As an avid field recordist I gotta say this review is not that accurate. Any handheld would make that noise if you handled it like that and make pops like that if you talked into it without a dead cat or foam.
No,i own H1N and H5,the second almost does not pick those movement noises but the H1n you can’t hold in the hand cause any little move in your hand will be picked up
The thinner the plastic the louder the handheld noises. My 2 metall recorders are less sensible then my 3 plastic recorders, the thickest of them being the Olympus LS14 and that one has less issues then my both plasticy Tascams. Make the plastic thicker! This improves built quility also. But Zoom and Tascam want lowest costs with biggest earns.
dvs is right, its not a handheld interview mic (who records interviews with XY capsules), obviously its not going to take well plosives without protection. As for handling noise, its the same as the H2N but If you record ambiances or sound effects you dont move it that much. Im not sure it is worst than a Sony pcm.
It's you making the noise and why do you record with usb cable connected and handheld? you are making cable noise so don`t blame the recorder for your faulty handling!
I suspect the handling noise was partly related to the cable attached to the device. I'm surprised you didn't try it without. As for self noise, on forums I follow the specs caused concern right away - the preamps are not the world's best noise-wise. But at this price, should you really expect them to be? I believe that we will now find that all such recorders will be released with 32 bit float, same way as all recorders suddenly did 24/96 back in the day. It would be unwise to think that they will all have stunning performance. 32 bit float can be a great accompaniment to a great preamp. But it can also simply provide the means to not bother with level setting. The noise performance wouldn't be any different with 24/96. Don't go by the 32 bit float bit, go by the price.
It's been awhile since I used the old H1...though it feels a bit worse...especially the handling noise. If I can source one to side by side test them...I will
A low level signal with microphone self-noise, (dead cheap mics on the h1e I presume at that price), room sound, and/or outside noise leakage into the studio space just means you can boost those unwanted sounds up to an intolerable level. 32 bit isn’t a fix for that. Plus the cheap preamp….. Actually, turning the volume down to more ‘like’ a whisper relative to your speech level does take the noise down significantly rather than normalising up to max and it sounds more natural at a lower volume. Speaking directly into condenser mics will always pop like mad. I would use a foamie indoors to do that with any mic. I guess you get what you pay for shows here in that casing. I was hoping that its odd shape was to help stop the case creaking. However, two mics and a recorder at less than $100 (is it?) isn’t that bad. Looking forward to H4e.
I bought one recently. I take it out into nature, lay it down about an arm's length away, and start playing my acoustic guitar. It works perfectly, and that's all I need. I go back to my music studio and download it into Logic Pro. That works perfectly also, and the audio quality is good. I only need one channel, because I'm the only one playing. So multi-channel inputs would be a total waste for me.
I have a couple of the original H1 devices that I've been using for years as lav mic recorders for video interviews. So I rarely use the onboard mics. In fact one of them fell out in a parking lot years ago during a downpour and I only realized a half hour later. Since then the onboard mics don't work well, but no matter, the mic input has worked fine. I assume this thing has a hold switch on it right? I've not seen anyone mention that. I never bought the H1N because of the volume knob. Last thing you want is someone throwing this in their pocket with the lav on and the levels changing on you because they turn the knob. Glad to see they nixed the knob on this one. I have heard that this one does not have manual gain control at all. I don't know how much that would be an issue with 32bit float. Curious to know about that. I'm also not a fan of the two AAA batteries (why has multiple AAA become all the rage with new electronics over single AA?) this things needs, but that's still better than having a built-in li-Ion battery like all these new wireless lav mics have. Whereas the original H1 only takes one AA battery. Which is nice. I also like the 1TB SD card option on this one. It's hard to find lower capacity micro SD cards these days. I realize I'm kind of old school since a lot of video creators have switched to wireless lav mics these days. I probably should too, but I'm still using my zoom H1 recorders because the system works. So it's been one of those if it ain't broke don't fix it problems. Really all Zoom needs to do is just rerelease the original H1 with 32bit and expanded SD storage and I think everyone would be thrilled. But it seems they keep trying to reinvent the wheel.
@@drdj2626 Oh it's still working on mine. It's just an issue because it gets bumped easily and changes to a different value which makes the whole recording unusable. Has been a problem so often that I think about getting rid of it.
The "H" does not stand for "handheld"; it stands for "handy". EDC would be a near synonym for handy. I wouldn't expect such an inexpensive portable recorder to be immune from handling noise. The tripod mount is where a shock mount goes if you need that functionality.
Help! Just got mine, despite reading many negative reviews. It will not connect to my Windows 11 PC for file transfer. It just locks up the computer. It won't even reboot! It literally sat for 30 minutes "Rebooting". I turned off the H1 and then the PC reboots. I thought it was conflicting with the same drive letter assigned to my removable SD card reader, which it was. So I reassigned the drive letter for the card reader. Now the drive letter appears but it still freezes Windows explorer. I updated the firmware on the H1 essential to the latest 1.10 too. Every other external device I have (lots) works fine. HELP! Any ideas?
Was very glad to see them including speech output on these units. More products in general should have screen readers. It's a huge barrier for blind peeps if all the new touch screen tech so obviously lacks this. The handling noise is aweful, but I owned the H1 for many years and just mounted it and walked away. Kinda defeats the portable thing though, true. I'm thinking about the h4Essential. H1 is a little too skimpy for my needs. cheers
Yes I really hear the handling noise in this video, but many portable recorders of this size have equally offensive handling noise, my old Sony IC-BP220 had terrible handling noise, and my Olympus DM-720 also has handling noise that can be pretty noticeable if you're not careful. The speech output options are incredible and I know several blind people who'd love a recorder like this because of that.
The sound from touching the case was also a problem in my old H4n Pro, so I switched to F3 and external microphones because... any movement of the hand turned into unnecessary noise
Kia ora. As a blind user this is an interesting review. I wonder whether Rycote will come out with a set of accessories as they have in the past? That might solve the appalling plosives. However, if I were to buy this I'd stick a decent lav on the end of it because it would be used as accessible, independent audio for video. Shame about the preamps. Zoom hasn't exactly been known for the best ones in town and this seems like a lost opportunity on their part, particularly as Samuel Green of Zoom US is on record as saying that they were upgraded to support the 32-bit. Cheers for the heads-up. Ngā mihi.
I've been doing some tests with the H1E, I've made a recording with a dummy microphone plugged into the external mic socket, to eliminate the internal mics. In a spectrum analyser, the noise at 1000 Hz, is at -114db, the worse noise is at 25Hz, -74db. If I listen to the file with the volume turned up to maximum on my Roland interface, and good headphones, I can can only just detect the noise. At normal listening levels the noise is absent.
Appreciate the review but can you suggest an alternative in this price range and small form factor? I'm assuming it's better than the original h1n in some ways. Fully expecting it to have a lot of shortcomings but should still have a place and purpose.
I wish they would just add 32bit as a basic feature instead of using it as a marketing gimmick while not upgrading the 2014 pre-amps / capsules. I just bought the H1e and will try it out myself, most of the negatives mentioned (handling noise, EIN of 120) are present on the H1n and I still think it's great to have in my bag wherever I go. I really wanted it to be less noisy than the H1n but oh well. I look forward to the review of the H4e! (I think I already know the verdict though)
Plug in some external Primo EM272's and the gain is quite impressive (about 6db ish), and no noise. I've just ripped out the original capsules and replaced them, ok it's more sensitive, and louder, so it would bring in maybe unwanted sounds, but you can lower the levels in post by 6db and that should be a little better compared to the originals which seem to be quite noisy.
