› Purchase the Zoom H4n Pro: skyes.io/zoomH4nPro › Purchase the Zoom H5: skyes.io/zoomH5 › Purchase the Zoom H6: skyes.io/zoomH6 › Purchase the Zoom H8: skyes.io/zoomH8 › Purchase the Sony PCM-D100: skyes.io/sonyPCM-D100 › Purchase the Sony PCM-D50: skyes.io/SonyPCM-D50
There are at least two significant differences... First and foremost, the preamps are much lower noise and higher gain. Also there's locking XLR jacks.
Zoom h4 is a great friend for a long-term relationship! While working in radio I used this (old model) for interviews and stuff, connecting peripheral microphones. When my radio job ended I bought one for myself last year and I have to say it's a great recording tools. It may be outdated morally, but technically it is just as good as an assistant on the set or for other purposes, for example, having one in my bag, I recorded three episodes for UA-cam in Spain. But thanks for the great review. Already, there are some great new recorders like the automatic Zoom F3 with floating point recording.
Great video! Plenty of great info. The slow pace of the video became very welcoming after listening for a while, especially with all the info provided.
Hey great video! I just bought a used ZoomH4n from e-bay for £68. Pretty happy with it for the price. Planning to use it for some voice-over work. Thanks for the tips.
I picked up my H4nPro after a year's neglect and found the rubberized surface had turned so sticky it was virtually unusable. I wondered whether I'd poured something on it by mistake. But, no, this happens to certain kinds of plastic. UA-cam gave me the answer, a good clean with nail polish remover.
Was it the new all black edition, or the one that had the silver middle part? I wonder if they replaced that sticky rubberized case on the new all black edition.
I have seen where people use an XLR splitter, or Y adapter, to run one mic into BOTH XLR inputs, and then set each channel to record at a different level, thereby having a lower decibel back-up track, in case the main track should be distorted in a momentary excessively loud noise or yell.
From what I read the h4n pro 1/4 inch inputs are unbalanced ts not balanced trs. It would need an attenuator for a signal above +2dB like from a mixer which is usually trs balanced +4dB. Unbalanced ts is from a guitar or most keyboards.
Lot of useful information, but just a bit of constructive criticism. Could be my speaker setup, but I've watched maybe 50 videos on audio recorders today, and this is the first that's hard to hear because of the incredibly high low to mid tones. I get that it's been adjusted, but being the only video of 50+ that sounds bad... a bit ironic considering the video is giving audio advice, ya?
Hi, great video! Thanks so much for taking the time to put this together!! Do you know if there is a remote mic adapter for the H4? Something I could plug into the "2" input that would connect to a remote mic placed elsewhere in the same room? Thanks, keep up the great vids!
I suspect they're built for different purposes. The H4n Pro is more aimed at musicians, whilst the H6 is probably more aimed at podcasters, amongst other things.
@@christianskyes How hard is it to add the features? It's all software. Seems these companies are forgetting their roots and going backwards. How they omit functionality from a lower tier model in an upper tier model is mind boggling and totally unacceptable. The tascam portacapture x8 looked like an amazing piece of kit as well but has the same limitations despite a touch screen mixing interface. These engineers and developers have lost touch with their customers.
@@JohnnyFaber Presumably the idea is that they want you to own BOTH the H4n Pro and the H6 ;) I've seen reviews popping up of the Tascam Portacapture x8 actually, might have a look at it 🤔
A Luther day trying to hook up hn6 to Auria pro without any luck, you should not have to be a rocket scientist to use this. Im thinking that it is not compatible.
Would either of these recorders be able to take a line-in/monitor off the mixing board for our live Irish music performances? On camera mics are terrible in bars and noisy venues..
Thank you very much for your video, do you know if Zoom H5 has reverberation? Or could I do it from my PC? I really don't understand much about these things XD, I want to record my violin in my room, but I don't want the sound to come out so dry or flat. I think the Zoom H4n has effects, but I don't know if the Zoom H5 does too.
