physical controls. If you want Phantom power, you have to dig through a menu to turn it on. Volume is controlled by a rocker switch like that on a cell phone, which makes quick level adjustment very difficult. The preamps do not have coarse adjustment immediately available, so if you suddenly get a loud signal you cant immediately pad the signal. Finally, it does not have internal room mics and only has one power source. I bought a Tascam DR100 MkII a few weeks ago and I absolutely love it, if you're seriously considering buying this you really need to take a look at the competition too. The Zoom does offer 4 track recording and it is much lighter than the Tascam, so if you have it mounted on a shoulder rig or steadicam your arms may thank you for saving some weight, but to me sound quality and ease of use go to the DR100. I think the H4n is a very capable recorder, just be aware of the limitations and don't buy it just because your friend recommended it. Use them both and decide for yourself, but I've made up my mind.
Steven P.
2011-12-18T19:00:00
Rated 3 out of 5
bought it for a friend
bought it for a friend. will let him review it, but some people like it.
TROY N.
2011-09-15T21:00:00
Rated 4 out of 5
Great Product
Great product, super versatile. I use this thing all the time. 4 channel recording is great. I mainly use this for audio with my DSLR. I even use the onboard mics as a shotgun mic pretty often. You can change the pickup pattern of onboard mics as well. Only downside is there is not way to run a line out and monitor audio at the same time. This problem is solved with magic lantern though. I think the only other comparable option is by a company named Tascam, but that does not have 4 channel audio but does have line out and a headphone jack. If you get this I would highly recommend a Redhead windscreen if you use it outdoors.
Matt Z.
2011-06-13T21:00:00
Rated 4 out of 5
Good, but...
The H4N goes beyond previous models in capability and style, but in adding the adjustable mic pick-up range they took away the cage that protected those sensitive mics from abuse. Great unit, just don't ever drop it!
MikeZ