Отзывы о Диктофон ZOOM H2n

I bought one of these on a whim, thinking I'd probably end up returning it and go with the ZOOM H5 when it was released. I still plan on getting the H5. But this recorder is too good for what I paid to pass up, and keeping it means I never have to leave the house now without a decent recorder at hand.

Out of the box, the H2n took me about ten minutes after powering it up for the first time to figure out how to configure and use it. I needed to crack the manual for only a few features and idiosyncrasies of the unit. (N.B. This is my first ZOOM product.) With the 32GB SanDisk "Class 10" SD card I have installed, the unit takes almost exactly 10 seconds to "cold start." (Hardly bad, but I do wish it were a bit faster to power on.) It is then ready to record with a single button push. A single knob adjusts gain. While the navigation lever on the side of the unit is a little twiddly, the display and user interface is straightforward and uncluttered. Very nicely done! I use the M/S mode almost exclusively, recording "RAW" so I can play with the stereo image or strip down to mono at a later time. (ZOOM even offers a very usable free M/S VST decoder on their website to complement this functionality. Another nice touch!) The unit tethers to your computer with a standard USB2 Mini-B connector, and will run off bus power so long as you power the unit off beforehand. And despite what I've read elsewhere, the date/time setting in the unit is retained at least sufficiently long to change in fresh batteries. There are a host of other features available in this unit which I don't use so much, so I won't cover them here. In any case, I think the results are impressively good! While no match for top-grade recording kit, I feel that most people in their right mind would agree that the clarity and noise floor of this unit are stellar for the price!

So why four stars instead of five?

For starters, ZOOM's choice in using easy-to-strip plastic threading for the tripod mount is crazy. You cannot access the SD card on the bottom of the unit when mounted to a tripod, so this thread is liable to be used quite a bit, too. If nothing else, tripods and grips are a great way to minimize handling noise with any handheld recorder, so I hope ZOOM will re-evaluate this matter and put the same metal threading in the H2n as they seem to use in their other units. So as it stands, I can't bring myself to entirely trust this mount, figuring that the threading will simply strip or "twig" out of the unit unexpectedly at some point.

I've heard complaints about the "cheap" battery door. My impression is that this is probably much more durable than other reviewers have let on. However, the glossy/slippery plastic of this door is almost completely unfriendly to being opened with sweaty/oily hands. It's often harder (i.e., takes longer) to open this door than it should be. A rubbery exterior--like that on many GPS units--would largely alleviate this problem.

I also find it exceedingly tricky to hand-hold this unit without a lot of handling noise. Mounted to an inexpensive tabletop tripod (e.g., Oben TT-50), this becomes a mostly moot issue, but be aware that as a truly "handheld" recorder, this can be a sometimes a difficult beast to get serviceable recordings from.

The ergonomics of the microphone capsule are a little strange, too. With the unit upright and the display oriented toward the user, the M/S mics face out of the rear unit, while the X-Y mics face out the front. It's a minor niggle, really, but I just have to remember to re-orient the unit differently than I usually do when I switch to X-Y mode.

I also do not understand why the H2n cannot record in 24-bit when used as an audio interface. Windows 7 and 8 support 24-bit natively, yet the H2n can only record at either 44.1 or 48 kHz at 16-bit when tethered directly to a computer. As a standalone recorder, there are no problems in this regard.

I really dislike the "overload"/clipping indicator LEDs on the top of the unit. For starters, they won't be visible at all if you throw a "Dead Kitten" or Redhead windscreen over your H2n. They seem to be a bit slow on the uptake (i.e., blinking ~30 ms *after* "clipping" actually takes place). I also feel they are hard to see under bright light, and are often not conspicuous unless you're you're looking right at the unit in many situations. I feel ZOOM should take design cues from the way the clipping indicators were implemented on the Olympus LS series.

Apart from a display backlight timer, there is also nothing akin to a power-saving mode. This means that even when the recorder is in "Hold" mode, the recorder will remain on rather than going into "Standby" when sitting idle (i.e., not playing or recording). Again, a relatively minor niggle, as the battery life on this recorder really isn't all that bad when run off lit

The items here are, predictably, all quite cheaply made, but they do their job. I wouldn't call it a bargain but I might for half the price. Nonetheless the pack contains a few things you may find yourself wanting, a couple of which you may not be able to find separately.

