Zoom H1 (new) or H4 (used) ?

[spit666999]

Hello everybody!

I'm new on this forum and i found it very pleasant and useful, and I hope it's going to help me often and you will be able to answer on my questions

I'm going to buy a microphone, but I have 2 opportunities:

- New H1 with accessories (+- 130€)
- Used H4 without accessories (also +- 130€)

Which should I buy and why? Which are the (dis)advantages to buy one, or the other?
I need a microphone for filmmaking, but also music and singing.

And what is the difference between the H4 and te H4n?


Thanks a lot!
Regards
spit666999

 

[Alex H.]

Just to clarify... if you need a microphone, these are not microphones. They are recorders that have microphones built in. Also, they record in stereo, which may be fine for some music but not all, and is not the right choice for on-cam dialog in film making.

Do you have, or do you plan to purchase in the near future, any outboard gear (mixer, other microphones, etc.)?

Zoom H1
- No XLR inputs, limited I/O
- XY stereo mic array that is great for ambient sound beds, but not a "jack of all trades" mic array.
- Flimsy design, not so rugged.

Zoom H4 (original)
- XLR inputs with phantom power (means you can use external mics)
- Terrible pre-amps
- Built-in XY mics (again, good for some things, but not everything)
- Can function as a 4-track recorder (maximum of two simultaneous record tracks)
- 1/4" inputs can handle true, consumer line-level (-10dB) input making it a great recorder for use with a mixer.
- Very vulnerable to handling noise, not the most rugged design.

Zoom H4n
- XLR ins with phantom
- pre-amps improved over the H4, but still not great
- 1/4" inputs are not made for -10dB line-level, but rather for instrument level (makes use with an external mixer a bit challenging)
- improved physical design
- 4-track recording, can record all 4 tracks simultaneously
- XY mic array has adjustment to control the width of the stereo sound field... still not terribly versatile

If you're wanting to use this for film making (which, I would assume, includes dialog), you're going to want something with XLR inputs for use with external microphones. Please take a moment to read through the Audio 101 sticky, as it has some really good information that can help a beginner figure out equipment needs. The Zoom recorders (and the other hand-held recorders) are not a "one size fits all" or "one piece does all" kind of thing. They function best when they are part of a larger system.

Also, please do not for get headphones, by which I mean a good pair of headphones. It is absolutely crucial to listen as you record in order to detect problems as they occur (when they can be fixed). Figuring out later when editing that your audio was hosed is finding out too late.