Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder

Product Description

Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder , Fender G Dec 30 Thirty Electric Guitar Amplifier , Line 6 Pod Hd 500 , Line 6 Floorpod Plus , Behringer Ultrabass Bxl450 45 Watt 2 Channel , From the Manufacturer It's a simple idea: provide brilliant stereo recording in an easy-to-use, ultra-portable device. Now everyone can record pristine audio in an infinite variety of applications. From seminars and conferences, to electronic news gathering (ENG) and podcasting, to musical performances, songwriting sessions and rehearsals, the H2 provides amazing recording quality. And no matter what kind of music you perform or the instrument you play, the H2 can effortlessly record it in high-quality stereo.
Why Four Mics are Better Than Two 90° Pattern Record from the front at 90° 120° Pattern Record from the front at 120° The H2 is the only portable recorder with 4 mic capsules on-board for 360° recording. With 4 mic capsules in a W-X/Y configuration, the audio is decoded instantly, bringing these four signals together for unparalleled stereo imaging.
But the H2 doesn't stop there. For maximum flexibility, you can record from the front of the H2 in a 90° pickup pattern or the rear of the H2 in a 120° pickup pattern at up to 96 kHz/24-bit resolution as a WAV file, or as an MP3 file at bitrates up to 320 kbps. Additionally, you can record in a 360° pickup pattern at up to 48kHz/24-bit resolution which will allow you to convert your recordings to 5.1 Surround.
Push a Button... That's all it takes to start recording! The H2 is a remarkably robust device that is incredibly easy to use. One button recording, gain controls on the side and an intuitive user interface mean you can always capture the moment. Set your levels, push record and go. It's that simple. Or use the Auto Start and Auto Gain Control functions to ensure complete capture at the right level. And if you need to fine-tune your levels on the fly, we made it easy with gain control buttons on the front panel.
Play it Back! Play your recordings on your home audio system with its 1/8" stereo output or listen to your masterpiece with headphones. Or, use the H2's USB interface to move your recordings to your Mac or PC to listen, edit and share.
The H2 records on Secure Digital (SD) media and a 512MB SD card is included. The unit can accommodate up to a 16GB SD card, allowing up to 24 hours of total recording time using the 16-bit/44.1kHz WAV format. At 128kbps MP3, you get an amazing 280 hours of stereo recording. Store your recordings on a PC or Mac with its USB 2.0 interface. And you can use its time stamping function for reference during production. Or use the H2 as a USB Mic for recording directly to a computer.
What's Life Without Accessories? The H2 comes with earbuds, 1/8 inch stereo to RCA cable, mic clip adapter, tripod stand, USB cable, AC adapter and a 512MB SD card.
Ultimate Convenience The H2 weighs 4 ounces and fits in your pocket for the ultimate in portability and convenience. Two standard alkaline AA batteries will give you 4 hours of continuous operation and a backlit display means it's always easy to use in any situation.
Enjoy Your Brilliance Brilliant stereo recording in a convenient, user-friendly package means there's never been an easier way to record high quality audio. The H2 gives everyone the power to record anything and share it with anyone, anywhere. You'll be amazed by your sound.
Features:

• W-XY mic patterns with 4 mic capsules and signal processing allows Front 90° cardioid, Rear 120° cardioid and 360° polar patterns
• Built-in USB 2.0 interface
• Records in WAV 96kHz/48kHz/44.1kHz at 16-bit or 24-bit, MP3 to 320kbps and Variable Bit Rate (VBR) data formats
• Time Stamp and Track Marker functions in Broadcast WAV Format (BWF)
• 512MB SD memory card included
• Accommodates up to 16GB SD memory cards
• Auto Gain Control (AGC) for pristine recordings
• Auto Start function means you're always ready to record
• Low-cut filter eliminates wind noise
• On-board chromatic Guitar/Bass tuner