Hi. The H5 doesn't have built-in reverb, but you can add it on your PC, yes. As a rule, when recording an instrument, you want it to be as neutral as possible, and then you add effects later. The reason is because, in the case of reverb, you can always add more, but you can't remove it once it's there. An exception would be if you really like the reverb in a room, and you know it'll work with the recording. You can always add effects later on your PC using a DAW like Reaper, for example, or Garageband, if you're using a Mac. I hope this helps :)
does anyone know if it can be used as an audio interface with an android device? i can interpret the web that the h5 can do it but i did not find anything for this device :-/
Hi Christian, so glad i came across your channel, you really know your stuff! I have a situation where i want to record live music on motorcycle camping trips. I need a travel sized recorder to 1)plug my guitar directly into the recorder to record the the guitar track, and also output that same track to a small amp i carry, and 2)be able to use the external microphone to record everything else. Do you think this Zoom h4n would be a good choice for this? TIA if you are able to respond.
what recorder/microphone you used to record audio for your videos? prestine))) so clean - you always use sgh-6 with zoom h6? how is it comparable to D100 (its my crush... but i have no money for it at the moment, just curios how often you use it compared to zoom) thanks in advance
@@Promikes To record that video, I used a Zoom H6 + SGH-6. The PCM-D100 is a lot cleaner, but connecting external microphones to it is more difficult :) I've used different setups over the years, but on the recent videos it's all H6 + SGH-6.
Hi Christian! Is the H4n case hard plastic shell or a rubber-like coating? Asking because my good 'ol H4n's coating deteriorated and is now sticky. If I ever get this H4n Pro, I wanna be 100% sure this will never happen. Thanks!
@@Sirusdark I believe it's rubberised,. I have heard of the H5 having issues with the coating, and the H4n, but not sure about the Pro 🤔 I've never experienced issues like that with any of the ones I've had, so I can't comment on that really. Might be best to search for examples online, and see if people have reported that happening to the H4n Pro as well?
What is the bit rate and sample rate when recording in the MTR mode? (multi track mode)? Also, if using a windows device, how do i utilize the 24bit recording option to my daw? currently it is only showing sample rate options, and then Asio4All only shows 16 bit recording options (same with built in audio) over USB.
Hello. Thanks for the video. I was wondering if there is any way to set up the two internal microphones to record at different recording levels so in case on clips I'll have the other one to fall back to. If not with the internal microphones, is there any way to do it by using the H4n Pro? Thanks again. :)
Добрый день, можно задать вопрос как обладателю рекордера Zoom. Которая модель лучше подойдёт для записи с микшера вокалиста с минусом, - zoom h4n pro c автодевелом или zoom h5 без автолевела, но с лимитером в - 20 dB?
Hi Christian, I'm thinking of using a Zoom H4n Pro for recording the live gigs that I attend. Normally they are small venues 250 capacity. Would the Zoom H4n Pro be suitable?
It should work just fine. I assume you just point it at the stage? Do you use a tripod, or do you hold it? It you hold it, have a look at the Rycote kit I mention in the video. Just holding the device by itself will introduce handling noise.
Thank you for the video Christian!!! I use this recorder and the booting speed is terribly slow. < I use 16 gig memory> Do you think other series is faster booting?
I have been given this microphone. The screen does not work but everything else works perfectly. Unfortunately in my country there is no replacement. I wanted to ask a simple question. Do you know if when connecting it to the pc with the usb cable I can automatically enter to see the files inside the pc or do I have to press some extra button on the microphone so that it allows me to see the audios on the pc? I don't have the usb cable and I want to buy it. Currently what I do is record the audio in the SD and then remove the sd memory from the microphone and pass it to a card reader. I ask you this question because the screen is 100% broken and I can't see anything.