Sry . Where to get a new display for my H6, its milkWhite in the frame, workd for 1 ½ year :( I remove battery when not in use, any ? know why the displayscreen get milkWhite, I tryéd to set it a lower brightness, sry to interupt here.
I was wondering if you've been able to use the new h2essential yet? I'd love to know how the mics and pre-amps compare to this and the other essential recorders. Would love to get it if the noise is significantly less than the h1e.
Sad. I pre-ordered one of these to replace my Sony PCM-A10 with 32 bit float capabilities. It hasn't shipped yet. I'm going to do my own comparison between the two but it sounds like the older Sony is still superior to the H1 Essential. I'll definitely have to do a handling test between the two. The Sony was double the price of the H1 Essential. So, I guess it should be a superior product despite its lack of 32-bit float.
Big fan of your reviews, but I think you may have missed an important aspect, market, for these H1 "handheld" recorders in your review... filmmakers use them as body pack recorders with a lavalier mic. I know you're going to say... get the F2, but the H1 does offer some added benefits for a no/low budget filmmaker. Anyway, I finally subscribed to your channel, thanks for the thorough reviews. I always check your channel when I'm looking at new equipment.
And lecture/sermon stuff. I use them for funeral graveside recordings with headsets. We even used h1 and headset in a wired mode via laptop to stream during the covid lockdowns from the Pastor's home.
From my understanding, 32 bit float does not mean clean audio at any gain. It is helpful when source is loud or can bring bursts of loud sounds unexpectedly - there is more headroom to accommodate that extra dynamic range. But the preamp and microphones are a real bottleneck, as you've seen in ASMR test, and there is nothing wrong about it - device is designed for loud sources. If you make a quiet source loud, you will always bring the noise floor up, in this case, floor is not that low to begin with. Note that there are no real 32 bit preamp in these devices, they use staged multi-preamp structure, like multiple preamps set at different gain settings. Normalization process is actually just shifting everything up, throwing away unused dynamic range at the higher range. So it's really a problem of preamp and mic self-noises, not the recorder part
Yes, the 32 bit float stuff is purely in the A/D converter. Garbage in, garbage out. Not that the recorder is necessarily any more garbagy than any other at this price.
Dang, I literally ordered this half an hour ago and should be here in a few days. Anyway, I'll go ahead with it and give it a test on field recordings and foley stuff. 32bit is perfect as a handy "every day recorder" to replace the H1n thats always in my backpack. Anyway, sad to hear Zoom have released another questionable series of records, especially after the pretty badly received M2 and M4 MicTrak series. Such a shame because they can make decent stuff. I absolutely love my F3 since the day I bought it.
as someone who's visually impaired the screen reader is a godsend. Sony also has the same with their newer cameras stay healthy and choose from the Philippines
planning on uploading TH-cam videos where is sing songs from different genres in a one-take performance format. I sing everything from pop to heavy metal. what mixer or audio interface would you recommend for me so that I am able to make those covers in a one-day performance format. all I really need is one XLR port for a microphone and another input that would take stereo so that I can connect a smartphone that has the song instrumental. I would need the device to be phone friendly so that I simply record the cover using the phone's built-in audio recorder, XLR microphone and song instrumental included. a sighted friend would simply help me sync the audio and video in post. no need for any additional cuts transitions or effects. any advice would be much appreciated. @@DarkCornerStudios
How’s the handling noise compared to the original H1 or H1n? Handling noise was never great on those units, but curious if you’ve used either before. Miss the little mic cage!
I have been waiting for something like H1e for a while and got bummed when I saw your review. But after considering and watching other reviews and tests, and think I will go for it anyway despite the issues you highlight. The formfactor, price and 32bit seems to put the drawbacks behind with just a mules hair. Thanks for your review that made me stop and give it some extra considerations.
I plan on using it for music while mounted on a tripod, so, the handheld noise issue isn't a problem for me. I need to learn about "EIN level" stuff, tho, maybe. But it's not for finished project recording work, just sketch work, so also probably not critical.
EIN is basically used to deternine how much analog noise you can expect at a certain preamp gain level typically maximum gain where it performs at it's best and with a 150 ohm load on the input. -129dBu is pretty much the standard and about as quiet as it gets, so -120dB is quite a shortcoming, However with the built in mics this doesn't matter because they're condenser mics which need much less gain and have their own self noise that would eclipse a not-so-quiet preamp anyway. It's really only an issue if you're using dynamic mics.
Do you know if it’s possible to record an MP3 on the zoom H1 essential? I saw a review of someone using it and did not notice it mentioned anywhere. It’s OK if it doesn’t, I got a 128 gig SD card. Also wondering what lithium batteries I can use, I don’t know much about those but wanted to get one.
@@robrarker Maybe I was thinking a different recorder, I had looked at a few of them. Can confirm it does not have MP3, I received the recorder on Tuesday. 32 bit float is amazing! Put a 128 GB SD card in it, which works very well, now we’re just waiting for my lithium AAA batteries
Looking forward to your H4/6 e reviews, I’m thinking of upgrading my H4n Pro, but it looks like the H4e takes a hit to its max SPL vs the H4n (130 vs 140 db).
Hi, thank you for doing this Zoom Essential series dive. I'd like to know compared to the H1n, does it delivered better noise performance? Better built-in microphones, better built-in amp? Etc. Cheers! = )
Thanks for the video. After a lifetime (virtually) of working in audio, I had to look up EIN from this...!!! Goes to show, you never cease to learn new jargon. 🙂 OK, so it's self-noise, but is it from the mics or the pre-amps? It might be worth plugging an external mic into the H1's 1/4 inch jack and testing again, maybe? I'll likely get the unit regardless. I'm a big fan of the original H1 (a really fast and versatile little recorder), and really ANY improvement is a good thing, and the new one does seem to have some significant advantages. BTW the H1 handling noise was always pretty bad. The simple solution is to buy a screw-fit foam handle. Inexpensive and helps a lot. Cheers and thanks again!
P.S. Pity they have noisy pre-amps. I think it's a market position choice rather than a legit tech limitation. I have both an F8NPro and an F6 and they're as clean as a whistle... but $$$! Oh well. @@DarkCornerStudios
@@HeathcliffBlair funny...the h6 has -120...and it's interesting...because it IS usable...it's just that it is 11 years old!! Best EIN for Zoom recorders is the H8
Cool but I was talking about the two higher end Zoom 32bit float recorders - F6 and F8NPro. Very quiet pre-amps which, some say, are on par with uber costly Sound Devices gear. In general, I think Zoom are pretty good at catering to a range of budgets and usages, but with quality levels to match. Folks have to do their homework.The likes of your channel and Curtis Judd's are great for that. Cheers. @@DarkCornerStudios
I had high expectations with the h1 but seeing your video maybe I should lower them a little. I am a wedding photographer and videographer and I was thinking of buying an h1 to connect it to the DJ's console output do you think that for this use it is a good tool or the problem of the hiss sound applies in line recording too?