One of the main things I was looking for here was the screw-on mic handle. Despite expectations, it turns out it's actually much too small to fit into a standard sized "friction" mic clip. It might fit into clamp style clips or ones made for shotgun mics, but not mine. The width at its thickest point is one inch and no more.

Another thing I got this pack for is the case. It doesn't offer a lot of protection but it fits well and will protect from scratches and certainly dust. My hope was that it would have a loop to fit on a belt and thankfully it does. Unfortunately I found the simple bulkiness of it makes it quite uncomfortable to carry there, which ruined my thoughts of just carrying the thing around wherever I go. It's not a poor design but just kind of the nature of the thing. If you have a bag or backpack you might be able to fasten it on a strap there, but then you could probably just stuff it in a pocket just as well. One thing that I will give credit for is that while fastened to a belt, the case's clamshell design opens very neatly and conveniently due to a pair of straps that suspend the recorder right where you can grab it, with little chance of it falling out.

I haven't made use of the other items yet, but from what I hear the foam-style windscreens work somewhat but not as well as the furry kind (so if you're recording outdoors I'd look for one of those), and the remote I plan to make use of but with limited controls and the small size of the screen of course you'll still need to access the recorder directly for most functions.

I've owned my Zoom H2n for over two years and I can say that the sound quality and versatility of this recorder are incredible, and the features are unmatched by any other field recorder even today. But my problem lies with the design.

This recorder starts with a strange short and stumpy design. At first glance, it's kind of cool. Like an old fashioned broadcast mic. But then you try to pick it up and hold it in your hand. This is an odd experience because more than half of the vertical shape is the mic, which you don't want to hold because you'll cause noise. So you end up delicately holding the bottom portion of the recorder with your fingers, carefully holding it so as not to touch the side buttons, dials, or wheels/joysticks. When you try to put the mic in your pocket, you realize that you can't-- unless you're wearing baggy cargo pants. The bottom line is that it's a short, wide, and fat little recorder with very little to grab or hold onto.

The other bizarre bit of failed ergonomics going on here is that there are five or six entirely different types of mechanical interfaces (setting aside for a moment the navigation of electronic menus): A button on the front pressed vertically down to start recording, a dial on the side for gain, a simple "press" side button but with two functions depending on how long you hold it, a vertical rocker switch, a small flat and slightly textured dial on the top of the recorder, and then-- wait for it-- an awkward flick-up-flick-down-press-in-but-only-when-centered joystick for menu navigation and fast forward or rewind. Sweet Jesus. The design is maddening and something only an engineer could love. In the dark, you can absolutely forget about using any features or functions of this recorder (other than pushing the record button, which is incidentally lit from the face of the LCD.

My last complaint about this recorder is the 4 channel setting and the mic select dial on top of the unit. The four channel surround sound is a novelty since humans only have two years and 95% of the audio playback devices in the world are stereo. But if people want that feature, fair enough. My problem is that the dial on the top of the unit which allows you to select from different mic configurations gets sticky and can be difficult to rotate. It has very little to grab onto (only a little serrated texture) and it's frustrating to try and rotate in dim lighting or without a good fingernail.

Overall, I hate to complain about such an amazing piece of technology. This is basically a portable recording studio and a field recorder wrapped into one. It's better technology and fidelity than anything that was available in the finest recording studios in the world in the 1960's or 1970's and even 1980's. I guess I'm frustrated that Zoom would get this close, so close, to making the PERFECT field recorder, and then they'd blow it with such poor design and ergonomics. To use an analogy out of pop culture, the iPhone was not successful because of it's technology or features. It took off because it was intuitive and easy to use. This Zoom is just odd in terms of it's mechanical controls.

Great little multi-purpose recorder. I bought this after a friend recommended it to me, and I'm not disappointed by the purchase. The buttons on the H2n are very accessible; you really only need one hand to operate the whole recorder. You get four different mic setups (XY, Midside, 2-Channel and 4-Channel), which is actually pretty useful. That's one thing I like about the H2n; I haven't seen any other recorders with multiple mics in them.

There are lots of features on the H2n. You can plug it into a computer and use it as a card reader (it only works for compatible SD cards), you can boost the volume of the entire recording on the spot, and you can even use it as a music player if you're really desperate (at least it sounds much better than my iPod nano 7th gen!) Just read the manual. It's basically all in there.