I'm just wondering, if I use the feature of Mono mix and then plug one Deity D4 mic shotgun mic there, then will I end up have the left channel of D4 to the final combined left channel and then corresponding right channel; or it will just copy either left or right channel D4 mic to the other side identically to the final combined left and right channel?
I believe that the ms matrix on zoom h4n makes it a unique recorder to be used with SEPARATE microphones, despite all of it limitations. That was great. Thnx
Nope, the SGH-6 is a capsule that can only be used with the H5, H6, and H8. The H4n only has the built-in mics at the top. They can not be removed or swapped.
Thanks for this great review. Do you happen to know what the AA battery life is on this assuming I'm just recording straight from PA using a 1/4 inch on one single channel?
I can't say for sure, but if you're worried about the battery life, you can always plug it into the mains, or use a battery pack 👍 Also, glad you found the video to be useful :)
@@christianskyes I did find the video useful very much and I might just go get me one right now as I am using the tascam dr05x but it's time to upgrade.
I wouldn't get one. I thought it was an upgrade from my Tascam DR40, but the tiny amount of additional features don't make up for how slow and clunky it is. For instance, the DR40 can boot in (2-3 seconds), and this thing boots in (25-40 seconds depending on SD card size). This is not the kind of device that you want to sit around that long for. These are meant for on the spot recordings when the time is right. It's also heavier, and more cumbersome to navigate. The ONLY thing it has over the DR40 is the external mic input on the back. Don't fall for the youtube hype of this device. DR40s are cheaper, lighter, faster, and nearly identical sound quality....exactly what you want in the field.
Hi Christian! ;) I am a beginner bass-guitar player and I would like to know, if the H4n Pro can record a "line in" signal from a smartphone, or laptop or an audio player (to record a track from an audio player) ...and in the same time I want to record the voice of my bass's speaker (bass combo) with the recorder's external microphone over the track as 1 file. Is that possible with this zoom (or any recorder)? :) Thank you so much! ;)
Looking for something to record school hall concert.. will this H4n do the job, just ysing stock mic? I’m mixing FOH, so looking for way to evaluate how it sounds like as I hear in hall. Thanks
H4n's start time is a joke. Zoom has really cheaped out on the hardware. It's even worse than H1n's slow startup time, which is already borderline too bad for field work.
› Purchase the Zoom H4n Pro: skyes.io/zoomH4nPro
› Purchase the Zoom H5: skyes.io/zoomH5
› Purchase the Zoom H6: skyes.io/zoomH6
› Purchase the Zoom H8: skyes.io/zoomH8
› Purchase the Sony PCM-D100: skyes.io/sonyPCM-D100
› Purchase the Sony PCM-D50: skyes.io/SonyPCM-D50
Yes!!! The King of Internet Voiceover is back with a new video! Hail to the King!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hi Tony :) Glad you liked the video, more to come 👍
I’m not here for the Mic I just came here for some meditation 🧘
🧘
There are at least two significant differences... First and foremost, the preamps are much lower noise and higher gain. Also there's locking XLR jacks.
Zoom h4 is a great friend for a long-term relationship! While working in radio I used this (old model) for interviews and stuff, connecting peripheral microphones. When my radio job ended I bought one for myself last year and I have to say it's a great recording tools. It may be outdated morally, but technically it is just as good as an assistant on the set or for other purposes, for example, having one in my bag, I recorded three episodes for UA-cam in Spain. But thanks for the great review. Already, there are some great new recorders like the automatic Zoom F3 with floating point recording.
Great video! Plenty of great info. The slow pace of the video became very welcoming after listening for a while, especially with all the info provided.
I'm glad to hear that 👍
Hey great video! I just bought a used ZoomH4n from e-bay for £68. Pretty happy with it for the price. Planning to use it for some voice-over work. Thanks for the tips.
I picked up my H4nPro after a year's neglect and found the rubberized surface had turned so sticky it was virtually unusable. I wondered whether I'd poured something on it by mistake. But, no, this happens to certain kinds of plastic. UA-cam gave me the answer, a good clean with nail polish remover.