I think you should have let them know the thing was defective and done a review on a working unit. you could have mentioned "the first one i got from them was defective" and it would still be enough. But yours obviously is not right for the screen glitch. Second. Why arent you using the cable that comes with it? the rode cable could have done something to the unit and we wouldn't know. Your review is a little untrustworthy
Lol...first off...that "glitch" is just a byproduct of filming the screen at 30fps. I'll let you google that one on your own But the cable? You mean the copper usb cable I used? I would love to know what you think a normal usb cable would have done to the unit to cause these issues? Again...I'll leave that to you to Google. FYI...THERE WAS NO CABLE THAT CAME WITH THE UNIT. Do just a touch of research before you try to champion a product or company. Also...the video I released on Sunday might be of interest to you
Thanks for the honesty. I got one last week and everything you said was exactly my experience and thoughts. It would have been awesome years ago but now it's a too little too late and poorly executed. If they spent some time actually using what they designed then maybe they would have been able to fill in the gaps prior to release. It's almost like they designed it but never tested it 😂 I do like the ability to normalize the audio internally though. I'll be keeping mine to use with a lavalier on the go. Funny part about all of this was that I bought this thinking it was going to be an end all upgrade to the H1n and I immediately missed my physical mic gain control nob. So I had to go out and re-buy an H1n. Now that I think 🤔 of it, maybe they made this so they could sell more older models 😂
As I know most EIN of recorders only apply to recorder's preamp in practices. We need to distinguish it with build-in mic's self-noise which usually bad that manufacturers are unwilling to list it on the spec sheet
I've been doing some tests with the H1E, I've made a recording with a dummy microphone plugged into the external mic socket, to eliminate the internal mics, and room noise. In a spectrum analyser, the noise at 1000 Hz, is at -114db, the worse noise is at 25 Hz, -74db. If I listen to the file with the volume turned up to maximum on my Roland interface, and good headphones, I can only just detect the noise. At normal listening levels the noise is absent.
Thanks for this. I currently use an H1n. With the Rode Lav 2 that gets great results (and eliminates the handling noise issue). But I was interested in the 32 bit float feature. I usually manage to get the gain pretty ok; but it would be nice to have that insurance for if I get too loud. But having seen your vid I think I'll hang fire on the Essential for a bit. Maybe see if prices come down or CEX get some in. Oh, you probably already know this, but you can use the H1n as a USB mic.
Perhaps it's because I don't record in the field...But I don't see all the panic about clipping. Position the mics, set the levels. Is everyone recording next to a jet engine test facility or something? I've never had an interview or podcast setting result in any kind of clipping from coughing, laughing etc.
It can happen...especially for inexperienced users. But I've used the h5 for years in the field and I don't think ove ever gotten bad audio. I learned at an early age how to set gain though
Love your honesty! Can't wait for the H6 to see how the new variation of the mics are and if they can handle the dynamic range of 135dB (I record gunshots for my audiobooks) --- Cheers! Michael
@@DarkCornerStudios No worries, I do have their F3 that has 32 bit and have recorded some great gun shots in the desert with it using a stereo audio technica mic--- so I know they can make decent gear, they just need to apply the mindset on their f series into their new H4 and H6! fingers crossed---
I ordered one of these, then found this video and promptly changed the order to a H4e. The one issue you raised that would be relevant to me is the close up recording. I use a digital recorder to record snare and high hat when the band plays live and have it very close to the drums (due to space). My current recorder is compressing the HH quite noticeable and it’s only on 1 on the record level. I’m hoping the H4 will fair better. It’s over kill for what i use it for but it seems more versatile (i watched your review straight after). My only negative about your reviews is you have a lot of low end bump going on. It’s obviously boosted to your liking, but is not helping with the hand holding issues. Even the SM58 didn’t sound natural. Still, your videos have been helpful.
I am not an expert in audio. I wanted to get a field recorder for filmmaking and was excited when I saw this announced. But don't know what to make of it after seeing this video. Are you saying it isn't much of an upgrade over the H1n. Which would you recommend (H1n vs H1 Essential) for field recording and occasionally voice? I plan to use it mounted on a mini tripod after hearing the handling sounds.
For handheld audio...there isn't much on the market at this price. However...I would suggest holding out if you can...I think Zoom and other companies will be launching more
@@RadioCamp Thanks! It's the affordability. I'm stretching to get the H1. If not the H1, I would be using my smartphone/camera (with a tiny Rode videoMicro mic) to record sounds. Wouldn't you say the H1 is a far better option?
I've had the original h2 since it first launched. Great with the built in mics or line in. Hissy pre amp on the external mic input and not good in terms of handling noise. Here we are more than 15 years later and the issues still haven't been addressed.
I think that is my greatest frustration. Lots of people talking about the original H1n...saying it was noisy too...and had bad handling. I mean...is it too much to ask for more than an aesthetic upgrade?
@@DarkCornerStudios I'm not keen on the look of the H1 Essential. I like the retro H2! And must say I've had my money's worth from it as it still works. I look forward to your reviews of the others. We've known how to prevent handling noise in mics for decades (just watch some lively pop performances from the 1960s) but manufacturers seem to think this is an area where they can cut corners.
Excuse me while i beat this drum again. I've hated Zoom products since using the H1. It has plug in power on the mic/line in with no way to turn it off. Now i know not too many use the line in but it's an inexpensive way to record off a board. But it's also inexcusable to push 2V to a line out on a board. I hear they finally fixed this on this unit. 2 generations later.
I've got a ton of Zooms, including the "Handy / H" Series going way back to the original H1 and H4n to the newer H1n, H5, and H6 and I've never really considered any of them to be "Handheld", because all the 1 series had such bad handling noise. Most of the time, I used the H1 series as just a recorder to plug lav mics into, so although I agree the new Essential H1 is probably just as bad as a handheld as the older H1 models, (the original H1 still probably worst I've ever had), it could still be a low cost 32-bit body pack to record from a lav for example. The downside is you still need to buy a good lav mic, bringing it up to the price of the F2, which has a decent included mic.
Thanks for talking about accessibility (thanks for each and every person in the comments for talking about it too, it's super appreciated!). You can't imagine the amount of blind people excited by this series of Zoom recorders, it's just a huge deal for all of us. Imagine you had no screen and you had to memorize all the menus (two clicks down, Enter, Enter, three clicks up… oh no, I made four clicks, starting over!) or you had to ask your wife/husband/sister/brother/colleague/random person to spell out all the menus for you to make a cheat sheet - this was the reality for all of us and it still is for those who are not buying one of those recorders. Yes, there were some talking recorders made by Olympus, but the preamp quality was… not Zoom, let's say, also no pop/wind filters seemed to be available for them.
Good review. I like Zoom gear, but I'm still using my good old Roland R-05 and so far it fits my needs, while I have it for 10 years (if not a bit more).
I wish Zoom would do an updated H2n, that is a great little recorder, although the sd card is ridiculously fragile and mine broke after a year, so an upgrade and more sturdy sd card slot would be good.
@RicoB87 current tech would indicate it's possible. Most preamps being released these days are well North of -125...closing in on -130. I think this is something that is needing a severe makeover. Perhaps not by Zoom...but I bet someone is gonna step up
I really appreciate this video cause I was just about to buy one of these and you gave me enough good information to decide not to. I would be really curious what the best "field" recorder is these days is within the $100 price range? (portable for recording spontaneous audio out and about) Was really hoping the H1Essential would be it...
so.. interesting video. watched all three and as I plan a jump into 32bit float. I project is an archive project with members of my community which happens to be in the Balkans. I am looking to do some traveling with a bmpcc4k and looking at the h1 on a stick to get the audio. I will be in mountain towns and this looks like a good solution for a one man team-ish. seeing how u placed the recorder it sounds good to me with my pc bar speakers....
*cough* H4n Pro *cough* Although I would caution you to wait...usually a lineup like this means a new "pro" lineup is close behind...by either Zoom or another company
@@DarkCornerStudios Welp, I've always found in life that there are those "but then again" moments where one should wait -- looks like this is one of those moments.
Accessibility should just be a thing. AVRs TVs washing machines you get the pick. Everything should talk. Like ahim what's with companies? Do they think us the blind don't use or do anything?
The H4 was better...and the H5 was leaps and bounds better. Again though...considerably MUCH older tech...and I don't think it is too much to expect a company to progress over a decade
if you’re mad about that talking voice, you can go into settings and turn it off. It’s for blind people. Didn’t watch the video yet. Just wanted to point it out.
