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Test of new Zoom H4n!

Discussion in 'Useful resources' started by musicusblau, Jun 18, 2010.

  1. musicusblau

    musicusblau Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    I have had the opportunity to test the new Zoom H4n today. I just made a recording for fun and for to test the little built-in microphones. I think, the quality is really not bad. The new Zoom H4n has a remote control (very practical to start and to stop the takes while sitting at the piano). I don´t want to publish this recording on the main-site, btw, because it´s not good enough for my taste (it´s played more or less at site and it´s a bit too slow). Some of the advantages of the new model are: you can put SD-cards up to 32 GB into it (I have only 8 GB), a new larger display, the mikes can be turned from 90 to 120 degree, the case is much more stabil than the old one, also the buttons and there is a stabil plastic case, where the device can be put in, there is a built in loudspeaker, so that you don´t need any more headphones (but the sound-quality is better with headphones, of course), the whole handling is less complicated and easier than with the old model.
    I personally cann´t hear a difference of sound-quality compared with the old model, so the mics seem not really to be improved.

    What do you think of the new Zoom H4n?
     
    musicusblau, Jun 18, 2010
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  2. techneut

    techneut Active Member Piano Society Artist

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    Didn't you post this before ?
    A very good and clean performance, though as you say a bit on the slow side. Not quite enough 'fuoco' here
    and maybe played on safe too much, like take your time for difficult jumps (well, better that than miss them, I suppose).
    I find the sound quality more than decent and would not have guessed you were not using your Neumanns here.
    Personally with a quality like this I would not bother with mikes, power supplies, pre-amps, etc.... Well maybe if you are making a commercial CD, but not for simple Internet listening,
     
    techneut, Jun 18, 2010
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  3. Didier

    Didier Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Hi Andreas,

    nice recording indeed! I was initially suspicious about the benefit from an H4N with respect to the H2 because of this test where I preferred the H2. I agree with Chris that the quality is quite fine for Pianosociety need. However I hear a difference, significant to me but may be not so much to most people, in the above test between both Zooms and the Shure KSM141 microphones and John Hardy preamp. My guess is that most of it comes from the microphones.
    Cheers,
    Didier
     
    Didier, Jun 19, 2010
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  4. musicusblau

    musicusblau Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Thanks for your comment, Chris. I agree, that the Zoom H4n offers enough quality just for internet recordings, but I personally make also CD´s for my private use (and for to make them as a present to my friends and family). In addition to that, it seems, that I personally am a more "audiophile" type than you.



    Thanks for your comment and that very interesting test report, Didier. :D It was a personal gain to read it.
    Didier wrote:
    I agree at hundred percent. I also hear a quite big difference between just the built-in microphones of the Zoom H4n and the H4n with my Neumann KM 184 microphones. That´s a difference of quality like day and night IMO.

    However, I have a new Zoom H4n now. I have sold my old model for a lower price and bought the new model. The improvements are simply convincing...
     
    musicusblau, Jun 26, 2010
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