Zoom - H4N PRO Handy Recorder

Good sound, nice size, pretty reliable. The biggest problem that is still kind of a deal-breaker is how long it takes to power on and boot up, sometimes as long as 20 seconds. When field recording you'll find that you need to start recording as soon as you hear something, which is similar to field photography when you need your camera to be ready to take a picture as soon as you see something. The workaround is to simply leave this thing powered on as you scout for sounds.

Some quick background: I bought my first 4-track recorder in 1989 or 1990, back when it went onto cassette tapes. That was a Tascam Portastudio, with pan and tone dials and sliders for mixing. Since then, I have recorded with an A/D converter into Cubase (early 90s), through a 32-track mixing board onto digital audio tape (mid 90s), and more recently, with a laptop and A/D converter in a few different DAW applications. I have also used several scoring applications, some of which supported audio file imports and VSTs. Finally, I have been a software developer for more than 20 years, doing mostly web applications and some mobile applications. I bring all of this this up because I want to make clear that I'm at least experienced with recording and digital devices, so take this review with that in mind. In short, I find the Zoom H4N to be a great scratchpad, but I certainly would not want to use it for serious recording. As far as recording goes, both the stereo option and what they call 4-channel (meaning two stereo microphones) are a snap to use. Hit one button to get input levels, hit that button again to start recording. There is a neat mark feature as well that lets you put a...er...mark when you want to note another take, another song, etc. These are useful down the road if you want to split the file into separate tracks from the marks. Multitrack recording does not fare as well as the above options. The user interface has actually changed - now you don't hit the same button to record. You also have to set the recording mode purposely, either to record over what you just recorded or to punch in. Both of these together make the H4N feel a little wonky after using other methods (especially tape). It works, but I found myself expecting the H4N to work like it does in the other two recording options and was frustrated a couple of times. The H4N can do a bunch of other things, including the above mentioned split tracks on marks, convert files to MP3, set up file type and bitrate, record automatically, store files in different folders, act as an A/D input to a computer, etc. Frankly, the device is really very cool and I've messed with many bits in it just to see them work. The issue is that everything is hidden behind many layers of menu. It just feels extremely clunky. There is no doubt that the H4N is capable, but you're going to have to work for it. The user interface could use some serious revamping. In a world of cell phones, going back to a clickable scroll wheel reminded me of my first cell phone from 1997, which was not a pleasant reminder. Overall, I like this little device, because I can just hit one button and capture a thought (musically, I mean - it is a little heavy to use for audio note-taking). The recording quality even with the microphones on top is actually really good. I've been surprised as the ability to capture the tone of both a guitar and a harp. That said, there is no chance that I would consider using the H4N to do a real recording. Multitrack is not smooth enough. I have not tried using the H4N as an A/D input to a DAW. That might work well enough, although A/D converters are so inexpensive these days that I can't imagine spending the time to hook this up when I could get a dedicated A/D converter to stay hooked up all the time. Final thoughts: The H4N is a decent device. If you're looking to do some nice recording out in the field, it works pretty well. However, Zoom makes a smaller recorder called the H1N, which can do much of what this device can do, with the exception of multitrack recording. But given how clunky multitrack works, I might recommend the H1N instead. If I wanted to exceed the capability of the H1N, I would probably move to a dedicated DAW.

What are you waiting for i use this unit for all my recording needs , from video production , band recording to documentaries .. this unit goes far more than it's Great Investment , what price would you pay to have lost audio .. now you never have to worry .

I like this recorder. but the only issue I have with it was that I use the max 32 GB sd card and it always takes forever to boot. it works well . also it's a three input device. one stereo and two mono. inbuilt stereo counts as 2 of the four channel advertised.

Best recorder out there. I film weddings and audio can make or break your film. The h4n is a vital part of my kit. It is so versatile with tapping into a soundboard, using as a stand-alone or plugging into your camera. Cant recommend this product enough.

The surround sound image of this device is incredible but if recording and simply touch or scratch the device lightly you hear it. That was a major deal breaker for me as unfortunately I had to return it. Hopefully this is fixed in a later generation.

So I purchased this sound recorder to upgrade my video and podcast prodcast quality. But as it turns out I already had the H2N zoom recorder which has the best omnidirectional microphone for recording table meetings. The two microphones on top of the H4N have a 90 or 120 degree angle and are quite good but the recorder is better utilize with an external mic such as lavalier mics or a boom set up with something like the rode Htn-3 condenser mic. This device drinks batteries and does not come with an adapter so be warned that recording times with 2 AA battery use are about an hour and a half before it dies. Also keep in mind the record button has to be pushed twice. Once for stand by mode to listen to what is being recorded and a second time for live recording.

This unit is great for capturing sound from multiple sources. I have used it as a stand alone recorder and system unit to capture sound for projects. I produce online video content for clients and this thing works out awesome. BIG POINT! This unit boots up slow and interacting with the menu is slow. It is not unbearable, it just put me to where tech was 8 years ago. With apps opening instantly and feeds constantly updated, you have to remember to be mindful in turning the H4n on before you need and spend the time dialing in your settings. Do not rush, BE METHODICAL!