Veeery basic H4N question

rawfa

rawfa

Veteran
Hi fellas,

I´ve just bought an H4N and I´m having a bit of trouble using it with the NTG3. I´ve plugged the NTG3 on via XLR on the MIC 1 input and selected MIC 1 as the source. I´ve cranked up the recording volume up to 100% and won´t record anything at all. As I was trying to record I had the headphones on and I could not hear anything (well, when I cranked the volume to 100% and I tapped the tip of the mic I could hear that). Whenever I switched to the H4N´s mic source I could record perfectly and I could hear everything on the headphones. On the Input Settings I have +48V on Phantom. I´ve tried both XLR inputs. I had it connected to the power outlet (I didn´t try with batts). I´m sure it´s probably something silly...so lay it on me...
 
One more observation, I can see the sound meter bar at the middle like the H4N was being fed sound but it was not recording it somehow.
 
I´ve tested a Rode Mic Videopro on the mini jack input and it works perfectly. For me it´s starting to sound like I have a problem with either the XLR cable, the H4N XLR inputs or the Rode NTG3 mic. As I JUST got the Zoom and the Rode from abroad I´m praying it´s the XLR cable.

Does anyone know Zoom´s support email? I went to their website and the only info they have under support is a list of distributors :(
 
Last edited:
Odd, very odd. I'll guess it's a power management issue - I use the the NT1 with the H4n and it works fine, but I guess there's a chance your NT3 could be drawing too much power.

When you plug the XLR cable into the zoom does the input light flicker for a second? Are the input lights for input 1 & 2 on?

Some things to try:

Try a factory reset - Press; MENU/SYSTEM/FAC RESET

Try reloading the firmware.

Try a different XLR cable/different XLR microphone.
 
Already tried the XLR cable on another mixer and it worked. I did a factory reset and the issue remains. I checked and I have the latest firmware (System Version 1.72). Do you guys think this could be a firmware bug keeping the phatom power from being sent? Should I try reinstalling the firmware?
 
Last edited:
rawfa said:
Already tried the XLR cable on another mixer and it worked. I did a factory reset and the issue remains. I checked and I have the latest firmware (System Version 1.72). Do you guys think this could be a firmware bug keeping the phatom power from being sent? Should I try reinstalling the firmware?
Click to expand...

It's already been recommended, but try a different mic with the XLR inputs and/or try the NTG-3 on another XLR device (mixer or recorder) that supplies phantom power.

The NTG-3 is a great mic, but... the early runs came with aluminum storage tubes that were too tight and created an air seal within the foam collars when the mic was inserted. If it was pulled out of the storage tube from the connector end, and too fast, there was an audible "pop" as the air seal was released. This was also known to destroy the mic capsule, rendering the mic useless. (RØDE fixed this later with looser-fitting foam collars in the storage tubes.)
 
Alex H. said:
It's already been recommended, but try a different mic with the XLR inputs and/or try the NTG-3 on another XLR device (mixer or recorder) that supplies phantom power.
Click to expand...

I´ve tried a different mic and experienced the same issues I had with the NTG3.
I´m going to try plugging a guitar to the XLR/Jack ports to see if it works. If it doesn´t work then these ports are damaged. If it works then there is something wrong with the phatom power supply...in this case I have no idea what could be done. Do you think this could be a bug in the firmware keeping the phatom power from being sent? Would reinstalling the firmware be worth it?
 
you are using XLR to XLR cables right? I believe the recorder looks at the XLR differently then the TRS in the middle of the XLR as far as selecting it. so pluging in a guitar will not be the same.

Good luck
 
recordingwhiz said:
I believe the recorder looks at the XLR differently then the TRS in the middle of the XLR as far as selecting it. so pluging in a guitar will not be the same.
Good luck
Click to expand...
That is correct, the H4n's XLR inputs are 'Mic' level only, the 1/4" is 'Instrument or 'Line'. Unlike the Tascam DR-40, both the XLR and 1/4" TRS parts of the combo connector are tied together, changed with a Mic/Line switch. The DR-40 has a true nominal +4dB input, the H4n is -10dB.. or there abouts.
 
I went to Zooms´ official website and reinstalled the firmware. It didn´t help. I´ve tested plugging a guitar on the XRL input too and it worked. I have to find an XLR mic that doesn´t need phantom power to try it so that I can find out if any sound at all is being transmitted.
 
what type of cable are you using? if its not XLR to XLR it will never work.

and if you hear the guitar when a 1/4 inch connector is used then you have the wrong input selected.
 
Last edited:
What are your "record" levels and "monitor" levels? If you see the meters jump....means you are recording something. Maybe playback/monitor is set too low? I run mine at 100%....
 
I´ve reinstalled the firmware again and got a top of the line XLR cable (after having tested with 3 different ones) and it started working..
 
if the TRS in the middle of the connector is working (with guitar) and the XLR is not and you are NOT changing the settings then you do not have the proper input selected. the recorder considers both of these inputs separate.
 
rawfa said:
I´ve reinstalled the firmware again and got a top of the line XLR cable (after having tested with 3 different ones) and it started working..
Click to expand...

Odd to have 3 bad cables in a row and I find it very unlikely tht firmware could have been the culprit. But one lesson to learn from this is that a cable tester like this one - http://www.trewaudio.com/store/Behringer-CT100-Cable-Tester.html - is a valuable item to have in your kit. I also have one of these - http://www.trewaudio.com/store/GTC-Tone-Plug.html - to do things like testing your recorder's XLR input to see if it's working as it should. The small cost of items such as this would have saved you these last how many days of working trying to figure out the problem. You would have probably been able to pin down the problem in less than an hour with these plus the aformentioned multimeter.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top