what's better than zoom h4?

J Davis

J Davis

Veteran
So tired of using this amateur piece of junk zoom h4.
Can anyone clue me in on the industry standard for recording?

Currently I have a boom op with a rode ntg2 and sound devices mm1 preamp
(2 system audio for narrative shorts)

Looking for a a recorder that takes line level xlr, with easy to use
knobs and menus for crew use. Sturdy not staticy.

Thanks for any recommendations in advance.
 
Lots of industry standards, but yes, the PMD661 would be a good logical step up from the Zoom, and the Sound Devices gear is omnipresent. A little pricey though, at about 4 grand.

For a relatively low-cost 4-track recorder, the Edirol R44 has some good reviews.

If you want to go with Sound Devices, and you don't need four tracks, an interesting alternative might be the 552, which is the next generation of the venerable 442 mixer, but with an added two-track recorder.
 
We are spec'ing out recorders now and are leaning towards either the Edirol R44 or the Tascam DR-680. Anybody got any suggestions between those two?
 
the r44 has individual POTS for each channel, where as the 680 has one POT and buttons to change which channel it affects. tascam is fine if a mixer is in front of it, but for riding levels on the fly, the r44 wins that battle.

i use a fostex fr2le and its a good step up from the zooms and a good price point too, but only 2 channels.
 
J,

I shared your pain with the H4, mostly because of the crap user interface. I still wanted a very compact unit and went with a Tascam DR100 which has been a nice improvement. The pres are good for a compact and it has buttons for most everything though they are scattered about. I wouldn't recommend using the onboard mics for anything important. The dual onboard batteries is a great feature and the lcd metering and limiters work great.

Grant
 
thanks for all the replies,

if anyone posts a review or opinion of equip they are using I would love to hear any info on battery life & whether a power adapter comes with it

I'm looking into the fostex, tascam, edirol and marantz, SD744 & 552 remain a dream – out of my financial reach I'm afraid
 
manglerBMX said:
the r44 has individual POTS for each channel, where as the 680 has one POT and buttons to change which channel it affects. tascam is fine if a mixer is in front of it, but for riding levels on the fly, the r44 wins that battle.

i use a fostex fr2le and its a good step up from the zooms and a good price point too, but only 2 channels.
Click to expand...

Yeah that does make a difference. Thanks.
 
DR-100 with the latest firmware (adds 96khz recording) is a good choice if you're on a budget. Internal USB rechargable battery is a bonus, but definitely carry a pack of AA's around with you.
 
I think it depends what you use it for.

For recording of films/movies... it's indeed not the best thing.

For recording ambiances, it can be usefull. But some noisereduction, eq, might be needed.

It also depends weather you're using internal mices or external mices (like stereo mices)
 
I'm also looking to upgrade from my MircoTrack II recorder. I have been looking at the Marantz 661, but I dunno. I do mostly short films and independent stuff. Web series and what not. Maybe a commercial or two. I'm really interested in seeing where this thread goes!
 
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mcgeedigital said:
Industry "standard" is Sound Devices, amongst others.

Alot of people move "up" the the Marantz PMD661
Click to expand...

I have the Oade Brothers modification of the Marantz PDM661 and when I A-B compare it with the Zoom there is no comparison. The secret is the very low noise preamps put in by the Oade Brothers. Very Quiet
 
Philiplipetz, which modification of the 661 did you go with? Looking at their site, they have "warm" "concert" and "super".

I, too, am looking into recorders. Most of my work will be independent, short/feature films, foley/ambience, and perhaps some podcast work.
I like the Marantz recorders. I've heard good things about the Edirol R44. The SoundDevices are beyond me, as are Nagras (that Nagra VI had me drooling). The Tascam DR-100 is good as well. I have yet to work with any other than the Marantz 661 and 670, however.
I'm interested in seeing what rigs you all have as well.
Budget-wise, I'm leaning toward the 661 or the R44.
 
darkaydix said:
Philiplipetz, which modification of the 661 did you go with? Looking at their site, they have "warm" "concert" and "super".
Click to expand...

I spoke with Doug Oade and he recommended super for dialog work. The others are for music. Very happy with it. Small enough that I can sling it over my shoulder as I shoot run and gun.
 
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