Dance of the mid-winter (Zoom H4n tests)

[quantum]

A dance to celebrate

***

Testing out the Zoom H4n portable recorder.  I set up the equipment i normally use plus the H4n and did two simultaneous recordings.  In the preliminary results I find the H4n's built in mics have less warmth than my SP B1's.  The XY mic position can be adjusted to 90 or 120 degrees, but that is all.  I got this recorder for instances where I need portability.

Setup 1:
Mics: SP B1
Interface: Edirol UA-25
Recorded at 44.1/16
mp3 encoded VBR with Lame

Setup 2:
Zoom H4n
Mics: internal XY at 90 degrees
Recorded at 44.1/16
mp3 encoded VBR with Lame

[ted]

I do find your first recording a tad richer in the bass but I'm not sure it would matter a lot to me. Interesting improvisation, although winter is a distant memory at the moment here at 40 C in the roof. I therefore visualise a summer dance.

I bought a Zoom H2 a few weeks ago and am very pleased with it. I had to spend a couple of days finding the best settings and position. The best position is shown below, 90 degree side toward the curve of the piano, lid closed, recording level about 118/128, gain setting medium. I use wav 48/16. I could tell a difference between 48 and 44 but higher settings produced no audible benefit (for me).

I have found the quality quite warm, but my lounge is full of carpet, drapes and soft furnishings, and is probably a completely different space to wherever you record, Neil. The only negative thing about the H2 so far is its sensitivity. It picks up every tiny squeak of the seat, rustle, heavy breath, nail on a key and sympathetic vibration. Surprisingly I find recording with a closed lid produces better results than with an open lid. This could possibly be because my action is not perfect and lots of extraneous little sounds are picked up.

There is one other little trap with the H2. I don't know if the H4 is the same but the screen light on the H2 seems to operate on battery power alone. I always use the mains and play in the dark. Suddenly the screen wouldn't light up and I couldn't see what I was doing. Putting new batteries in fixed it.

[goldentone]

The main differences I hear in the Zoom are a harsher sound, a distant sound (like you're recording from another room), and as you said doesn't have the warmth of your B1 setup.  I love the ambiance of your B1s.  An interesting improv.

[furtwaengler]

Goodness! I'd love to see anybody compose something with the same aural sensation as any of Quantum's unbelievable improvisations! I shall say it and not relent: He is an indisputable master of this art.

I am obviously no expert on recording; it is much better to trust others ears than mine. The H4n seemed to capture more the room, and I like having the room, for it is less dry and more real (in the I was there sense) - no complaints...but the SP B1's offer the warmer, more direct sound, and overall the better outcome.

But goodness...I love your improvisations!

[ted]

Ooops ! I had better correct my previous post. The Zoom H2 operates perfectly well on mains power alone. I had not noticed somebody had disconnected the lead to plug in the Christmas tree lights and I had actually been using it on batteries. This sort of thing happens as one's brain atrophies.

[johnmar78]

Thanks for your experiment. I like the B1 , external mic. It sound much more solid. Zoomh2, sounds too thin to me. Put these way, any external mic will beat any inbuilt mic due to its magnet size and responsiveness.