Members Tony Burns Posted January 1, 2017 Members Share Posted January 1, 2017 Looking for a quality recorder that's very durable, decent quality and wont break the bank ,and a fair price ( around a hundred -give or take a tad )Im trying to do some basic recording ( save my ideas before they float away )I had a nice little tune two days ago -and its lostIm not a big fan of anything thats loaded with hard to understand features - or stuff id never useneed your help -and where to get the best price- thanks in advance ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members katopp Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 Recording only? Zoom H2n. I have both, the original H2 and the new H2n. Very good - not only for the money, but in general.If you want a portable 4-track studio, pick the H4n. But if you just want to record, then the H2n will do the job nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members catscurlyear Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 my step daughter has the zoom h1 that was very good quality and very easy to use from what i remember , i have a sony mini disc player/recorder , i would not recomend one though ,far too complex menu but the sound quality is very good . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 I've been using the H4 for everything that I record, and bring to the VOM1T here, for a few years now. I can't claim I know everything about it but I've used it as a hand held recorder via its two on-board X-Y condenser mics (which is my usual method), and also as an interface by coupling two XLR mics through it to the computer digital studio suite (Garage Band) for use with a video session where good quality sound is needed. It gives an true and noiseless recording. If I had to criticize it for anything it would be the goofy tripod stand cradle-mount that you have to secure to it with Velcro straps. I suppose the case of the device would need to have greater girth to accommodate a molded-in female screw thread for that purpose, and possibly remain susceptible to cracking by heavy-handed customers, so I give the maker a kitchen pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chris Loeffler Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 Recording only? Zoom H2n. I have both, the original H2 and the new H2n. Very good - not only for the money, but in general. If you want a portable 4-track studio, pick the H4n. But if you just want to record, then the H2n will do the job nicely. I second this. The Zoom H2/H2n are more than capable of capturing fantastic raw audio with a good amount of dimension. I also just reviewed the Neat Beecaster/Bumblebee and found they could get some fantastic recordings without needing an audio interface (USB direct). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 I have an older H2 ( the grey one). I believe they have changed it a bit and the H2n is nice. Mine cost me 80 bucks. It does feel a bit on the cheap side. For a few more bucks, Roland has the R05 and Tascam has a few of them too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 I have an older Zoom H4 which I never really bonded with. The screen is tiny for my bad eyes, navigating all the menus seemed very convoluted for this old Luddite and when a battery leaked it would no longer work as a hand held recorder (still works when plugged into the power adapter). The printed manual is 99 pages of 8x10 - that doesn't qualify as "easy to use". That's actually one of the reasons I haven't posted anything to the VOM for a long time - home recording is simply a giant hassle and when this thing died I mostly gave up. However, looking at the H2n makes me consider trying again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 Freeman, to my estimation the H4 can't be easier to record with. You turn it on, wait for it to power up, depress the big record button once to enable the recording function blinking ready light, then depress it again to begin recording. Depressing it a final time stops the recording session. Then, turn it off completely, plug it into the computer with its USB interconnect cable and wait for the USB chord to power it up (seconds). The H4 screen then presents two options. The first one asks to if it's to be used as an interface. The second asks if it's to be connected to the computer. The black wheel on the upper right side is used to scroll to the second option and then that same wheel is depressed once to select the connect to the computer option. It then docks with the computer and places a docking icon on the desktop screen. Opening that icon provides some intuitive choices that take you to the stereo file where the recording is. Once there, the last recording is selected, dragged and dropped into the track for the studio software suite opened and set up for that purpose. Once the recording has been transferred in to the studio software (or DAW), go back to the docking icon for the H4 and undock it. Then it's okay to unplug it from the computer. It's a small device and necessarily mounts a small screen and controls. But, once you use it a few times that instruction manual is junk drawer content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted January 3, 2017 Members Share Posted January 3, 2017 Thanks, I can honestly say that I haven't used it in several years so I really don't remember all that much. Maybe I'll give it another try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tony Burns Posted January 7, 2017 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2017 Funny , but those are the two ive been considering - i am an old fogy and can be challenged by technology at times -The H2n looks simple ( its about 160 bucks ) and the H4n pro ( is 199.00 ) 40 bucks more has more stuff and higher functions -do you think using it a few times i can get the hang of it ? for that small a up charge seems like a better recorder -Im not a pro do i really need all that stuff ? Im considering calling a few sellers and see if I can get abetter deal on the H4n pro .Should i or shouldnt i ? Ive read few things about the tascam - but alot of folks dont say its very dependable - have heard great things about the Zoom brand -and the H4n pro looks like it has more features -wondering about the learning curve . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted January 8, 2017 Members Share Posted January 8, 2017 I have an older H2. I never use it because the menus are clunky and the storage is limited. Nowadays I use my iPhone for everything. IIRC there is a voice memo app. I'm not saying that it will sound as good - though the little mic on the earbuds is decent - but it's certainly easier to use and can be backed up to the cloud easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members katopp Posted January 8, 2017 Members Share Posted January 8, 2017 You can upgrade the H2 storage with SD-cards. It comes with a 2M GB, but it works nicely with 32 GB. Which gives you some 36+ hours uncompressede capacity. More than enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted January 8, 2017 Members Share Posted January 8, 2017 I've never used the Tascam. I've used other interfaces that drove me nuts just trying to get the volume into the DAW and that took the spirit out of recording. Then, when the Zoom products hit the market with other brands I did a lot of web-research to get reviews and testimonials (hawkers and users) and decided the Zoom products were all the rage at the time. So, I got the H4 and after a couple uses found it to be the last word in recording so I unloaded the rest of my recording gear and haven't looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted January 8, 2017 Members Share Posted January 8, 2017 All of the people I know use Zoom products for this and they work great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted January 8, 2017 Members Share Posted January 8, 2017 Have you tried one of those after market stereo mics on the iOS device? I've read good things about those.http://www.micreviews.com/guides/top-10-best-ios-microphones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted January 8, 2017 Members Share Posted January 8, 2017 Zoom here too. Older H4 works great! Get an H2 or smaller if you don't want the features. Personally, I like the XLR's and internal limiter on the H4. Get an H4n and you can record in 4 tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted January 9, 2017 Members Share Posted January 9, 2017 The OP was asking for something of decent enough quality, not studio quality. I don't see any sense to spend over $100 for another piece of technology that could break. For $80 I put a LifeProof (water/shock proof) case on my THIRD iPhone (I finally learned my lesson) and opted to get the 64GB model. The camera is decent enough on the iPhone SE that I could record at HD quality stuff - and I understand the dual cameras on the iPhone 7 and its competitors are much better. Those suggestions are interesting though, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tony Burns Posted January 10, 2017 Author Members Share Posted January 10, 2017 thank you all for your help - i have to wait a bit the money is a bit tight -and im going to get a better deal -when i do - I know sweetwater will typically match prices -but at this point my guess is that the H4n pro is what i want ! Again thank you one and all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted January 10, 2017 Members Share Posted January 10, 2017 yeah, yeah, i know... but for a few dollars more you could opt for the zoom Q4... and have video capability as well... as far as audio capture on the zooms, ive been using a Q8 for a couple of years. its easy to use and im an analog kind of guy... i needed something versatile enough to record my gongs on location, which is a recording nightmare by design, and i dont have to give it a second thought, turn it on, hit the red button, and youre on. the little a/b stereo mics look the same as on the q8, which seem perfect for guitar/ vocals. and theres always the chance one might catch something worthy of use in which case you have very good audio and video to begin with. now... what do i do with all these files? i keep sending cassettes to youtube, i should be hearing back from them any day now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted January 10, 2017 Members Share Posted January 10, 2017 look at the zoom q4n on amazon... its under 250. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted January 10, 2017 Members Share Posted January 10, 2017 Understood - that suggestion was just for you since you use iOS. I still recommend Zoom for Tony's requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tony Burns Posted January 16, 2017 Author Members Share Posted January 16, 2017 Thanks for the input voltan - but I at this point am looking for a recording device for my sounds and to do a bit of decent recordings -dont think a Video recorder is in my near future -don't really want to do Youtube stuff-I did check it out on Amazon - looks like a nice video recorder , but when i had a vhs recorder years ago - I never used it - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rhythm Grrrl Posted January 17, 2017 Members Share Posted January 17, 2017 I agree with the Zoom fans -- I have a Zoom H1 and it is GREAT !! If you can't afford a new one, try a used H1. Very, very good. Ebay or Craigslist or . . . Real value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tony Burns Posted January 17, 2017 Author Members Share Posted January 17, 2017 Thanks Rhythm Grrl ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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