H1e is a massive step backwards for me. I still use the H1 and I have it in my shirt pocket attached to the buttonhole with an elasticband The H1e is a much more unwieldy form factor.. which doesn’t matter for the higher models in this range, but for the H1 is very frustrating I would happily pay 3-4x the price if they’d have focused on an H1 sized compact form factor WITH CAGE but also with the best possible microphones and preamps
I own a number of Zoom products. F8n to mixers and a number of handheld recorders. H1 with 32bit float recording is amazing at this price point. You'd have to be a complete idiot to hold it like you did. If I used one of my high end mic's like you handled the H1 it would sound like absolute crap. This review is filled with user error - ignor and use common sense.
thank you for this. I had been thinking of updating from my H2N for doing field recordings and thought that 32bit would mean an end to having to get out the Izotope RX but it seems not so. Also I have a bit of tremor so that body noise would be an issue. Off to watch your H4 video now.
PS in case you still think you "got" me...I was talking about the quality of plastic. There is a SEVERE difference in plastics, and traditionally, Zoom has some of the worst on the market. But you go on and keep being butthurt over a tech review
Ah, I just got my Sweetwater notice my H1 Essential is shipping haha. All great points and I'm glad to hear this feedback. My intended use for this is exclusively using line-in recording out of my DJ controller/mixer, so handling noise isn't a huge concern to me, and having 32 bit means I can let the levels ride and adjust post. Also, $100 price for H1 is appealing because sometimes, people can be butter fingers with their drinks over gear haha. BUT, again, your points are valid, and I low key hope it takes Tascam to make an updated DR recorder. I personally own the Portacapture X8 and always loved that product.
@@DarkCornerStudios So a fun update for you once I got the H1 & used it for my intentional purpose: I plugged it into one of my mixer’s outputs for a 4-hour club gig I did Saturday, and the ENTIRE time, I got an “Input Overload” message as my recording proceeded, although in my mixer, I never clipped/peaked/hit the reds. Listening back on device: sounds CLIPPED TO ALL HELL 🤣 I tried the on-device normalize feature, and I got a message that reads “File edited outside the H1E” No idea what that means, and no mention of it anywhere on Zoom’s site. So yeah…this may be a swift return for me 🤣
@@DarkCornerStudios Yeah, I sent them an inquiry and also got in touch with the Sweetwater Support team just in case. I do have an audio file and a video of these issues if you're interested in seeing them as this videos keep popping off for you, haha. Let me know and I can email those to you!
Lol...the H series of recorders are VERY well known amongst journalists. These aren't supposed to be perfectly quiet...but...this was a bit much. And again...the "h" literally stands for handheld
@TheLefse well...not in the booth. Have you not heard of streeters? Or run and gun reporting? It's not the stuff that gets headlines...but I bet you have heard the Zoom series of "handhelds" in almost every newscast you hear.
@@DarkCornerStudios Hey! Just a quick FYI - the "H" in Zoom's lineup actually stands for "Handy," not handheld. Its about making their recorders portable and easy to use. Just a little mix-up, but hey, easy mistake to make! I'll leave the rest to the crowd to point out. 😊
On recording methodology in general - When I worked in Hollywood in the 60s and 70s, THE method used to record Foley field sounds was a 3" reel to reel Marantz analog tape recorder. No normalize. No hiss reduction. No changing anything once it's on tape. "Editing" meant a razor blade and Scotch tape. That same tape deck was also used now and then to record dialog in the field. Those analog audio engineers did what all engineers do. They make things work given the tools at hand. They don't blame the tools.
@DrLumpyDMus lol...I'm not blaming the tools. I am a reviewer. A company released a product that was inferior than what the market expected. They released a product as an update to their lineup...WITH WORSE SPECS!! And somehow you think I need to excuse such behavior because in the past hiss was a thing? Shall I just give every product a pass because in the 60s there was a hiss and engineers dealt with it? Makes for a pretty bad reviewer if you ask me
As an avid field recordist I gotta say this review is not that accurate. Any handheld would make that noise if you handled it like that and make pops like that if you talked into it without a dead cat or foam.
Lol...
Just that.
No,i own H1N and H5,the second almost does not pick those movement noises but the H1n you can’t hold in the hand cause any little move in your hand will be picked up
The thinner the plastic the louder the handheld noises. My 2 metall recorders are less sensible then my 3 plastic recorders, the thickest of them being the Olympus LS14 and that one has less issues then my both plasticy Tascams. Make the plastic thicker! This improves built quility also. But Zoom and Tascam want lowest costs with biggest earns.
dvs is right, its not a handheld interview mic (who records interviews with XY capsules), obviously its not going to take well plosives without protection. As for handling noise, its the same as the H2N but If you record ambiances or sound effects you dont move it that much. Im not sure it is worst than a Sony pcm.
@yanns559 reporters.
Same reporters that do scene sound capture.
Ever seen a scrum?
It's you making the noise and why do you record with usb cable connected and handheld? you are making cable noise so don`t blame the recorder for your faulty handling!
По юсб идет цифровой сигнал, умник. Изучи для начала разницу цифровых и аналоговых сигналов перед тем, как писать бред.
what is your rec for a sub $100 audio recorder that has better noise floor than h1 essential ? thanks
I suspect the handling noise was partly related to the cable attached to the device. I'm surprised you didn't try it without. As for self noise, on forums I follow the specs caused concern right away - the preamps are not the world's best noise-wise. But at this price, should you really expect them to be? I believe that we will now find that all such recorders will be released with 32 bit float, same way as all recorders suddenly did 24/96 back in the day. It would be unwise to think that they will all have stunning performance. 32 bit float can be a great accompaniment to a great preamp. But it can also simply provide the means to not bother with level setting. The noise performance wouldn't be any different with 24/96. Don't go by the 32 bit float bit, go by the price.
All the mentioned negatives apply to the old H1n as well, without a side-by-side I can't tell if the problems are worse on the new one or not.
It's been awhile since I used the old H1...though it feels a bit worse...especially the handling noise.
If I can source one to side by side test them...I will
A low level signal with microphone self-noise, (dead cheap mics on the h1e I presume at that price), room sound, and/or outside noise leakage into the studio space just means you can boost those unwanted sounds up to an intolerable level. 32 bit isn’t a fix for that. Plus the cheap preamp…..
Actually, turning the volume down to more ‘like’ a whisper relative to your speech level does take the noise down significantly rather than normalising up to max and it sounds more natural at a lower volume.
Speaking directly into condenser mics will always pop like mad. I would use a foamie indoors to do that with any mic.
I guess you get what you pay for shows here in that casing. I was hoping that its odd shape was to help stop the case creaking. However, two mics and a recorder at less than $100 (is it?) isn’t that bad.
Looking forward to H4e.
Other videos are posting sound examples that sound good in my opinion. Users seems happy with it. Not sure this ones so negative. User error maybe
I bought one recently. I take it out into nature, lay it down about an arm's length away, and start playing my acoustic guitar. It works perfectly, and that's all I need. I go back to my music studio and download it into Logic Pro. That works perfectly also, and the audio quality is good. I only need one channel, because I'm the only one playing. So multi-channel inputs would be a total waste for me.
I have a couple of the original H1 devices that I've been using for years as lav mic recorders for video interviews. So I rarely use the onboard mics. In fact one of them fell out in a parking lot years ago during a downpour and I only realized a half hour later. Since then the onboard mics don't work well, but no matter, the mic input has worked fine.
