Re: Quest for a mobile recorder: summary (so far)

[andy butler <akbutler@tiscali.co.uk>]

Rainer Thelonius Balthasar Straschill wrote:
> Thanks for your inputs so far. Summarizing, it seems to look like this:
> 
> 1. The Zoom Stuff:
> Btw, did anybody do (or know) a comparison of the H2 and H4 
>sound-quality-wise (esp. pres, internal mics)?


According to "the internet" H2 and H4 use identical capsules.

Per had some examples of H4 mic recordings.

www.myspace.com/philipshamino
has some live band recordings made with an H2 on a mic stand in front of 
the band,
...it's mp3'd and myspace'd but gives a pretty good idea of what the H2 is
capable. The recordings are normalized and then boosted 3dB with hard 
limiting( which
just takes down a few enthusiastic drum hits). No EQ used.

The H2, (and H4 afaik) has a couple of interesting drawbacks.
1) line level input is -10dB with absolutely no headroom, so don't put it 
on 
    an FOH output without an attenuator of some kind.
2) The only volume control in the analog domain is a 3 position gain 
switch. All
   other volume controls, including limiter, are in the digital domain 
after the AD
   converters. So in simple terms "it doesn't have a volume control".

 andy


> 
> 2. Other Solutions:
> It seems that this is a product area with not that much competition. 
>Even looking at some of those digital ministudios by e.g. Boss, Fostex, 
>Tascam/Teac etc., most of them (and all of them in the sub-€1000 price 
>range) can only record two tracks at once.
> The only exception here seems to be the Edirol R-44 (thanks, Norm, for 
>mentioning that one). With that, you get four combo XLR-1/4'' inputs, 
>built-in stereo mic and even a SPDIF input and can record from any stereo 
>combination of these to up to two stereo tracks at once. It's only 
>downside is the price tag, which is roughly three and a half Zoom H2.
> 
> Norm, could you please go into your experiences regarding the sound 
>quality (again, mostly pres and internal mics)?
> 
>       Rainer
> 
>