Post by Anyone used a Zoom H2n yet? I'm interested in the 'surround sound' option.
Can the 'Audio Montage' section of Wavelab LE7 do anything with the two
stereo tracks of the H2n 'surround' option?
Got one today. The good news, it fires up fairly quickly into 'record' and
starts with a single button press, so will replace my ancient microcassette
for capturing my magic moment gems before my memory fades. It does record
surround sound in 4 or 2 channel (mixed) modes or XY or MS 2 channel stereo.
It's fairly easy to playback the immediate recording but less easy to
playback previous recordings. It has an 'up/down/press' navigation/playback
button which has a very light 'press' spring so not easy to select 'up'. The
recorder's file system seems to only show 4 channel surround files if the
mic setting is 4 channel surround, ditto for 2 channel stereo files. When
you d/l via USB the main folders are '4ch' and 'stereo' with 9 subfolders in
each. You can't move files between the folders on the recorder, just select
folder in advance of recording. The d/l 4ch files show up as a SR001MS.WAV
and SR001XY.WAV pair so you can id which is which. The 'stereo' folder files
can be renamed in the recorder but only 8 digits, the 4ch files can't be
renamed (probably wise).
Although it records in various bitrate WAV format and mp3 (for stereo only)
it's a proprietary format so the SD can't be read directly on a PC, only via
USB (don't know if Zoom have a direct SD reader app like Roland). It can act
as a 2 channel (XY, MS or 2ch surround) audio input via USB and can be
powered via USB PSU (but not powered by a PC other than as storage or audio
input device AFAICS).
It has a tuner and a metronome, 40-250 BPM with 0.1 BPM increments, 0/4-8/4
and 6/8, various audio click, stick, cowbell etc.precount . The metronome is
only audible via the line out so in theory you could record a lengthy part
to a set BPM and later transfer later to a DAW in sync, for accompanyment
(or at least your practice recordings can be in time).
The MS pair are facing forwards with the XY facing rearwards, probably best
for 4ch surround but not ideal for monitoring the display for XY only,
better reversed IMO.
No case/bag or USB cable supplied. 2GB SD (takes up to 32GB, [1mb/stereo
sec. at 44.1k 16bit PCM WAV approx.]) Wavelab LE and alkiline batteries
supplied. Camera tripod mount thread underside, ext 3.5mm mic input for XY
only. 2.5mm input for remote (not supplied but record/pause/mark on stereo
jack).
Sound quality, so far the XY sounding better than the MS but haven't had it
long enough to iknow. Live, good for eaves dropping on public transport
passengers.
--
icarusi