I assume this thing has a hold switch on it right? I've not seen anyone mention that. I never bought the H1N because of the volume knob. Last thing you want is someone throwing this in their pocket with the lav on and the levels changing on you because they turn the knob. Glad to see they nixed the knob on this one.
I have heard that this one does not have manual gain control at all. I don't know how much that would be an issue with 32bit float. Curious to know about that. I'm also not a fan of the two AAA batteries (why has multiple AAA become all the rage with new electronics over single AA?) this things needs, but that's still better than having a built-in li-Ion battery like all these new wireless lav mics have. Whereas the original H1 only takes one AA battery. Which is nice. I also like the 1TB SD card option on this one. It's hard to find lower capacity micro SD cards these days.
I realize I'm kind of old school since a lot of video creators have switched to wireless lav mics these days. I probably should too, but I'm still using my zoom H1 recorders because the system works. So it's been one of those if it ain't broke don't fix it problems. Really all Zoom needs to do is just rerelease the original H1 with 32bit and expanded SD storage and I think everyone would be thrilled. But it seems they keep trying to reinvent the wheel.
I got the H1n back when I had no idea and the gain dial really has been a problem on several occasions.
@@Blockbuster2033hey, my H2n is facing the same issue. the gain dial just stopped responding. any fix?
@@drdj2626 Oh it's still working on mine. It's just an issue because it gets bumped easily and changes to a different value which makes the whole recording unusable. Has been a problem so often that I think about getting rid of it.
The "H" does not stand for "handheld"; it stands for "handy". EDC would be a near synonym for handy.
I wouldn't expect such an inexpensive portable recorder to be immune from handling noise. The tripod mount is where a shock mount goes if you need that functionality.
Help! Just got mine, despite reading many negative reviews. It will not connect to my Windows 11 PC for file transfer. It just locks up the computer. It won't even reboot! It literally sat for 30 minutes "Rebooting". I turned off the H1 and then the PC reboots. I thought it was conflicting with the same drive letter assigned to my removable SD card reader, which it was. So I reassigned the drive letter for the card reader. Now the drive letter appears but it still freezes Windows explorer. I updated the firmware on the H1 essential to the latest 1.10 too. Every other external device I have (lots) works fine. HELP! Any ideas?
Was very glad to see them including speech output on these units. More products in general should have screen readers. It's a huge barrier for blind peeps if all the new touch screen tech so obviously lacks this.
The handling noise is aweful, but I owned the H1 for many years and just mounted it and walked away. Kinda defeats the portable thing though, true.
I'm thinking about the h4Essential. H1 is a little too skimpy for my needs.
cheers
Yes I really hear the handling noise in this video, but many portable recorders of this size have equally offensive handling noise, my old Sony IC-BP220 had terrible handling noise, and my Olympus DM-720 also has handling noise that can be pretty noticeable if you're not careful. The speech output options are incredible and I know several blind people who'd love a recorder like this because of that.
The sound from touching the case was also a problem in my old H4n Pro, so I switched to F3 and external microphones because... any movement of the hand turned into unnecessary noise
Kia ora. As a blind user this is an interesting review. I wonder whether Rycote will come out with a set of accessories as they have in the past? That might solve the appalling plosives. However, if I were to buy this I'd stick a decent lav on the end of it because it would be used as accessible, independent audio for video. Shame about the preamps. Zoom hasn't exactly been known for the best ones in town and this seems like a lost opportunity on their part, particularly as Samuel Green of Zoom US is on record as saying that they were upgraded to support the 32-bit. Cheers for the heads-up. Ngā mihi.
I've been doing some tests with the H1E, I've made a recording with a dummy microphone plugged into the external mic socket, to eliminate the internal mics.
In a spectrum analyser, the noise at 1000 Hz, is at -114db, the worse noise is at 25Hz, -74db.
If I listen to the file with the volume turned up to maximum on my Roland interface, and good headphones, I can can only just detect the noise.
At normal listening levels the noise is absent.
what if you use the h1 essential with an external microphone?
Appreciate the review but can you suggest an alternative in this price range and small form factor? I'm assuming it's better than the original h1n in some ways. Fully expecting it to have a lot of shortcomings but should still have a place and purpose.
Yes, I'd like to know too.
Compared to the H1n, does it delivered better noise performance? Better built-in microphones, better built-in amp? Etc.
Bummer, I was hoping they fixed the handling noise issues. I guess you could always mount it on a mini handle.
I wish they would just add 32bit as a basic feature instead of using it as a marketing gimmick while not upgrading the 2014 pre-amps / capsules. I just bought the H1e and will try it out myself, most of the negatives mentioned (handling noise, EIN of 120) are present on the H1n and I still think it's great to have in my bag wherever I go. I really wanted it to be less noisy than the H1n but oh well.
I look forward to the review of the H4e! (I think I already know the verdict though)
it's not EIN 120, maybe worse than the existing h1n
Plug in some external Primo EM272's and the gain is quite impressive (about 6db ish), and no noise.
I've just ripped out the original capsules and replaced them, ok it's more sensitive, and louder, so it would bring in maybe unwanted sounds, but you can lower the levels in post by 6db and that should be a little better compared to the originals which seem to be quite noisy.
What capsul you replace? Internal?
Sry . Where to get a new display for my H6, its milkWhite in the frame, workd for 1 ½ year :( I remove battery when not in use, any ? know why the displayscreen get milkWhite, I tryéd to set it a lower brightness, sry to interupt here.
I was wondering if you've been able to use the new h2essential yet? I'd love to know how the mics and pre-amps compare to this and the other essential recorders. Would love to get it if the noise is significantly less than the h1e.
No...they didnt send it to me...though from what I have seen it is the same architecture as the rest of the series.
Sad. I pre-ordered one of these to replace my Sony PCM-A10 with 32 bit float capabilities. It hasn't shipped yet. I'm going to do my own comparison between the two but it sounds like the older Sony is still superior to the H1 Essential. I'll definitely have to do a handling test between the two. The Sony was double the price of the H1 Essential. So, I guess it should be a superior product despite its lack of 32-bit float.
Big fan of your reviews, but I think you may have missed an important aspect, market, for these H1 "handheld" recorders in your review... filmmakers use them as body pack recorders with a lavalier mic. I know you're going to say... get the F2, but the H1 does offer some added benefits for a no/low budget filmmaker. Anyway, I finally subscribed to your channel, thanks for the thorough reviews. I always check your channel when I'm looking at new equipment.
And lecture/sermon stuff. I use them for funeral graveside recordings with headsets. We even used h1 and headset in a wired mode via laptop to stream during the covid lockdowns from the Pastor's home.
Hi! I was wondering how you got the sponsorship from ZOOM. I want to make recommendations in Spanish, but how can I get in contact with them? Thanks!
From my understanding, 32 bit float does not mean clean audio at any gain. It is helpful when source is loud or can bring bursts of loud sounds unexpectedly - there is more headroom to accommodate that extra dynamic range. But the preamp and microphones are a real bottleneck, as you've seen in ASMR test, and there is nothing wrong about it - device is designed for loud sources. If you make a quiet source loud, you will always bring the noise floor up, in this case, floor is not that low to begin with. Note that there are no real 32 bit preamp in these devices, they use staged multi-preamp structure, like multiple preamps set at different gain settings. Normalization process is actually just shifting everything up, throwing away unused dynamic range at the higher range. So it's really a problem of preamp and mic self-noises, not the recorder part
Yes, the 32 bit float stuff is purely in the A/D converter. Garbage in, garbage out. Not that the recorder is necessarily any more garbagy than any other at this price.
can this thing be opened up to add a bunch of sound deadening material to the inside of the case?
