Zoom H2n Handy Portable Recorder Overview
The Zoom H2n Handy Recorder has five built-in microphones and four recording modes to choose from X/Y, mid-side, surround with 2 channels and 4 channels, and other sophisticated features include automated gain adjustment, integrated MS decryption, and low-cut filtering, limiting, and compression.
The Zoom H2n can handle just about every form of application with its various microphones and recording modes - from a live recording of concerts and rehearsals to location videography, audio for YouTube videos, interviews, and as a USB microphone.
The Zoom H2n has five microphones - two are arranged as an X/Y pair, and the other three are in an MS (Mid-Side) pattern. They can be used separately for X/Y or MS stereo recording, or together to generate 2 or 4-channel surround sound.
Mid-Side recording lets you adjust the width of the stereo image after it’s been recorded while keeping complete mono-compatibility, making it particularly good for film, video and television productions.
The three microphone parts are placed directly on one another in the H2n MS microphone. One faces ahead and the other two faces forward.
The X/Y technique offers an excellent way to cover a vast area while still capturing sound sources in the centre with great definition and clarity, which makes it ideal for all types of live stereo recording.
The Zoom H2n lets you combine signals from the X/Y and MS microphones to create surround sound recordings of everything you hear, and not just the ones in front of you, but from all directions.
The Line In is a stereo ⅛" mini phone jack that allows two channels of mic- and/or line-level signals. If you have a condenser microphone that requires Plug-In Power, it can be connected to this jack. An analogue-type Mic Gain dial lets you set the input level manually, or you can choose from the three Auto Gain presets to set the optimum recording level automatically.
The Line Out is a stereo ⅛" phone jack with dedicated volume control - headphones can be connected to this jack to monitor the input or recorded signal silently. There’s also a built-in speaker on the back for fast monophonic monitoring of the recorded signal without needing to make any connections.
The USB port offers a digital output of the stereo mix so you can send data to and from your computer. You can then import it into editing software such as the WaveLab LE (included). USB also means the H2n can be used as a 4-in/2-out audio interface or as a USB microphone.
The Pre-record function keeps the H2n silently but continuously recording in the background, all the time, keeping the previous two seconds when you hit Record so you don’t miss anything.
Auto-Record lets you automatically start recording when a certain level of sound is detected. As soon as an incoming signal exceeds the Start Level you’ve set, recording begins. There’s an Auto-record Stop function as well, so as soon as the signal drops below the Stop Level you’ve set, the recording ends.
Data Recovery repairs corrupted files automatically - corrupted files can happen if the power is interrupted during recording, for example, or if an SD card is removed while still in writing or editing.
The H2n has an arsenal of effects that let you polish your recordings and adjust for any acoustic difficulties. Compression and restriction are used as an automated volume control to control level variations. The main difference is that the limiting device limits louder noises more severely.
There’s also a metronome and chromatic / guitar / bass tuner, and playback can be looped and the speed varied without a pitch change.
Under a defined frequency, the low-cut filter eliminates the signal. This is helpful for the removal of pops, wind noise, blowing and other types of low-frequency rumbles.
The Zoom H2n can record audio in two different file types: WAV and MP3. WAV files are uncompressed, containing all the recorded signal without any data being removed. MP3 recordings are compressed, so some unnecessary data is removed prior to storage, making them much smaller than WAV files, so they’re easier to upload and download. The H2n lets you easily convert WAV files to MP3 format, and you can use its internal mixer to mix down the pair of stereo files created in 4ch surround to stereo.
The Zoom H2n is the only handheld recorder that captures four-channel surround sound audio. With Firmware v 2.0, it’s great for creating 360-degree “Spatial Audio” files, which are the next-generation surround sound format that’s native to the google JUMP Virtual Reality Platform.
The Zoom H2n Handy Portable Recorder uses 2 AA batteries and lasts more than 20 hours, even if recording continuously. You can also use the AD-17 AC adapter (sold separately).
The H2n can record directly to SD cards, supporting standard SD and SDHC cards that are up to 32 gigabytes (SD card not included).
The Zoom H2n comes with free download licenses for Steinberg’s Cubase LE music production software and WaveLab LE audio editing software,
- Representing a new generation of portable recording, the Zoom H2n is Zoom’s most innovative handheld recorder to date.
- The Zoom H2n features Zoom's best microphones yet and is the only portable recorder with five mic capsules onboard. This design enables the H2n to offer four unique recording modes: Mid-Side (MS) stereo, 90° X/Y stereo, 2-channel and 4-channel surround sound.
- The Zoom H2n is the first handheld recorder to offer Mid-Side stereo recording, a technique used for many years in film and broadcast, where ambiance and surrounding noise are crucial. Mid-Side recording combines a uni-directional Mid mic that captures sound directly in front of you and a bi-directional Side mic that captures sound from your left and right.
- By increasing or decreasing the level of the Side mic, you can control the width of the stereo field, which gives you incredible flexibility over your recordings. If you record in RAW mode, you can even adjust the stereo width after recording.
- The H2n’s onboard 90° X/Y stereo condenser mics are arranged with the right and left mics on the same axis. This design ensures that the mics are always equidistant from the sound source for perfect localization and no phase shifting. The result is brilliant stereo recording with natural depth and accurate imaging.
- Using the H2n’s Mid-Side and X/Y mics together, you can create stunning 360-degree surround sound recordings. Choose between 2-channel mode, which combines the Mid-Side and X/Y mics, and 4-channel mode, which records two separate stereo files, allowing you even more post-production capability. No matter which mode you use, you’ll get perfectly balanced, surround sound recordings.
- The Zoom H2n comes with Steinberg’s WaveLab LE 7 professional audio editing software. By using its precise waveform editing and high-quality processing, you can refine your recordings into finished works.
- The Zoom H2n's additional functions include: Lo-cut Filter, Compressor/Limiter, Auto Gain, Pre-Rec, Auto-Rec, Tuner, Metronome, Variable Speed Playback, Key Control, A-B Repeat, File Dividing, Normalize, MP3 Post-Encode, Marker and Surround Mixer.
- Five built-in microphones and four recording modes: Mid-Side (MS) stereo, 90° X/Y stereo, and both 2-channel and 4-channel surround
- Analog-type input gain control
- Auto Gain provides three preset recording levels
- Stereo ⅛" Mic/Line In mini phone jack with Plug-in power (2.5V)
- Stereo ⅛" Phone/Line Output jack with dedicated volume control
- Built-in reference speaker for fast monitoring
- Large 1.8 inch backlit LCD display
- Records directly to SD and SDHC cards up to 32 GB
- Supports up to 24-bit/96 kHz audio in BWF-compliant WAV or a variety of MP3 formats
- Auto-record and Pre-record features
- WAV to MP3 conversion
- Internal mixdown: four-track surround to stereo
- Up to 99 marks per recording
- Built-in effects, including compression/limiting and low-cut filtering
- Onboard MS decoding
- Normalize and Divide functions
- Chromatic tuner and metronome
- Loop playback with user-defined start and stop points
- Variable playback speed, from 50% to 150% for phrase training
- Variable pitch without affecting playback speed
- USB port for data exchange to and from computer and use as a USB microphone
- 2-in/2-out USB audio interface for PC/Mac computers
- SD card reader function
- Data recovery function automatically saves data if power fails or card is removed
- Mounts directly to tripod or DSLR
- Runs on only 2 standard AA alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries, or AC adapter (AD-17, USB to AC type)
- Over 20 hours of operation with 2 AA alkaline batteries