Some other features/specs:
-You can plug in an external battery to the H2n (turn on the "plug-in power" in the settings first)
-You can change the key and speed of a recording in the H2n
-There's a "Convert to MP3" function
-The H2n records in MP3 or WAV

One thing I didn't really like on the H2n is the fact that the 1/4 inch adapter on the bottom of the recorder is made out of plastic, so don't expect it to last really long. I've been trying to think of a way to solve that problem though, but nothing has come up yet. Also, the "Home" button on the right side of the recorder seems to be a tiny mushy to me, but that's just a small nitpick. It's really close to being a perfect hand-held recorder. Pity the plastic thread (I've seen a lot of other customers complaining about it...) I'd give it a 4.5 if I could.

If you have any technical questions, I'll try my best to answer them.

I keep one with me everywhere I go.

This recorder is fantastic, especially for the price, and much better than some of Zoom's earlier recorders (like the original H2). I have two of these and I've used them to record pipe-organ, grand piano, solo-instrumental and chamber recitals, both as a master mic and as as a spot mic for reinforcing specific instruments. The clock drift between the units I have is << 1 ppm, so I can pop a couple of these in strategic places and mix nearly an hour of material without worrying about phase drift issues.

Pros:
- Long battery life -- I can put 2 fresh AA's in this at it will record for hours; no AC or external battery pack required.
- Sounds extremely clear for most sources (there is a little bit of hiss, so the noise floor isn't quite as good as what you'd get with dedicated condensers+preamps)
- Mid-Side recording technique lets you dial in the stereo width after the recording and get extremely crisp time-coherent recordings.
- Stupid easy to use--you turn it on, set the mic pattern, set the gain, and press record.

Cons:
- Doesn't handle extremely loud sources as well (like a live rock band from 20' away). I have to turn the gain dial most of the way down (~1.5) to avoid clipping, and then it seems to produce muffled recordings with muddy mid/highs and poor stereo imaging. Any time you can dial it to 4 or higher and it sounds great though.
- Windscreen and remote are separate purchase
- USB transfer is kind of slow, but you can always pop out the SD and put in a faster reader.
- Can't do 96kHz recording with 4 channels (I do 48kHz for everything and it's fine for my purposes).
- The jog wheel/lever is a little finicky but not impossible to use.

 The Zoom H2N is an excellent recorder of excellent quality. As a professional jazz musician, it is important for me to be able to record my own music and performances through my own means. This recorder allows me to do that and create professional quality recordings. This is one of the best portable recorders any musician, sound engineer, or anyone else can use.

The recording quality is fantastic. I have included a short video clip of myself playing saxophone to demonstrate the quality of the recorder in non-ideal recording conditions. Even in a small room with bad acoustics, the recorder still picks the sound up very well.

This device has many options which you can tweak to best fit your needs in any given situation. On the top of the device, there is a rotation switch that will adjust where and how the microphone will pick up sound. On the side, there is an analog Mic Gain wheel. If you press Menu, you will find more options to customize, such as the recording format, auto-record, folder options, and the like.

This recorder can also double as a computer microphone. To use it in this way, plug a stereo cord into the line out port on the device and into your mic in on your computer. As long as the device is on, it should function as a microphone. This can be incredibly handy if you want to record something right to Audacity (or any other software), or need a microphone to chat with someone online.

Overall, I would recommend this device to anyone who needs a portable, professional quality recorder that is easy to use.

i purchased the h2n not realizing how closely it was in price to its big brother, the h4n, so after i realized that, while i was waiting for the shipment to arrive, i thought that i was starting to feel a bit of buyer's remorse, and was considering sending it right back for an h4n, but after using it rather extensively over the weekend, i have decided to stick with the h2n, here's why:

Battery life!! The h2n seriously lives for up to 20 hours on just 2 double AAs, while the the h4n has a pathetic 2 hour battery life. That is such a huge difference. I plan on using the zoom mainly for filmmaking, as well as recording live bands. Changing out the batteries every 2 hours would be ridiculous. I also like how the h2n's internal mics are much more protected than the h4n's. Drop the h2n, and it's not a big deal, but dropping the h4n right on it's head could be disasterous indeed.