Was it the new all black edition, or the one that had the silver middle part? I wonder if they replaced that sticky rubberized case on the new all black edition.
I have seen where people use an XLR splitter, or Y adapter, to run one mic into BOTH XLR inputs, and then set each channel to record at a different level, thereby having a lower decibel back-up track, in case the main track should be distorted in a momentary excessively loud noise or yell.
As a total beginner trying to start a studio in the house, should I get this or an interface and which interface, if I should. My budget is low.
Thanks for your generosity.
OOOO love your voice
Thanks Victoria 🙂
From what I read the h4n pro 1/4 inch inputs are unbalanced ts not balanced trs. It would need an attenuator for a signal above +2dB like from a mixer which is usually trs balanced +4dB. Unbalanced ts is from a guitar or most keyboards.
I thought you were the Sleep Cove person for a bit there! haha
I looked up the channel, and I know what you mean 😂
Lot of useful information, but just a bit of constructive criticism. Could be my speaker setup, but I've watched maybe 50 videos on audio recorders today, and this is the first that's hard to hear because of the incredibly high low to mid tones. I get that it's been adjusted, but being the only video of 50+ that sounds bad... a bit ironic considering the video is giving audio advice, ya?
hello, thank you for your video. how would i record motorcycle exhaust whilst riding? is this recorder usable for this?
Hi, great video! Thanks so much for taking the time to put this together!! Do you know if there is a remote mic adapter for the H4? Something I could plug into the "2" input that would connect to a remote mic placed elsewhere in the same room? Thanks, keep up the great vids!
H4n does things that the H6 cannot! The h4n can overdub and multitrack while monitoring previous recordings, H6n cannot. H4 has MTR, H6 doesn't.
I suspect they're built for different purposes. The H4n Pro is more aimed at musicians, whilst the H6 is probably more aimed at podcasters, amongst other things.
@@christianskyes How hard is it to add the features? It's all software. Seems these companies are forgetting their roots and going backwards. How they omit functionality from a lower tier model in an upper tier model is mind boggling and totally unacceptable. The tascam portacapture x8 looked like an amazing piece of kit as well but has the same limitations despite a touch screen mixing interface. These engineers and developers have lost touch with their customers.
@@JohnnyFaber Presumably the idea is that they want you to own BOTH the H4n Pro and the H6 ;)
I've seen reviews popping up of the Tascam Portacapture x8 actually, might have a look at it 🤔
A Luther day trying to hook up hn6 to Auria pro without any luck, you should not have to be a rocket scientist to use this. Im thinking that it is not compatible.
Would either of these recorders be able to take a line-in/monitor off the mixing board for our live Irish music performances? On camera mics are terrible in bars and noisy venues..
Mine freezes up when I try to go to MTR mode. I have to take the batteries out to get back to stereo once it freezes.
Super Video , thx 🙏🏻
No worries at all :)
I have this recorder. If I want to plug in Boya ByM1 Auxiliary Omnidirectional Lavalier Condenser Microphone. So do I need anything else to plug in?
Thank you very much for your video, do you know if Zoom H5 has reverberation? Or could I do it from my PC? I really don't understand much about these things XD, I want to record my violin in my room, but I don't want the sound to come out so dry or flat. I think the Zoom H4n has effects, but I don't know if the Zoom H5 does too.
Hi. The H5 doesn't have built-in reverb, but you can add it on your PC, yes. As a rule, when recording an instrument, you want it to be as neutral as possible, and then you add effects later. The reason is because, in the case of reverb, you can always add more, but you can't remove it once it's there.
An exception would be if you really like the reverb in a room, and you know it'll work with the recording.
You can always add effects later on your PC using a DAW like Reaper, for example, or Garageband, if you're using a Mac.
