does a condenser mic (blue spark) work with the zoom h4n?

[PegLeg Media]

I am looking to get a condenser mic for a web show/podcast i am recording and wanted to get the blue spark. It takes XLR cables and is phantom powered. I assumed this would work with my zoom h4n but at the store they said they thought it would come out muffled if not run through a mixer to a computer. So can i run a condenser mic like this sstraight into the zoom h4n? or will the quality be worse? I have no computer in the room of my set so i am not going to be able to run it to a computer.

 

[davefisk]

I've always put a 2 channel mixer in front of my H4n and then come line level into it. I've never run my Blue Spark (which is a nice mic for the money, and really good for what you want to do, btw) straight into the H4n. For podcast work I'd look at just getting an interface and run that into a laptop. It will be worth spending the money on this if you are going to podcast regularly. It'll speed up your workflow and make things easier in the long run.

 

[PegLeg Media]

its going to be a youtube show but ill have audio version up as well. I built a set in my small bedroom and my computer setup is 2 rooms over so they will never be connected. If this doesn't work I am just going to use my rode ntg-1 mic because i dont want to buy anything more than just this mic and have to worry about mixers/computers.

 

[Noiz2]

My first impression is that they were trying to sell you some more "stuff". The h4n may have some issues, like less than super quiet preamps, but there is no reason at all that it would sound "muffled". If they said something like that to me I might ask them why just incase I missed something in the last 30 years or so, but probably I would chalk it up to unknowledgable sales person and not believe a word they had said about anything.

Dave's point has more to do with workflow than quality, though a decent interface will probably have better mic pre's than the h4n.

The Spark will probably work a lot better than the NTG1 which has a bad reputation when paired with the h4n. So if you are happy with the NTG1 you will probably be happier with the Spark.

BUT what I would do is take your h4n to the store and do a test with the Spark. IF the store won't let you test the mic go to another store. Even monster box stores like Guitar Center have demo mics, though they are very hesitant to let you test an in the box mic. Any decent sound store will let you test at least in house. If they are worried about "hygiene" don't talk into the mic, they can hold it and point it at the room, that would be enough to see how it works for your recorder.

 

[PegLeg Media]

My first impression is that they were trying to sell you some more "stuff". The h4n may have some issues, like less than super quiet preamps, but there is no reason at all that it would sound "muffled". If they said something like that to me I might ask them why just incase I missed something in the last 30 years or so, but probably I would chalk it up to unknowledgable sales person and not believe a word they had said about anything.

Dave's point has more to do with workflow than quality, though a decent interface will probably have better mic pre's than the h4n.

The Spark will probably work a lot better than the NTG1 which has a bad reputation when paired with the h4n. So if you are happy with the NTG1 you will probably be happier with the Spark.

BUT what I would do is take your h4n to the store and do a test with the Spark. IF the store won't let you test the mic go to another store. Even monster box stores like Guitar Center have demo mics, though they are very hesitant to let you test an in the box mic. Any decent sound store will let you test at least in house. If they are worried about "hygiene" don't talk into the mic, they can hold it and point it at the room, that would be enough to see how it works for your recorder.

Thanks this was actually at guitar center. The girl said she had that mic and loved it but it didnt work well with her tascam dr-40 so she thought it probably wouldnt work right with the zoom h4n. I was actually ready to buy and she said my current NTG-1 might be a safer bet so actually talked me out of a sale but she was not positive about any of it. I figured a lot of people would have this set up so I was hoping someone could give a for sure answer. Ill contact them and see if im allowed to test it out. Thanks!

 

[Alex H.]

Thanks this was actually at guitar center.

Therein lies the problem.

The girl said she had that mic and loved it but it didnt work well with her tascam dr-40 so she thought it probably wouldnt work right with the zoom h4n.

There's too much missing information there, like most of her application and workflow and monitoring setup. My first inclination would be to call it user error. While none of these litte recorders will have absolutely stellar performance, they shouldn't be that problematic beyond adding varying amounts of noise.

 

[PegLeg Media]

Therein lies the problem.



There's too much missing information there, like most of her application and workflow and monitoring setup. My first inclination would be to call it user error. While none of these litte recorders will have absolutely stellar performance, they shouldn't be that problematic beyond adding varying amounts of noise.

Thanks! i'm not going for perfect audio but using it over my rode ntg-1 would be better looking for the show. And i get almost no hiss from my rode ntg-1 into my zoom h4n, ive been very pleased with it.

 

[Richard Crowley]

If you are doing a VIDEO "show/podcast" where is the camcorder in all this?
The majority of your configuration and workflow are missing from the context of your question.
I;m not sure I understand how important the appearance of the microphone is for a podcast?
Or the quality of the microphone, either, for that matter.
Advice from GS clerk-droids is not generally of much value.