Thanks!!! you saved me from having to return a $99 machine.
i recently purchased this mic but iam getting no sd card problem even if i am insrting 32gd sd card please help me how can i solve this
Dang, I literally ordered this half an hour ago and should be here in a few days. Anyway, I'll go ahead with it and give it a test on field recordings and foley stuff. 32bit is perfect as a handy "every day recorder" to replace the H1n thats always in my backpack. Anyway, sad to hear Zoom have released another questionable series of records, especially after the pretty badly received M2 and M4 MicTrak series. Such a shame because they can make decent stuff. I absolutely love my F3 since the day I bought it.
as someone who's visually impaired the screen reader is a godsend. Sony also has the same with their newer cameras
stay healthy and choose from the Philippines
Cheers!!
planning on uploading TH-cam videos where is sing songs from different genres in a one-take performance format. I sing everything from pop to heavy metal.
what mixer or audio interface would you recommend for me so that I am able to make those covers in a one-day performance format.
all I really need is one XLR port for a microphone and another input that would take stereo so that I can connect a smartphone that has the song instrumental. I would need the device to be phone friendly so that I simply record the cover using the phone's built-in audio recorder, XLR microphone and song instrumental included.
a sighted friend would simply help me sync the audio and video in post. no need for any additional cuts transitions or effects.
any advice would be much appreciated. @@DarkCornerStudios
How’s the handling noise compared to the original H1 or H1n? Handling noise was never great on those units, but curious if you’ve used either before. Miss the little mic cage!
Don't remember it being that bad...however I don't have my old H1 to compare it to...so I didn't draw the comparison.
Didn't want t9 be unfair
Still have the original and H1n. Always figured me and a buddy would take left and right sides of a venue with em and get a great stereo recording
I have been waiting for something like H1e for a while and got bummed when I saw your review. But after considering and watching other reviews and tests, and think I will go for it anyway despite the issues you highlight. The formfactor, price and 32bit seems to put the drawbacks behind with just a mules hair. Thanks for your review that made me stop and give it some extra considerations.
I plan on using it for music while mounted on a tripod, so, the handheld noise issue isn't a problem for me. I need to learn about "EIN level" stuff, tho, maybe. But it's not for finished project recording work, just sketch work, so also probably not critical.
EIN is basically used to deternine how much analog noise you can expect at a certain preamp gain level typically maximum gain where it performs at it's best and with a 150 ohm load on the input. -129dBu is pretty much the standard and about as quiet as it gets, so -120dB is quite a shortcoming,
However with the built in mics this doesn't matter because they're condenser mics which need much less gain and have their own self noise that would eclipse a not-so-quiet preamp anyway. It's really only an issue if you're using dynamic mics.
Do you know if it’s possible to record an MP3 on the zoom H1 essential? I saw a review of someone using it and did not notice it mentioned anywhere. It’s OK if it doesn’t, I got a 128 gig SD card. Also wondering what lithium batteries I can use, I don’t know much about those but wanted to get one.
the specs I read earlier didn't mention mp3 as an available format.
Interesting..
@@robrarker Maybe I was thinking a different recorder, I had looked at a few of them. Can confirm it does not have MP3, I received the recorder on Tuesday. 32 bit float is amazing! Put a 128 GB SD card in it, which works very well, now we’re just waiting for my lithium AAA batteries
Wait, does it still need AAA batteries???? I was hoping someone would come out with a design similar to the Godox XNano.
Looking forward to your H4/6 e reviews, I’m thinking of upgrading my H4n Pro, but it looks like the H4e takes a hit to its max SPL vs the H4n (130 vs 140 db).
Hi, thank you for doing this Zoom Essential series dive.
I'd like to know compared to the H1n, does it delivered better noise performance? Better built-in microphones, better built-in amp? Etc.
Cheers!
= )
Thanks for the video. After a lifetime (virtually) of working in audio, I had to look up EIN from this...!!! Goes to show, you never cease to learn new jargon. 🙂 OK, so it's self-noise, but is it from the mics or the pre-amps? It might be worth plugging an external mic into the H1's 1/4 inch jack and testing again, maybe? I'll likely get the unit regardless. I'm a big fan of the original H1 (a really fast and versatile little recorder), and really ANY improvement is a good thing, and the new one does seem to have some significant advantages. BTW the H1 handling noise was always pretty bad. The simple solution is to buy a screw-fit foam handle. Inexpensive and helps a lot. Cheers and thanks again!
It is the preamps.
In the second video for the h4 I test that out
OK. Looking forward to the other vids. Cheers.@@DarkCornerStudios
P.S. Pity they have noisy pre-amps. I think it's a market position choice rather than a legit tech limitation. I have both an F8NPro and an F6 and they're as clean as a whistle... but $$$! Oh well. @@DarkCornerStudios
@@HeathcliffBlair funny...the h6 has -120...and it's interesting...because it IS usable...it's just that it is 11 years old!!
Best EIN for Zoom recorders is the H8
Cool but I was talking about the two higher end Zoom 32bit float recorders - F6 and F8NPro. Very quiet pre-amps which, some say, are on par with uber costly Sound Devices gear. In general, I think Zoom are pretty good at catering to a range of budgets and usages, but with quality levels to match. Folks have to do their homework.The likes of your channel and Curtis Judd's are great for that. Cheers. @@DarkCornerStudios
Thanks for being honest. Now I know why the Zoom h1n I bought a few months back was on sale for only $50. Think I am going to pass on this.
I had high expectations with the h1 but seeing your video maybe I should lower them a little. I am a wedding photographer and videographer and I was thinking of buying an h1 to connect it to the DJ's console output do you think that for this use it is a good tool or the problem of the hiss sound applies in line recording too?
如果你只是用于婚礼录音或常规的调音台录音，我认为老款的H1已经能满足你的需求，它底噪极小，价格便宜
Hi! Any plan to do a review of the new ZOOM H1 XLR?
I think you should have let them know the thing was defective and done a review on a working unit. you could have mentioned "the first one i got from them was defective" and it would still be enough. But yours obviously is not right for the screen glitch. Second. Why arent you using the cable that comes with it? the rode cable could have done something to the unit and we wouldn't know. Your review is a little untrustworthy
Lol...first off...that "glitch" is just a byproduct of filming the screen at 30fps.
I'll let you google that one on your own
But the cable?
You mean the copper usb cable I used?
I would love to know what you think a normal usb cable would have done to the unit to cause these issues?
Again...I'll leave that to you to Google.
FYI...THERE WAS NO CABLE THAT CAME WITH THE UNIT.
Do just a touch of research before you try to champion a product or company.
Also...the video I released on Sunday might be of interest to you
Thanks for the honesty. I got one last week and everything you said was exactly my experience and thoughts. It would have been awesome years ago but now it's a too little too late and poorly executed. If they spent some time actually using what they designed then maybe they would have been able to fill in the gaps prior to release. It's almost like they designed it but never tested it 😂 I do like the ability to normalize the audio internally though. I'll be keeping mine to use with a lavalier on the go. Funny part about all of this was that I bought this thinking it was going to be an end all upgrade to the H1n and I immediately missed my physical mic gain control nob. So I had to go out and re-buy an H1n. Now that I think 🤔 of it, maybe they made this so they could sell more older models 😂
Zoom doesn't mention dual A/Ds on the h1 essential, so this could explain the high noise floor if you turn up the gain in postpro.
As I know most EIN of recorders only apply to recorder's preamp in practices.
We need to distinguish it with build-in mic's self-noise which usually bad that manufacturers are unwilling to list it on the spec sheet
I've been doing some tests with the H1E, I've made a recording with a dummy microphone plugged into the external mic socket, to eliminate the internal mics, and room noise.