I hope this helps :)
does anyone know if it can be used as an audio interface with an android device? i can interpret the web that the h5 can do it but i did not find anything for this device :-/
Hi Christian, so glad i came across your channel, you really know your stuff! I have a situation where i want to record live music on motorcycle camping trips. I need a travel sized recorder to 1)plug my guitar directly into the recorder to record the the guitar track, and also output that same track to a small amp i carry, and 2)be able to use the external microphone to record everything else. Do you think this Zoom h4n would be a good choice for this? TIA if you are able to respond.
Thanks!
I'm glad this video was useful to you :)
Hello! Do you think the Zoom H4n Pro is a good device for recording a 50-voice choir using the built-in microphones?
If you have any questions, make sure to leave them down below, and I'll do my best to get back to you 👍
what recorder/microphone you used to record audio for your videos? prestine))) so clean - you always use sgh-6 with zoom h6?
how is it comparable to D100 (its my crush... but i have no money for it at the moment, just curios how often you use it compared to zoom) thanks in advance
@@Promikes To record that video, I used a Zoom H6 + SGH-6. The PCM-D100 is a lot cleaner, but connecting external microphones to it is more difficult :)
I've used different setups over the years, but on the recent videos it's all H6 + SGH-6.
Hi Christian! Is the H4n case hard plastic shell or a rubber-like coating? Asking because my good 'ol H4n's coating deteriorated and is now sticky. If I ever get this H4n Pro, I wanna be 100% sure this will never happen. Thanks!
@@Sirusdark I believe it's rubberised,. I have heard of the H5 having issues with the coating, and the H4n, but not sure about the Pro 🤔
I've never experienced issues like that with any of the ones I've had, so I can't comment on that really.
Might be best to search for examples online, and see if people have reported that happening to the H4n Pro as well?
@@christianskyes Oh no... if it feels rubberized, then it IS. Thank you so much!
What is the bit rate and sample rate when recording in the MTR mode? (multi track mode)? Also, if using a windows device, how do i utilize the 24bit recording option to my daw? currently it is only showing sample rate options, and then Asio4All only shows 16 bit recording options (same with built in audio) over USB.
It seems like everyone recommends pcm-d100 for forest sound/asmr, but it's much more expensive, are there other alternatives?
Hello. Thanks for the video. I was wondering if there is any way to set up the two internal microphones to record at different recording levels so in case on clips I'll have the other one to fall back to. If not with the internal microphones, is there any way to do it by using the H4n Pro? Thanks again. :)
Добрый день, можно задать вопрос как обладателю рекордера Zoom. Которая модель лучше подойдёт для записи с микшера вокалиста с минусом, - zoom h4n pro c автодевелом или zoom h5 без автолевела, но с лимитером в - 20 dB?
Hi Christian, I'm thinking of using a Zoom H4n Pro for recording the live gigs that I attend. Normally they are small venues 250 capacity. Would the Zoom H4n Pro be suitable?
It should work just fine. I assume you just point it at the stage? Do you use a tripod, or do you hold it? It you hold it, have a look at the Rycote kit I mention in the video. Just holding the device by itself will introduce handling noise.
Thank you for the video Christian!!! I use this recorder and the booting speed is terribly slow. < I use 16 gig memory> Do you think other series is faster booting?
No worries at all. Did you try formatting the card inside of the device? That usually helps the boot speed. They do, my H6 boots within a few seconds.
Is the new all black version better than the old one or is the only difference the color?
Is the start time faster?
The colour is pretty much the only difference. I don't think the start time is faster, no.
Hi , when the sound straight into DLSR, can I also record a track inside H4N Pro ? Thanks !
I have been given this microphone. The screen does not work but everything else works perfectly. Unfortunately in my country there is no replacement. I wanted to ask a simple question. Do you know if when connecting it to the pc with the usb cable I can automatically enter to see the files inside the pc or do I have to press some extra button on the microphone so that it allows me to see the audios on the pc? I don't have the usb cable and I want to buy it. Currently what I do is record the audio in the SD and then remove the sd memory from the microphone and pass it to a card reader.