H2 Handy Recorder Features at a Glance The H2 Handy Recorder brings the ultimate in functionality and versatility to portable digital recording. A clear, backlit display features recording levels, time code, file name and remaining battery life. LEDs indicate Front, Rear, 2 Channel or 4 Channel modes and the recording angle: 90°, 120° or 360°. An Active Mic LED is on the front and back of the H2. Transport controls include one button recording, playback and pause, fast forward and rewind. Use the Menu key to enter the control menu and the cursor keys to navigate through the feature sets.
Within the menu, set recording parameters such as direction and polar pattern, activate the Auto Start function and set file format. And you'll find additional settings like Auto Gain Control to make sure your recordings are always pristine. And you can fine-tune your levels on the fly with the Record Level buttons on the front.
On the left side of the H2 is a 1/8" Phone/Line Output for monitoring and playback. Playback Volume, Power On and the AC power are located here as well.
On the right side of the H2, you can plug in a powered 1/8" external stereo mic. Setting levels is easy with a Mic Gain slider for Low/Medium/High gain. You can also digitize analog recordings with the 1/8" Line In.
Use the USB 2.0 Interface to move your files to a PC or Mac for storage, editing and playback. The time stamp function is great for reference during production. And you can even use the H2 as a USB mic and record directly to your favorite digital audio software.
For brilliant stereo recording, and plenty of extras, there's never been a simpler or more functional solution than the H2 Handy Recorder from Zoom.
Please note: The Zoom H2 will not mount as a USB Drive on MAC OS X 10.5.0 Leopard unless you update to H2 Firmware version 1.2 or higher.
Choose the Right Polar Pattern for the Best Recording in any Situation
Choose the Right Polar Pattern for the Best Recording in any Situation 90° Pattern Record from the front at 90° 120° Pattern Record from the front at 120°
Record your band rehearsals in 360° brilliant stereo. 90° Pattern Record from the front at 90°


This review is from: Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder (Electronics)
What an amazing product! As a vocal performer, I consider it a stereo mike with a built-in recorder. And the sound is far superior to the thin audio signal of most digital recorders -- the Zoom's built-in condenser mikes deliver rich, full-bodied sound.

I've been using portable recording technology for 40 years -- from reel to reel to cassette to mini-disk to digital devices -- and nothing has been as easy to use as this unit! There's little need for an external mike, so no cable jumbles. No moving parts, so no self-generated noise from motors. Nothing to load onto the device, it comes ready to record out of the box. Best of all, no time or software to convert an arcane proprietary format to a .wav file -- this thing records .wavs or .mp3 files! With multiple settings for bit rates/sampling rates. To get the audio onto your desktop, you just use a USB cable and drag the files over! A day after getting the device I conducted three great tests with the Zoom:

TEST ONE -- Was to place it in our church balcony overlooking 9 piece orchestra and our 20-person chorus performing a holiday concert. (This was a last minute idea before a concert -- but the result was unbelievable: jaw dropping sound for everyone who heard the recording.) This little Zoom, sitting 40 feet back, above the performance, faithfully reproduced the rich strings, percussion and chorus with a blend so beaufiful, it rivaled the multi-track recording I did using conventional gear(mikes, cables, digital multi-track recorders)down on the floor. Our choir director was ecstatic, saying "now we've got a simpler way to capture these things!"

TEST TWO -- Was to place the Zoom atop an upright piano in our living room as our 21 and 24 year old jammed for a half hour on the keyboard. The unit recorded them beautifully with no distortion -- yes, no distortion even though it was SITTING ATOP THE PIANO!(You can select the units mike sensitivity.)

TEST THREE -- I placed the Zoom on a table between my sister and I, as we did our annual family history reminiscing at Christmas. Again, I got a beautiful stereo recording -- my sister in one speaker, me in another -- this time, by using the built in mikes at the 360-degree surround stereo setting.

SUMMARY -- Frankly, I can't say enough good about this recorder. For the price it's an absolute steal! The sound is as good as I can get with my AKG and AudioTechica mikes -- any of which cost more than this device! My advice for anyone purchasing it is to invest in a 4GB SD card for the device. That will give you a good 5+ hours of high quality recording time.