Thread: Zoom H2n
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Default Zoom H2n

On Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:49:07 -0800, Gary Eickmeier wrote
(in article ):

Just got a fascinating little portable digital recorder, the Zoom H2n.

http://www.samsontech.com/zoom/produ...recorders/h2n/

This one little device can record in XY stereo, MS stereo, and
discrete or mixed down to 2 channel surround sound. There are four
microphones in it, an MS pair oriented in one direction and an XY pair
aimed in the opposite direction. It is unbelievably versatile in what
it can do. You can record in MS "raw" mode so that you can decide
afterward what mix of Mid and Side you want, using either your DAW or
you can mix it right inside the Zoom! You can monitor in either the
raw mode or in the resultant stereo mix, and you can set the mix and
have it record directly to MS stereo already mixed.

The surround sound can be recorded discretely in 4 channels and mixed
later or in 2 channels arleady mixed down. I am getting some
surprising effects in the various modes, listening in Dolby Prologic.
I am searching for the perfect mode to record surround sound of live
concerts.

The sound quality seems to be very good, although there are no figures
for measurements on it from the manufacturer. It can't be perfect for
a price of $199, but it is certainly a versatile companion for any
musician or producer who wants to capture an event or performance with
minimal fuss.

Does anyone know how to measure the frequency response of a
microphone?

Gary Eickmeier



Difficult to do. Microphone measurement requires a lot of specialized
equipment if the tests are going to be "normalized" enough to make any
meaningful measurements or comparisons. I have a Zoom H2 (the H2n's
predecessor), and used it for a long time as a backup recorder to my laptop
Mac/Audacity recording setup. It has saved my butt several times and I still
use it as backup with my Korg MR-1000 DSD recorder. At 24/96, it makes
impressive sounding recordings. I have played with it's built-in microphones
and can tell you that while they will make some decent recordings, there's
not much in the way of bass below about 80 Hz and they aren't the quietest
mikrophones in Christendom. That's just the nature of those small capsule
electret mikes, I'm afraid.