In a spectrum analyser, the noise at 1000 Hz, is at -114db, the worse noise is at 25 Hz, -74db.
If I listen to the file with the volume turned up to maximum on my Roland interface, and good headphones, I can only just detect the noise.
At normal listening levels the noise is absent.
I have the Old H1n. I think the next one will be the H1 XLR or another Essential.
Thanks for this. I currently use an H1n. With the Rode Lav 2 that gets great results (and eliminates the handling noise issue). But I was interested in the 32 bit float feature. I usually manage to get the gain pretty ok; but it would be nice to have that insurance for if I get too loud. But having seen your vid I think I'll hang fire on the Essential for a bit. Maybe see if prices come down or CEX get some in.
Oh, you probably already know this, but you can use the H1n as a USB mic.
Yeah...Zoom has always been good with features like that!
Perhaps it's because I don't record in the field...But I don't see all the panic about clipping. Position the mics, set the levels. Is everyone recording next to a jet engine test facility or something? I've never had an interview or podcast setting result in any kind of clipping from coughing, laughing etc.
It can happen...especially for inexperienced users.
But I've used the h5 for years in the field and I don't think ove ever gotten bad audio.
I learned at an early age how to set gain though
Love your honesty! Can't wait for the H6 to see how the new variation of the mics are and if they can handle the dynamic range of 135dB (I record gunshots for my audiobooks) --- Cheers! Michael
Sadly I do t do spl testing...until I have a way of measuring precise levels.
They do sound nice though...
@@DarkCornerStudios No worries, I do have their F3 that has 32 bit and have recorded some great gun shots in the desert with it using a stereo audio technica mic--- so I know they can make decent gear, they just need to apply the mindset on their f series into their new H4 and H6! fingers crossed---
I ordered one of these, then found this video and promptly changed the order to a H4e. The one issue you raised that would be relevant to me is the close up recording. I use a digital recorder to record snare and high hat when the band plays live and have it very close to the drums (due to space). My current recorder is compressing the HH quite noticeable and it’s only on 1 on the record level. I’m hoping the H4 will fair better. It’s over kill for what i use it for but it seems more versatile (i watched your review straight after).
My only negative about your reviews is you have a lot of low end bump going on. It’s obviously boosted to your liking, but is not helping with the hand holding issues. Even the SM58 didn’t sound natural. Still, your videos have been helpful.
Lol...I don't bump ANYTHING.
All I do is gain up
@@DarkCornerStudios ok, if you say so. Like i said, really useful videos either way.
@davebassP5 lol
I am not an expert in audio. I wanted to get a field recorder for filmmaking and was excited when I saw this announced. But don't know what to make of it after seeing this video. Are you saying it isn't much of an upgrade over the H1n. Which would you recommend (H1n vs H1 Essential) for field recording and occasionally voice? I plan to use it mounted on a mini tripod after hearing the handling sounds.
For handheld audio...there isn't much on the market at this price.
However...I would suggest holding out if you can...I think Zoom and other companies will be launching more
@@DarkCornerStudios Right, thanks!
Consider the Zoom F series -- much more pro. Or if you can afford it, a Sound Devices MixPre.
@@RadioCamp Thanks! It's the affordability. I'm stretching to get the H1. If not the H1, I would be using my smartphone/camera (with a tiny Rode videoMicro mic) to record sounds. Wouldn't you say the H1 is a far better option?
@watzmaaname those are the two options I'm debating as well but can't find out what would be better. I don't have the money for something better.
I've had the original h2 since it first launched. Great with the built in mics or line in. Hissy pre amp on the external mic input and not good in terms of handling noise. Here we are more than 15 years later and the issues still haven't been addressed.
I think that is my greatest frustration.
Lots of people talking about the original H1n...saying it was noisy too...and had bad handling.
I mean...is it too much to ask for more than an aesthetic upgrade?
@@DarkCornerStudios I'm not keen on the look of the H1 Essential. I like the retro H2! And must say I've had my money's worth from it as it still works. I look forward to your reviews of the others. We've known how to prevent handling noise in mics for decades (just watch some lively pop performances from the 1960s) but manufacturers seem to think this is an area where they can cut corners.
is this one or normal h1n is better?
Excuse me while i beat this drum again. I've hated Zoom products since using the H1. It has plug in power on the mic/line in with no way to turn it off. Now i know not too many use the line in but it's an inexpensive way to record off a board. But it's also inexcusable to push 2V to a line out on a board.
I hear they finally fixed this on this unit. 2 generations later.
What's a good handheld recorder on that price point? Was waiting for that h1essential, but looks like … no.
At $99 it is tough.
I say wait a bit...I think there are going to be a few handhelds released this year
@@DarkCornerStudios ok, thanks 👍
If you want to plug in a mic (or line in) Olympus voice recorders have been excellent in the past. I haven't tried the latest models.
@@doubledeckers I'll have a looksy, thank you.
I've got a ton of Zooms, including the "Handy / H" Series going way back to the original H1 and H4n to the newer H1n, H5, and H6 and I've never really considered any of them to be "Handheld", because all the 1 series had such bad handling noise.
Most of the time, I used the H1 series as just a recorder to plug lav mics into, so although I agree the new Essential H1 is probably just as bad as a handheld as the older H1 models, (the original H1 still probably worst I've ever had), it could still be a low cost 32-bit body pack to record from a lav for example. The downside is you still need to buy a good lav mic, bringing it up to the price of the F2, which has a decent included mic.
Voice sounds like my drone prompts. Does it fly?
plosives, wind shield! I don't think you have been very fair to this device. it is not unuseable. Just ordered one, can't wait.
Thanks for talking about accessibility (thanks for each and every person in the comments for talking about it too, it's super appreciated!). You can't imagine the amount of blind people excited by this series of Zoom recorders, it's just a huge deal for all of us. Imagine you had no screen and you had to memorize all the menus (two clicks down, Enter, Enter, three clicks up… oh no, I made four clicks, starting over!) or you had to ask your wife/husband/sister/brother/colleague/random person to spell out all the menus for you to make a cheat sheet - this was the reality for all of us and it still is for those who are not buying one of those recorders. Yes, there were some talking recorders made by Olympus, but the preamp quality was… not Zoom, let's say, also no pop/wind filters seemed to be available for them.
I hear you.
Such a low effort but maximum impact thing...and more companies need to step up when it comes to this.
Good review. I like Zoom gear, but I'm still using my good old Roland R-05 and so far it fits my needs, while I have it for 10 years (if not a bit more).
I wish Zoom would do an updated H2n, that is a great little recorder, although the sd card is ridiculously fragile and mine broke after a year, so an upgrade and more sturdy sd card slot would be good.
Hi, Thank you for this video, i am planning to buy H1n for my Motorcycle vlogs, should i buy H1n or H1e. Please guide
I wish I watched this video before buying it. Will be returning this soon because nothing is playing back
i have h1n ...can you teach how you sound sooo good..
The EIN is what is making this series of recorders a little less enticing. I wanted to get one that about -130 db EIN
I hear ya...that might be tough right now...but sit back and see what comes out.
I think -127 is VERY doable these days
@@DarkCornerStudios Just curious, what makes you think -127 is very doable?
@RicoB87 current tech would indicate it's possible.
Most preamps being released these days are well North of -125...closing in on -130.
I think this is something that is needing a severe makeover.