I ask you this question because the screen is 100% broken and I can't see anything.
I'm just wondering, if I use the feature of Mono mix and then plug one Deity D4 mic shotgun mic there, then will I end up have the left channel of D4 to the final combined left channel and then corresponding right channel; or it will just copy either left or right channel D4 mic to the other side identically to the final combined left and right channel?
Hi quick question how do I get to the audio mode so I can used the 4 channels ( 2 internal 2 plug in) thanks
In MTR mode can record only in 16/44.100
How’s this compare to a Korg MR2?
im wanting to use this to record racecars at a dirt track. it would be stationary on one side close to the wall. do you think it would pick it up ok?
Thank you
You're welcome Sam :)
I believe that the ms matrix on zoom h4n makes it a unique recorder to be used with SEPARATE microphones, despite all of it limitations. That was great. Thnx
I’m trying to use this with my Mpc one. Should I get this the H5 H6 or H8
Depends. What are you looking to achieve?
Mmm Christian that was a tasty video. Thanks
When talking about the sgh6 you said you were using the h6. But will it work with the h4n?
Nope, the SGH-6 is a capsule that can only be used with the H5, H6, and H8. The H4n only has the built-in mics at the top. They can not be removed or swapped.
Have you tried the Zoom U-series Audio Interfaces?
Nope, I haven't had the opportunity to try it out yet :)
Dude God bless you! Your content kicks ass!
SOLI DEO GLORIA
(To The Glory Of God Alone)
Father, Son & Holy Spirit
-Ronnie
Thanks for this great review. Do you happen to know what the AA battery life is on this assuming I'm just recording straight from PA using a 1/4 inch on one single channel?
I can't say for sure, but if you're worried about the battery life, you can always plug it into the mains, or use a battery pack 👍 Also, glad you found the video to be useful :)
@@christianskyes I did find the video useful very much and I might just go get me one right now as I am using the tascam dr05x but it's time to upgrade.
@@zackbanditofficial If you do, have fun with it :)
@@christianskyes after doing a bit of digging... I found out that the h4n pro can give you approx 11 hours on 2 solid AA batteries which is great.
@@zackbanditofficial That's fantastic then!
I wouldn't get one. I thought it was an upgrade from my Tascam DR40, but the tiny amount of additional features don't make up for how slow and clunky it is. For instance, the DR40 can boot in (2-3 seconds), and this thing boots in (25-40 seconds depending on SD card size). This is not the kind of device that you want to sit around that long for. These are meant for on the spot recordings when the time is right. It's also heavier, and more cumbersome to navigate. The ONLY thing it has over the DR40 is the external mic input on the back. Don't fall for the youtube hype of this device. DR40s are cheaper, lighter, faster, and nearly identical sound quality....exactly what you want in the field.
Waut, so the H4N can only record two channels at once? Why is it called a 4 then?
Overdub, I guess
So this isn't very good at recording nature sounds?
It’s excellent for field recordings, foley etc.
Hi Christian! ;)
I am a beginner bass-guitar player and I would like to know, if the H4n Pro can record a "line in" signal from a smartphone, or laptop or an audio player (to record a track from an audio player) ...and in the same time I want to record the voice of my bass's speaker (bass combo) with the recorder's external microphone over the track as 1 file. Is that possible with this zoom (or any recorder)? :)
Thank you so much! ;)
Hi. I use this as a audio interface. You would just use both line inputs to do so it will record independently.
Looking for something to record school hall concert.. will this H4n do the job, just ysing stock mic? I’m mixing FOH, so looking for way to evaluate how it sounds like as I hear in hall. Thanks
H4n's start time is a joke. Zoom has really cheaped out on the hardware. It's even worse than H1n's slow startup time, which is already borderline too bad for field work.
Loud bass in this vid
Is the body made of hard plastic or a rubber-like composite that will become sticky in a few years like the previous H4n?