Zoom H2n Handy Portable Recorder

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,