Perhaps not by Zoom...but I bet someone is gonna step up
I really appreciate this video cause I was just about to buy one of these and you gave me enough good information to decide not to. I would be really curious what the best "field" recorder is these days is within the $100 price range? (portable for recording spontaneous audio out and about) Was really hoping the H1Essential would be it...
so.. interesting video. watched all three and as I plan a jump into 32bit float. I project is an archive project with members of my community which happens to be in the Balkans. I am looking to do some traveling with a bmpcc4k and looking at the h1 on a stick to get the audio. I will be in mountain towns and this looks like a good solution for a one man team-ish. seeing how u placed the recorder it sounds good to me with my pc bar speakers....
I always thought H means Handy, not Handheld. So can't complaint about H
yep
I think the H actually means Handy. I understand you really should you a windscreen with those built in microphones.
Welp, I guess I wait for your review of the H4 Essential to make up my mind in terms of getting the H4 E or a H4n Pro for field recording purposes.
*cough* H4n Pro *cough*
Although I would caution you to wait...usually a lineup like this means a new "pro" lineup is close behind...by either Zoom or another company
@@DarkCornerStudios Welp, I've always found in life that there are those "but then again" moments where one should wait -- looks like this is one of those moments.
Accessibility should just be a thing. AVRs TVs washing machines you get the pick. Everything should talk. Like ahim what's with companies? Do they think us the blind don't use or do anything?
Total agree.
It's also low energy and major impact.
Disappointed of not including H5 in Essential series.For my opinion it is their best recorder
wow, glad I got to see this. I was just about to cop it
Damn, and I was so excited too.
Yay! Another hundred bucks saved! Thanks for the honest videos.
Cheers!
I'm sad they didn't Essential the H5.
The mount obligation isn't new, all the H1 serie (and H4 honestly) are horrible without mount..!
The H4 was better...and the H5 was leaps and bounds better.
Again though...considerably MUCH older tech...and I don't think it is too much to expect a company to progress over a decade
if you’re mad about that talking voice, you can go into settings and turn it off. It’s for blind people. Didn’t watch the video yet. Just wanted to point it out.
Nah...not mad...though the buttons are very sensitive.
hey..you are not an expert right now..
32bit float recording last decade yeah!
H1e is a massive step backwards for me. I still use the H1 and I have it in my shirt pocket attached to the buttonhole with an elasticband
The H1e is a much more unwieldy form factor.. which doesn’t matter for the higher models in this range, but for the H1 is very frustrating
I would happily pay 3-4x the price if they’d have focused on an H1 sized compact form factor WITH CAGE but also with the best possible microphones and preamps
I own a number of Zoom products. F8n to mixers and a number of handheld recorders.
H1 with 32bit float recording is amazing at this price point.
You'd have to be a complete idiot to hold it like you did. If I used one of my high end mic's like you handled the H1 it would sound like absolute crap.
This review is filled with user error - ignor and use common sense.
thank you for this. I had been thinking of updating from my H2N for doing field recordings and thought that 32bit would mean an end to having to get out the Izotope RX but it seems not so. Also I have a bit of tremor so that body noise would be an issue. Off to watch your H4 video now.
Dabid is the News now.
waiting for the h4n essentials😮
"EIN 120 popping up" ??? ah ah , had to look it up, I first thought that was an ADC chip name 🤣 yes, I'm a noob.
The stupidest complaints as this device are all plastic. What it supposed to be all metal? If it is, he will probably complaints it too heavy.
Stupidest????
Lolz
PS in case you still think you "got" me...I was talking about the quality of plastic.
There is a SEVERE difference in plastics, and traditionally, Zoom has some of the worst on the market.
But you go on and keep being butthurt over a tech review
I just want to record my motorcycle sound with it
i would get the h1n if you can find it cheap. here it sells for 55 bucks while the h1e over 100 bucks.
4:14 😂
I don't like this idea to take away manual control levels because of 32bit having so much overhead that's not professional
Ridiculous Video
Why? You can't just drop a bomb like that and leave us hanging
Because he doesn't like when people are critical of cheap gear.
It's a common issue
Ah, I just got my Sweetwater notice my H1 Essential is shipping haha. All great points and I'm glad to hear this feedback.
My intended use for this is exclusively using line-in recording out of my DJ controller/mixer, so handling noise isn't a huge concern to me, and having 32 bit means I can let the levels ride and adjust post. Also, $100 price for H1 is appealing because sometimes, people can be butter fingers with their drinks over gear haha.
BUT, again, your points are valid, and I low key hope it takes Tascam to make an updated DR recorder.
I personally own the Portacapture X8 and always loved that product.
The portraiture x8 is at the top of my list for review
@@DarkCornerStudios So a fun update for you once I got the H1 & used it for my intentional purpose:
I plugged it into one of my mixer’s outputs for a 4-hour club gig I did Saturday, and the ENTIRE time, I got an “Input Overload” message as my recording proceeded, although in my mixer, I never clipped/peaked/hit the reds.
Listening back on device: sounds CLIPPED TO ALL HELL 🤣
I tried the on-device normalize feature, and I got a message that reads “File edited outside the H1E”
No idea what that means, and no mention of it anywhere on Zoom’s site.
So yeah…this may be a swift return for me 🤣
@@IamDJFTR oof...that is wild.
Might be good to get some feedback from Zoon on what that is all about
@@DarkCornerStudios Yeah, I sent them an inquiry and also got in touch with the Sweetwater Support team just in case.
I do have an audio file and a video of these issues if you're interested in seeing them as this videos keep popping off for you, haha. Let me know and I can email those to you!
@@IamDJFTR did you get any feedback?
Dude....I fuckin' love you 🤘🏼😎
Thanks for starting my day with your sense of humor, delivery....and this review. You RAWK!
Thanks!
Appreciate the kind words!
Thanks, I am buying 2 of these. Never hurts to have a backup.
Good luck...any movement on the unit can give you some pretty rough sound...
Ouch!
this video's purpose is to get you to look at a higher model
Nope...it really isnt
Why ZOOM always make their products so ugly.
😂 ugly cute
Who buys the H1 for recording voice? It’s an amazing tool for sound effects. It’s only $99. And please, don’t hand-hold it.
Lol...the H series of recorders are VERY well known amongst journalists.
These aren't supposed to be perfectly quiet...but...this was a bit much.
And again...the "h" literally stands for handheld
@@DarkCornerStudios Thanks for the review and for responding. A journalist could use it for transcribing, sure. But hand held for broadcasting? Wild….
@TheLefse well...not in the booth.
Have you not heard of streeters?
Or run and gun reporting?
It's not the stuff that gets headlines...but I bet you have heard the Zoom series of "handhelds" in almost every newscast you hear.
@@DarkCornerStudios Hey! Just a quick FYI - the "H" in Zoom's lineup actually stands for "Handy," not handheld. Its about making their recorders portable and easy to use. Just a little mix-up, but hey, easy mistake to make! I'll leave the rest to the crowd to point out. 😊
Ugly - looks lazer printed
I like the new design, the case doesn't creak like the the original H1 did when squeezed, and the battery cover is much better.
On recording methodology in general -
When I worked in Hollywood in the 60s and 70s, THE method used to record Foley field sounds was a 3" reel to reel Marantz analog tape recorder. No normalize. No hiss reduction. No changing anything once it's on tape. "Editing" meant a razor blade and Scotch tape. That same tape deck was also used now and then to record dialog in the field.
Those analog audio engineers did what all engineers do. They make things work given the tools at hand. They don't blame the tools.
@DrLumpyDMus lol...I'm not blaming the tools.
I am a reviewer.
A company released a product that was inferior than what the market expected.
They released a product as an update to their lineup...WITH WORSE SPECS!!
And somehow you think I need to excuse such behavior because in the past hiss was a thing?
Shall I just give every product a pass because in the 60s there was a hiss and engineers dealt with it?
Makes for a pretty bad reviewer if you ask me