H4n : Boom in input 1 and wireless lav in input 2 - can't adjust levels independently

singleframe

singleframe

Well-known member
Okay, I cannot figure out for the life of me how to adjust levels on mic 1 and mic 2 separately. I can adjust the H4n onboard mic, and the boom mic together with the wireless lav, but cant independently raise/lower the boom or lav. Is this possible?? It should be.
 
Not possible on the H4n. Sorry. One of the many reasons I went with the Tascam DR-100 before I could afford a mixer. Without buying more gear, your only option is to adjust the output of your wireless lav reciever to match the output of your boom mic. Not the ideal solution but should work to get you thru the shoot.

singleframe said:
Okay, I cannot figure out for the life of me how to adjust levels on mic 1 and mic 2 separately. I can adjust the H4n onboard mic, and the boom mic together with the wireless lav, but cant independently raise/lower the boom or lav. Is this possible?? It should be.
Click to expand...
 
Haven't tried this myself, but ran across it awhile ago and copied for reference - might help:

H4N Recording 2 Mics with Different Levels:
By TimTheFoolMan:
Use the "Mixer" function. Unfortunately, this is only available when you're using 4-channel recording.

1. Press the "Menu" button
2. Use the scroll wheel to go down to the "Mode" submenu
3. Confirm that you're in 4-Channel mode
4. Press the "Menu" button again to back out to the main menu
5. Scroll down to the "Mixer" submenu, just below "Tool"
6. Use the scroll wheel to select one of four mixing options:
1. Built-in Mic Level
2. Built-in Mic Pan Control
3. External Mic Level (the XLR-1/4" inputs)
4. External Mic Pan Control
7. As you scroll around, you'll see a highlight box surrounding the four different options. Once you're over the "External Mic Pan Control," press the scroll wheel in to select it, and then adjust as necessary.

Note: This really isn't a pan control in the sense of a mono input being panned between two outputs. It's simply a way to balance the relative volume of two inputs going to their respective outputs. There's no other "mixing" involved... just level adjustment.

I would go ahead and record 4-channels, even if I'm just grabbing audio from a boom, since you've got the built-in mics there anyway. Get a 16GB SD card, and you'll have almost 6 hours of 4-channel recording available at 48Khz/24-bit.

NOTE: "If the Zoom H4N is anything like the H4 as far as adjusting levels goes, I wouldn't say it's good for "Riding" faders. On my H4 you have a dial to change the record level, but the dial is really only like a 3 function button. Dial up: Raise volume, Dial down: Lower volume, Press in: Select. You move it to turn up, then the level changes at a constant rate, as if you pushed a volume button on a digital car stereo. So you can't turn the dial fast and the volume turns up as fast as you turn the dial. For riding you need the dial to work like an analog dial.

Best bet is to use a mixer in front of your digital recorder."
 
It was designed for musicians first I think and so it has had audio mixer functionality from the start for multitracking. Lots of features in there most of us will never use. It's just too bad they added so many effects (which are easy enough to implement in software) over independent level controls on the inputs.

tflak the suggestion you is pretty good though. For those who have no other choice at least you've found a way!

I would also consider using a variable pad, like the Shure 15/20/25 mic-level attenuator, but that's a big old tube to have sticking out the end of an H4n (or any field recorder for that matter.)

One other, simple, option could be to set the input level of the H4n for the wired mic, and then adjust the ouput level of the wireless lav receiver to an appropriate setting. Check the audio on the headphones for distortion and go!
 
Last edited:
Petros Kolyvas said:
One other, simple, option could be to set the input level of the H4n for the wired mic, and then adjust the ouput level of the wireless lav receiver to an appropriate setting. Check the audio on the headphones for distortion and go!
Click to expand...

This seems the like the simplest solution -- I thought for sure the H4n would have had that adjustability. oh well, 300 bucks isn't much for what it does.
 
tflak said:
Best bet is to use a mixer in front of your digital recorder."
Click to expand...

I do have the DV PRO MIX 3. I guess I could bring this to the party...but that just means more cables and extra set-up time. I'm trying to minimize that, but I'll run some practice set-ups and see how it goes. thanks fellas!
 
singleframe said:
This seems the like the simplest solution -- I thought for sure the H4n would have had that adjustability. oh well, 300 bucks isn't much for what it does.
Click to expand...

It is hard to beat for the price. You'll find that many people agree with this particular issue... it was a silly shortcut for them to take. It feels like there were really trying to develop the product to a price-point.

I'm still amazed at all the features they packed in.

Here's a silly photo of it mated to a Rycote Lyre (like an Elephant and Pig) so I could do some recording with it on a bike!

H4n_Bike_Mount.jpg
 
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