Zoom h4n or h4?

TNC said:
So what is the verdict, can the zoom 4n record line level from a mixer or not?
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The 2 XLR inputs are hybrid XLR/Standard Phone Input jacks. So, yes, it can record line level from a mixer. In 4CH mode you can record both ambient and direct sound sources. For example, room sounds using the built-in mics and a band's mix off the board.
 
tflak said:
The 2 XLR inputs are hybrid XLR/Standard Phone Input jacks. So, yes, it can record line level from a mixer. In 4CH mode you can record both ambient and direct sound sources. For example, room sounds using the built-in mics and a band's mix off the board.
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So are you confirming that if i feed it line level via Phone Input jacks the zoom h4n will bypass its internal preamps?
 
Yes, I just went through my menus on my H4N and I did not see any control to switch the input level from mic to line level. I'll have to try it sometime when I am not buried.

Dan
 
The marantz recorder, not sure of the model, has an 1/8" stereo line-in, sounds good and is quite simple to use. No xlr's though. Its around $200, and lasts quite a while on 2 AA's.

I can confirm that there's no way that I found to get the xlr inputs of the h4n to work with the +4 line level from my mixer. Luckily the mixer can attenuate the outputs and it worked fine doing that. It most definitely was not bypassing the preamps, but it's very clean with the gain around 40-60.
 
You have to plug quarter inch in and it will switch to line level.. it wont do it xlr in. this is a problem if you want to use say, a sound devices mixpre mixer to feed the h4n a way better signal.
 
Hi Tim,

Thanks for your write up about the zoom. I have some questions and wondering if you can help me out.

Someone was saying you could feed line level via the 1/4 jack, did you try that?

The Maranza looks good but like you said no inputs. Do you own the h4n? Why did you not use the Maranza instead? If you where in the market again, would you still go with the zoom?

You mentioned the batteries running out, i have the mixpre and that also runs on 2 AA's and has to be changed out at least once a day, how many sets of batteries did you burn through in one day with the zoom? Can you not use rechargeable AA's? Does it have a accurate battery meter that lets you know in time that the battery needs changing before it starts to affect audio quality?
 
Blackout said:
You have to plug quarter inch in and it will switch to line level.. it wont do it xlr in. this is a problem if you want to use say, a sound devices mixpre mixer to feed the h4n a way better signal.
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Did you finally end up buying one? Could you not just feed it with a XLR to 1/4 jack adapter?
 
TNC said:
Hi Tim,

Thanks for your write up about the zoom. I have some questions and wondering if you can help me out.

Someone was saying you could feed line level via the 1/4 jack, did you try that?

The Maranza looks good but like you said no inputs. Do you own the h4n? Why did you not use the Maranza instead? If you where in the market again, would you still go with the zoom?

You mentioned the batteries running out, i have the mixpre and that also runs on 2 AA's and has to be changed out at least once a day, how many sets of batteries did you burn through in one day with the zoom? Can you not use rechargeable AA's? Does it have a accurate battery meter that lets you know in time that the battery needs changing before it starts to affect audio quality?
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I own the H4n and used both, the marantz as a backup recorder. I would still go with the zoom because it has very clean and decent-sounding built-in mics, the multitrack recording with xlr and phantom power is awesome for musicians like me. And the 4 track feature is good for location sound when you need a stereo room recording plus other mics, like at a concert or large functions that have a sound system that you can tap into. lots of uses.

I tried rechargeables the first time I used it at a family wedding and had to change 3 times during an hour long ceremony!! No way. Not ever again. (I was using the phantom power, however)
For this last gig, I used alkalines and had better success, but still had to change batteries 3-4 times a day for a 12-hr shoot. Very soon, I'll have a 12v battery that will power the zoom (with a 5v voltage limiter), my mixer, my lcd screen, and other stuff, and should last all day.

Yes, the battery meter is accurate and blinks at you a little before turning off, but I had it happen before when it would stop recording, yet I could still hear it through the phones because it was still in rec ready!!! uuggh. PITA. The backup recorder saved my a$$ several times due to things like this. Like anything else, I guess, it takes practice to use it and get 100% success.
 
Blackout said:
You have to plug quarter inch in and it will switch to line level.. it wont do it xlr in. this is a problem if you want to use say, a sound devices mixpre mixer to feed the h4n a way better signal.
Click to expand...

Why is that a problem? Balanced XLR-F to TRS-M cables are an off-the-shelf item.
 
I read somewhere that if you have a mixer that can attenuate the outputs it should work fine doing that. It won't bypass the preamps, but can be very clean with the gain around 40-60.
 
sorry if my post appears a thousand times but its my first time and I do not comprehend the blank screen I am getting each time I post..

Hello
First post by me :)

Anyone figured out how to set different recording levels (as in separate recording levels) for the two external microphone inputs (ie the XLR ones) in the H4N ZOOM ???
It sure looks like you should be able to do it, i mean it even has two separate buttons for the two inputs.... Right now , because I have been trying to separate control of each mic, I sure cannot understand why?...
I have not tested this with line input but I am guessing that it would be the same..

Any feed back would be sure appreciated.

Thank you all and this thread has been very interesting..

.
 
"Anyone figured out how to set different recording levels (as in separate recording levels) for the two external microphone inputs (ie the XLR ones) in the H4N ZOOM ???"

Initially, thought MTR mode would be the answer here. However, it appears that while you can set different levels for each input (1 & 2), as soon as you enable both inputs at the same time the input level becomes a combined level and the settings made for the separate inputs don't matter.

In short, there's no way I've found that allows you to set different levels for inputs 1 & 2, if you're recording with both at the same time.

Hopefully, I'm just missing something and someone can point out how to do this. The obvious answer is to use a mixer, but it sure would be nice if the H4N could do it alone.
 
C2V said:
I have and use the H4. It's great. The pre-amps suck (noisy), but I use line-level in so it isn't an issue.

The pre-amps are much, much better in the H4n, but apparently they decided that line-in was not important for this model.
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Does it not accept line-level inputs at the 1/4" "instrument" jack in the XLR combo connector?
 
Last edited:
line-level inputs at the 1/4" "instrument" jack in the XLR combo connector = 480 Kohm unbalanced +2dBm tom -47dBm
Read the manual at page 147
 
I want to use the H4 or H4N for sync sound recording using an external XLR mic on a boom. I don't have a pre-amp. Will it be better, as far as sound quality, control, and noise, than running directly into the camera? Will the H4N have features for this purpose alone that will make it more attractive than the H4 and worth the extra 100-150 bucks?
 
Man I am starting to wonder if I ordered the wrong recorder based on what I read in all these posts which is odd because in other threads a lot of people are praising the H4N but it seems that it lacks certain things that many people have have posted about it in this thread.

I just ordered the Zoom yesterday and am now wondering if I should call B&H and cancel my order and get something else.

All I need is a recorder that I can get a feed from the mixing board (at least for my next shoot) anyway.

With the talk of no Line input on the Zoom and batteries not lasting kinda worries me. I am not sure if AC power will be available for me to plug into at the board location.

Wondering if I should have ordered that Tascam DR-100 instead.

For what its worth, there are a bunch of videos on Youtube for the H4N...
 
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