ProAudio Review - April 2008 - (Page 34)

BROADCAST | REVIEW by Bruce Bartlett ZOOM H2 Portable Digital Recorder This recorder is simple, well equipped, sounds good, and — best of all — priced right. Priced at $199 street with built-in stereo mics, the Zoom H2 Handy Recorder is the lowest cost pro flash-memory recorder available. But its sound quality is more than adequate for its intended uses: recording interviews, conferences, ENG, gigs, band practices, podcasts, music lessons, and sound effects. It even works well recording orchestras and acoustic instruments. Compared to the Zoom H4 (which I reviewed in the November 2006 issue of PAR), the H2 has a mini phone-jack mic input rather than XLRs. You could use a mic preamp or small mixer as a front end to the H2 if necessary. Smaller than the H4, the H2 is simpler to operate and more intuitive to navigate the menu items. The H2 records WAV or MP3 files onto an SD card. Select up to 24-bit/96 kHz WAV files with 128 times oversampling, or MP3 files up to 320 kbps (or VBR). You can record a maximum 2GB file size on an SD card up to 4 GB. The unit runs for four hours on AA alkaline or rechargeable batteries, so it's ready to grab and go. | FEATURES Zoom supplied all the accessories you might need: earphones, 512 MB SD card, USB cable, tripod stand, mic-stand adapter, carrying strap, foam windscreen, mini-phone to RCA cable, and an AC adapter. The unit itself is the size and shape of a deodorant stick and has a high-impact plastic chassis. On the front panel are a high-contrast LCD screen, front/rear/surround mic pattern buttons, Menu button, Record/Enter button, Play/pause button, and forward/backward buttons. The left side of the unit contains a headphone/line-out mini phone jack, record/playback level buttons, power switch, and power connector. On the right side are a USB port, line-in mini stereo phone jack, L/M/H mic-gain switch, and an external mic input jack (mini stereo phone). A battery access panel is on the back, while a covered slot for the SD card is on the bottom. As an aid to setting the mic-gain switch, a Mic Active indicator flashes if the input signal is clipping, and stays lit otherwise. An unusual feature is the built-in mic array. The unit has two stereo pairs of XY mics aiming forward and backward. While holding the unit upright, aim the front panel at the sound source for a 90-degree pickup; aim the back panel at the source for a 120-degree pickup. You can record two sources, or a band, with the front and back mic pairs simultaneously. Or record in surround 4-channel mode. You use the mic pattern keys to select Front/90 degrees, Back/120 degrees, front plus back, or surround. LEDs indicate the mode of operation. Four-channel recordings are created as two stereo WAV files. For playback, all the channels are mixed to stereo. After a 4-channel recording is done, you can adjust the front/back/left/right level balance (3-D panning) within the H2. The 4-channel signals can feed a surround sound encoder for playback on a 5.1 system. The unit also accepts a stereo unbalanced line-level source or a stereo unbalanced mic that uses plug-in power (DC bias, not phantom). Using the supplied USB cable, you can transfer recorded files to a computer for editing or burning to a CD. Edited files can be copied back to the H2 as well. Zoom always has lots of features in their products. The H2 is no different. It includes: ● Metronome ● Guitar tuner with various modes ● Audio interface for a computer; record the input signal directly to a computer, and play it back via the H2 (16-bit/44.1 or 48 kHz format only) ● Delete, rename or split files. Display file information. Put files in folders ● Check remaining recording time on the SD card ● Set date and time ● Low cut filter ● Record mode (set wave and MP3 resolutions) ● Automatic gain control/compression/ limiter with several modes ● Auto record function (voice-operated recording) ● Pre-recording mode, in which audio is stored before you press Record so that no music is lost ● Various playback modes (repeat, play all, play one, A-B repeat of a section) ● Normalize audio files ● Convert a wave file to MP3; convert a 4channel file to stereo file ● Monitoring can be always on, or off until you set recording levels (to increase battery life) ● Check for dropout points ZOOM continues on page 36 ➤ APPLICATIONS Studio; project studio; music, spoken word, and environmental location recording; rehearsal and songwriting documentation KEY FEATURES Stereo WAV or MP3 recording onto a SD card up to 24-bit/96 kHz resolution; comes with earphones, 512 MB SD card, USB cable, tripod stand, mic-stand adapter, carrying strap, foam windscreen, mini-phone to RCA cable, and an AC adapter PRICE $334.99 list CONTACT Zoom/Samson Technologies | ☎ 631-784-2200 ➲ www.samsontech.com 34 | ProAudio Review | April 2008 Subscribe to the Digital Edition of Pro Audio Review http://www.myparmag.com www.proaudioreview.com http://www.samsontech.com http://www.proaudioreview.com http://www.myparmag.com

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ProAudio Review - April 2008 Contents A Little More Recognition Please Studio News and New Products API 1608 16-Channel Analog Console TASCAM X-48 Digital Audio Workstation SSL Matrix Super Analogue Console Toft Audio Design Series ATB Analog Console KRK Systems Exposé E8B Powered Monitor Broadcast News and New Products ZOOM H2 Portable Digital Recorder Producing Surround Sound at 50th Grammy Awards JBL LSR4312SP Linear Spatial Reference Powered Subwoofer Audio Production For Gaming Euphonix S5 Fusion Digital Post Production Console NAB Hot Gear Soundcraft Vi6 Digital Live Production Console Go To A Show! Contracting News and New Products Studio Consoles Studio Wireless Microphones Alicia Keys “Superwoman”

ProAudio Review - April 2008

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