The audio quality between the two seems very, very comparable, with some people actually favoring the h2n over the h4n. It is more portable, looks sexier with that glossy black, and is much more pocket friendly.

The only real advantage that the h4n has over the h2n are it's two xlr outputs, but seeing as i don't actually own any high end xlr mics, this is not a drawback for me. I have recorded videos of just the zoom's internal mics grabbing dialogue, and the results are very, very impressive. Play it back on a computer, close your eyes, and you'd swear the person is right there next to you. No white noise to speak of. In the past i have really only used a Rode VideoMic Pro mounted to my DSLR, and so that terrible, hissing DSLR camera hiss has been present in all of my audio clips up to now. I could mix it down using denoiser effects in premeiere, but if you're editing a long project, it can get really tedious applying the same effects over and over. I'd rather just have good sound right off the bat, and i get that with the h2n, plus not having it tied to the camera is a plus for sure, as it allows for a lot more freedom, having it farther away, closer, up, etc.

I have also used lavaliers plugged directly into the h2n's 3.5mm mic line in, and while not as crisp as the zoom by itself (i use CHEAP lavaliers) the audio is still leaps and bounds better than the rode videomic pro. As for recording live music, i was playing with the different settings, 2 channel or 4 channel surround, or the xy in front or ms to the front and to the sides. A lot of other reviewers had problems with the drums or loud audio peaking, even with the mic gain on zero, but i was able to place the zoom right in the middle of the band, with an audio gain of one or two, and be comfortablt sitting at averages of -12 db, as the manual recommends. I was blown away by the sound quality it picked up in this case as well. Very impressive.

All in all, for my needs, as i don't use any XLR mics, the h2n is in every way preferable to the h4n. I plan on purchasing a camera hot shoe mount for it, just in case i might want it at some point (i wish it had been included in the 30$ accessory pack) but i am fully satisfied with the H2n. Tried it out yourself! You won't be disappointed.

Having used to Zoom H4n for several years, I happened to notice this product and thought it might be more useful for some recording uses.
The H4n is still one of the best and most versatile pocket recorders available for the price. What sets it apart in particular is the simultaneous 4-track recording. I was astonished to find out that in a way, the H2n can record 4 tracks as well, for half the price. Here are some of the pros and cons between the H4n and H2n:

H4n Pros: XLR (and 1/4" jacks) pro mic input with phantom power. True 4-track recording. Compact for the features. Solidly built. Uses easily-available AA batteries.

H4n Cons: Somewhat antiquated interface and firmware, display readout. A bit cumbersome for true hand-held and on-camera use (although neither would be ideal in any quality circumstance). Slow to start-up. Eats the AA batteries very quickly for field use.

H2n Pros: Small, light, and compact. Dual Mid-Side and X-Y microphone elements built-in. Capable of using all 5 mic capsules simultaneously to record to two pairs of stereo tracks. Can also plug external mic (in 1/8" stereo jack) to record to one set of stereo tracks. This disables the built-in X-Y elements and continues to use the M-S mics along with the plugged-in mic. So you can record in 4 tracks (using the "Dual surround" mode). Uses a pair of easily-available AA batteries, which can last up to 20 hours for field use. Can also be powered with Micro-USB cord. Large, clean and clear readout and interface. Starts up in 2 seconds flat.

H2n Cons: Seems plastic-y and possibly not as durable. Build does not isolate mics well (handling noise is bad). No pro mic inputs. No accessories included with package, not even a power cord or a foam windscreen.

So far, I like the unit quite well. A few things I was worried about include the one-touch recording. Most recorders, including the H4n, require you to push the record button once to put it in stand-by mode, then push again to commence recording. This is somewhat of a mixed bag. It enables the monitoring system to begin (and if you are using the system on a DSLR/camera, you can use the recorder as a mic input without actually recording to the unit itself), but also makes it confusing sometimes as to whether you are actually recording or not.
The H2n starts recording immediately upon hitting the record button once. This is better. But I had worried that there would not be any monitoring available. Not to worry. The H2n starts monitoring immediately upon power-up! (But you can disable it in the preferences if you wish).
I have a swivel hot-shoe mount that screws into the (plastic) thread on the bottom of the H2n and can then fit onto the hot shoe of my camera.
Using the line-out jack, plugged into the mic input of a DSLR, the unit works quite well for run-and-gun video shooting. You do have to fiddle with the recording levels of your particular camera (Ive set my Nikon D4 to manual audio mode) and set the output volume of the H2n to an appropriate level. Mine seems to work well at 50% volume. You can then easily set the audio input on the H2n via the thumb wheel to suit your recording. The unit is small and lightweight and looks decently unobtrusive atop the hotshoe of the DSLR. The readout can be seen easily and the the red record/mic LED lights look like a Tally light. The all-black housing also looks good with a DSLR camera.

