Zoom H4 vs. cheap DAW

[LiveMusic]

I have a Fostex MR8 recorder. I just bought a used Zoom H4. Do you think the H4 can produce tracks as good as what the Fostex does? What about ease of use or features, any opinion? Any feel for how the Zoom H4 would compare?

 

Reason I ask all of this is that if my H4 will record just as well or better than my Fostex, I might sell the latter.

 

This is the newer model Fostex but it's basically like this...

[MikeRivers]

 

I have a Fostex MR8 recorder. I just bought a used Zoom H4. Do you think the H4 can produce tracks as good as what the Fostex does? What about ease of use or features, any opinion? Any feel for how the Zoom H4 would compare?

Like the producer says: "What to YOU think?" You have both, why not make some comparisons?

 

Recording is easy these days. Just about anything, given a good source, will produce a technically adequate recording. If I were you, I'd pay a lot of attention to the user interface. For just setting it up on a table and playing some music into it, it's hard to beat the H4 (though I think the H2 is easier to operate, feels better, looks better, the mics sound better, and it's cheaper when new).

 

I surely wouldn't want to use the H4's 4-track mode to do a project with overdubs, however. Sure, it's possible, but it's not nearly as convenient as a "workstation" like the Fostex with real knobs and much more obvious signal routing.

 

So what's important to you? Operating convenience for "studio" operations, or pocket sized and saving a few bucks by selling your Fostex?

[Magpel]

Hmmm...I have the H4. I'd be surprised if it were the equal, even, of that Fostex, but only a "shootout" will tell. The fx of the H4 suck and are available only on input (i.e., no effects tweaking later. I don't know what the Fostex has for effects, but I would imagine they suck too.

 

Not to sound dismissive, but both are "notepad" kind of recorders, and if four tracks with mediocre converters and somewhat noisy preamps suits your purposes, by all means dump the Fostex.

 

I will say that the H4 four track mode is surprisingly easy to use, but navigation is a bit of pain. I wouldn't want to mess much with punch-ins for example, though it does provide the means.

[MikeRivers]

I will say that the H4 four track mode is surprisingly easy to use, but navigation is a bit of pain.

Ummmm . . . what more is there to using it (other than pushing a button) beyond navigation? Sounds like you're saying it's a bit of a pain to use, and I'd agree.

 

Also, it just feels flimsy and it won't take a lot of button pushing, particularly with that rocker button, before it's ready for the repair show, or, more realistically, the recycler.

 

Some of those integrated recorder/mixers are very intuitive and they're all much better built than the Zoom H4. But you gotta buy microphones, and that's a killer.

[philbo]

If it were me, I'd get something cheap enough to get by on, but hold out for something a little more toward the mid-end.

 

I've never liked those notepad recorders, at least not since the old Tascam cassette 4-tracks, which were pretty cool.

[Magpel]

 

Ummmm . . . what more is there to using it (other than pushing a button) beyond navigation? )

 

 

Let me clarify...it's not a pain to arm tracks and select properties, it's not pain to mix down, it's not pain to select between two stereo tracks, or four mono, or one stereo and two mono. It is NOT unwieldy as a sketch pad, was what I meant.

 

Navigating isn't so much complicated; it's just slow. I thought they did a pretty good job with the OS, keeping things close to the surface.

 

But it is a cramped 4-track environment, per force. Even so, it is extremely easy and no-fuss to knock out quick demos. Punching in, after all, is the frst cardinal sin, the one that moves the recording process from the right hemisphere toward the left...

[daklander]

How does the H4 compare with the Sony PCMD50? I would think at the relatively small difference in price and the additional onboard storage, dual mic positions & longer recording time the Sony would be a better unit.

[LiveMusic]

 

For just setting it up on a table and playing some music into it, it's hard to beat the H4 (though I think the H2 is easier to operate, feels better, looks better, the mics sound better, and it's cheaper when new).

 

 

That's interesting that you say that. Because if the H2 produces a better recording than the H4, I'd rather have the H2. I'll have to try to dig up some comparisons.

 

I agree with whoever said he wonders about the longevity of the H4. I wonder myself. It's not exactly built like a tank. But it does work great for easy rough demo's. From turning it on, in 20 seconds, you're recording. H2 would be the same, I'm sure.

 

If anyone cares to answer this... the Fostex MR-8 is $250 these days. Add $?? for a bigger cf card. To get a DAW that would produce a worthwhile improvement in fidelity, what would it take? In price range. Any models come to mind? (Let's say, just for sake of a number, less than $1,000.)