All mics are susceptible to wind noise. This unit should at least come with a foam windscreen, but a "dead cat" furry windscreen works better anyway. I have a Rode StereoVideoMic, whose 'dead kitten' screen fits and works for the H2n fairly well for windy conditions.

I'll continue to use the unit and add to the review as I go. Feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to answer them.

I've used this for three years as a first field recorder and for on-the-fly recording at gigs, work and home; I've found it to be a great device. I thought I'd mention a few things I've noticed about it:

- you are getting a highly flexible, functional and long-battery life device considering what you are paying for it.
- like all recorders, this sounds much better at a high gain - but you will really notice the qualitative difference in sound when the gain is around 30/40 per cent as opposed to the 60/70 mark. Obviously for recordings with wide dynamics this is not perfect.
- there is colouration in sound quality. I don't like how it colours field recordings, but am very fond of how it makes room vocals and acoustic instruments sound.
- the mics are housed inside the device so I'd speculate it might be more durable than other models were it to take a knock.
- caveat on battery life: using all four channels really drains the life out of them. Two channels - battery life is great.
- for field recording, I would recommend buying a better windshield than the foam one it ships with.
- it says 'Goodbye, See You!' when you turn it off. Cute as hell.

In summary: H2n is delightfully functional in terms of scouting locations and as an audio note pad, and is totally worth what you pay for it for these purposes.

Most versatile microphone recorder. It is capable of using for a perfect round table podcast, external mic on a DSLR.

Unique so far, unmentioned, feature is that it works on a PlayStation 4! All you have to do is get the mini USB into the H2n and plug it into the PS4. You can also plug your headphones into the H2n. The H2n and ALSO acts as a mixer, and you get top notch digital surround sound from your games. As well as taking a 3.5 jack to your phone or computer and playing music through it! So if you are streaming from your PS4 to Twitch, you can have high quality sound short of getting a capture card and streaming for PC.

Message me if you have any questions!

Every musician should have one of these. IMHO, the best lesson you could have is just listening to yourself play with others, and with the H2N it's a breeze. It's also so unobtrusive you can make live recordings almost anywhere and it won't distract anyone. I owned the original H2 and after about 6 years of faithful service it died. The seller offered to replace it with an N model for a very reasonable $100 plus shipping. I accepted without a second thought. The N is a big improvement over an already excellent device. It has eliminated the multiple controls and the always fragile door lid for the SD card (less stuff to break). It will record 20 hours on 2 AA batteries instead of the 3+ hours of the older model, and the control screen is much easier to use. It has the newer M-S recording mode plus all the various modes from before, so all in all, a very sensible improvement. Fidelity is excellent using the 5 built-in condenser microphones, and there are enough adjustments to satisfy the serious audiophile. It takes a bit of reading the manual to accustom yourself to how the controls work, but it's not rocket science...you'll be making recordings in just a few minutes. Hard to beat this little puppy. Couple this with a decent digital audio workshop program like Pro Tools or Adobe Audition and you've got equivalent of a very expensive recording studio in your pocket. Get one...you'll be glad you did.

This thing is excellent to use as a remote microphone connected to your DSLR when Video recording, as a standalone microphone or for conferences, however it is marred by using a plastic thread at its base. My son and I normally use the supplied mini tripod or a threaded light stand to place the Zoom where I need it, but after light use, I am thinking MAYBE 20 times the plastic thread simply crumbled away. This has meant it a now a handheld or "stick it on a level surface" device which has greatly lessened its usage. I can no longer mount it on an extension pole and place it where it needs to be.

Unfortunately I don't think it is fixable. Let me know if you have ideas. Gluing a plate to the bottom will effectively seal the SD card inside so that is not a great solution.