 

In other words, I'm curious as to how much more money it would take to get better sound.

 

I forgot about those Korg models that came out several months ago. Seems one was about $800 and one was about $1,200.

[Magpel]

I'm no expert on these units, but I think the Korgs would definitely be a step up, though I did once work with one of the cheaper ones and the onboard fx were rot and the OS was complimacated. I imagine the Yamahas and Rolands are a step up from that. But at 1000 dollars, you're well in the range for a kickass computer-based DAW, including a good soundcard. Cost to power, there's nothing that rivals a PC DAW.

 

Sounds like you want the ease and hassle-free operation of a dedicated hard disk recorded. I can dig that. I am too into VSTis and such to want that myself, but there are times...

[Magpel]

Yeah, just as a side note, it did piss me off when my friend bought an H2 and undoubtedly does sound better than rhe H4. That made me unhappy.

[LiveMusic]

That was weird that they brought out the 'revolutionary' H4 and then, just months later, the H2. Odd!

 

I'm surprised people saying the H2 is even better. Hmmm.

[MikeRivers]

 

How does the H4 compare with the Sony PCMD50? I would think at the relatively small difference in price and the additional onboard storage, dual mic positions & longer recording time the Sony would be a better unit.

If for no other reason than look and feel, the Sony is definitely a better unit. I didn't realize they were that close in price. The Sony should run around $500 on the street and I thought the H4 was around $300.

 

Mostly I know about the differences between the Sony D50 and D1. The mics and preamps aren't as good on the D50 but I figure that if I'm doing a serious recording I'm not going to use the built-in mics anyway. I suppose any project where I'd use the mics on the D1, I'd use the mics on the D50.

 

There are a couple of features that the D50 has that the D1 doesn't, one being a pre-record buffer to help if you're a bit slow pressing the Record button.

[MikeRivers]

I'm no expert on these units, but I think the Korgs would definitely be a step up, though I did once work with one of the cheaper ones and the onboard fx were rot and the OS was complimacated.

You're probably talking about the Korg workstation. I didn't mention the Korg 2-track recorders MR-1 and MR-1000 in comparison with the H4 because they're just plain vanilla stereo recorders. No 4-track, no built-in mics (though the MR-1 comes with a stereo mic on a wire), no effects, no flash memory card (hard disk). But the MR-1 that I reviewed is an excellent recorder. I didn't want it because of the crappy mini jacks but I'm still tempted by the MR-1000 which is more of a tabletop unit with real XLRs and phantom power.

[MikeRivers]

That was weird that they brought out the 'revolutionary' H4 and then, just months later, the H2. Odd!

Time flies when you're having fun, but I'm sure the H4 was out for at least a year, maybe a year and a half, before the H2 came along.

[philbo]

If you already have a PC, you could pick up an 8 channel firewire audio interface with pretty decent preamps & phantom power for about $500 or $600 or so. If you went with a PCI card, you could do it for quite a bit less, since they are no longer on the 'bleeding edge' of being new.

[js1]

Well, if you have a PC, you can use the H4 as a USB audio interface for the PC as well.

 

There are better options for a field recorder, an audio interface, a portable scratchpad/4 track recorder with built in mic, an amp modeler and a guitar tuner. But, I haven't found a better option for something that does ALL that, that I can throw in my guitar bag's pocket, and costs $300.

 

It's a musical swiss army knife.

 

js

[daklander]

 

If for no other reason than look and feel, the Sony is definitely a better unit. I didn't realize they were that close in price. The Sony should run around $500 on the street and I thought the H4 was around $300. Mostly I know about the differences between the Sony D50 and D1. The mics and preamps aren't as good on the D50 but I figure that if I'm doing a serious recording I'm not going to use the built-in mics anyway. I suppose any project where I'd use the mics on the D1, I'd use the mics on the D50. There are a couple of features that the D50 has that the D1 doesn't, one being a pre-record buffer to help if you're a bit slow pressing the Record button.

 

 

Thanks for the info about the differences between the D1 and the D50 Mike. I couldn't figure that out and didn't see anything definitive on Sony's site. For my use, the, probably small, differences in pres and mics wouldn't make up for the $1700.00 difference between those two units.

With the information you've given regarding the differences between the H4 and the D50 compared to their prices, it leads to the differences between the H2 and the D50 with more of a price break and seemingly an advantage to the H2 over the H4.

[Racy]

I got the H2 a month ago. It rocks for location recording. I have recorded bands, choirs, etc with it. To my ears it sounds fine.