Zoom H1 vs H2

panama · #1 02-06-2011, 09:43 AM

I've watched some youtube videos A/Bing these 2 hand recorders but none of them A/B what each of them sound like for basement recordings.

Basically my band just wants to be able to press record, capture our entire 2-3 hour practice, import it to a compluter, cut out our best material and then be able to review it.

Based on the examples on youtube there doesn't seem to be a big different in sound quality, but the H2 has some additional features that I may or may not really need.

So...is the H2 worth the extra $50?

Vakmere · #2 02-06-2011, 04:32 PM

You're fine with either.

panama · #3 02-07-2011, 09:29 AM

Thanks for your brief and honest opinion! Do you have experience with both?

Anyone else?

DONZI97 · #4 02-07-2011, 12:03 PM

I have a H1, and it sounds great to me for just basic recordings. Its a toss up though with the added features on the 2 vs the nice small size of the 1. I think the rear mic on the 2 is a good thing to have... and there really isn't much price difference. I do have to send my H1 back though for replacement, because it was part of a bad batch that has a battery drain issue when off. But it does make good recordings for $90.

BillyIVbass · #5 02-07-2011, 12:13 PM

My friend has an H2. We've A/B'd it to a cell phone recorder and my handheld mp3 recorder. One was a drum clinic, the other was an interview in a bar. Sound quality the H2 rocked everything else. No comparison. He was man'ing the H2, so I don't know how user-friendly it is.

I think the Q3 can do everything the H2 can just with an added video camera.

panama · #6 02-07-2011, 12:29 PM

Well, I don't think we'd need testing to figure out that the H2 would sound better than a cellphone memo recorder or a run of the mill handheld voice recorder!

D-Nut · #7 02-07-2011, 12:38 PM

First thing is first.
If you record 2 or 3 hours straight you better have a really fast computer to import that file, no matter which one you buy. If not, you'll probably crash your system just importing the audio file. PS. don't record using wav. format if you plan on recording that long.
I own the H2 and it is hands down a better piece of equipment. There's no accessory package to buy separately like the H1. The different options as far as mic gains, and direction are very useful especially when recording an entire room. The built in compression (and other effects) really help when you're capturing a live band as well. The only downside is that batteries don't last very long, so use the included adapter.
Spend the extra money.

D-Nut · #8 02-07-2011, 12:39 PM

There are now 2 Q3's. One is the Q3 and the other is the Q3HD. Buy the HD. If the lighting isn't right with the regular Q3 you can't really see anything, and honestly an iFlip will record video better, but the audio quality of both Q's is absolutely amazing.

panama · #9 02-07-2011, 12:49 PM

Thanks for that, D-Nut. I know the mics on the H2 are more versatile. I am learning towards spending the extra $50 just in case I find a need to the extra features.

I'm not video recording us standing around talking about arrangements or riffs, so no need for the Q3.

acleex38 · #10 02-07-2011, 12:52 PM

No experience with the H1, but the H2 has been, hands down, the single most useful piece of equipment I've bought for myself and for our band short of "a bass, an amp, and a cable." I'm a big fan.

3506string · #11 02-07-2011, 01:07 PM

Unless your running a very old system your not going to crash your system importing a large file. They transfer from the zoom just like any other usb storage device.

I have the H1 I use it for rehearsals and for when I do video jam sessions I use my Creative Vado HD for video and h1 for the audio and sync them later.

You can choose between 44khz/16bit up to 96khz/24bit wav and 48kbps-320kbps mp3
I use 320kbp mp3 with the supplied 2gb card and right now it has 1.4gb full and I have 3 hours recording time remaining. Battery life is excellent.

Can't comment on the h2 but the h1 was well worth the $100

panama · #12 02-07-2011, 01:20 PM

Tell me about your rehearsals? How loud does your band play and how do you set up your h1 for optimal sound?

I've been reading online that with the H2 if you're recording a loud rehearsal I'll need to set the gain to low and enable the limiter and possibly add some compression in order for it to sound good.

My band is a 3 piece bass/guitar/drums and we play at full volume when we rehearse (we all use ear protection). Loud drummer, Fender 2x12 tube amp, and my rig which is listed below.

panama · #13 02-07-2011, 01:28 PM

I just realized this should probably be in the recording gear forum. Whoops.

JT Bass · #14 02-07-2011, 01:36 PM

With the H2 I never use the onboard limiter/compresser. I use the low gain setting in band practice and it works great. I set it up on one side of the room and I think it gives a pretty good representation of how practice sounds. I don't own an H1 but it looks pretty neat. The reference speaker is a good idea, although given the size I doubt it sounds better than a cell phone speaker (in other words, not good), and there's always a pair of headphones lying around anyway. If the H1 has the same mics, same directional features and same high/low gain setting and ability to add 'marks' to long tracks then I'd say save the cash. But the H2, as mentioned above, is one of the most important pieces of band equipment we have. We usually play a couple choice jams through the PA as we're packing up which is great for hearing new ideas and finding possilbe problems.

**bassman_al** · #15 02-07-2011, 01:37 PM

Hey Panama,
I only have used the H2, which I bought for $75 used here on TB. I love it. I record most of my jazz gigs, some with video, combining my Flip Mino with the H2 audio. I record 3 hour gigs, split into 3 files, one per set. Loading and editiing them is quick and easy with Audacity software, which you can download for free. I recommend it.

Sorry I can't help with the A/B question. Here is a youtube video of my band, with audio from the H2. I used the built-in mic, with gain set to the middle setting on the H2.

panama · #16 02-07-2011, 01:49 PM

Thanks Al - I'll check that vid out when I get home.

JT - I'm pretty sure the H1 only has 2 mics while the H2 has 4 mics that allow for surround recording? Our jam space is set up so that the drums and amps are all pointed to the center of the room, so I am hoping I can hang this thing off of a rafter right in the middle.

**bassman_al** · #17 02-07-2011, 01:58 PM

You won't have to hang it off a rafter. The audio I got was captured at floor level. Its designed to sit on the floor and get good quality sound, different than a hanging cymbal mic or vocal mic. The 4 mics are awesome. I use all the mic settings. its nice to be able to cater to the specific recording environment.

panama · #18 02-07-2011, 02:00 PM

Yeah I can't wait to record some bedroom demos using the 90 degree setting.

Excited!

**bassman_al** · #19 02-07-2011, 03:08 PM

Also, make sure you record in WAV format, despite what the previous post said. If you record in MP3 format, you will notice a significant dropoff in audio quality. You can convert the WAV to MP3 easily with free software like Switchsound file converter. Converting from WAV to MP3 will give you a much higher quality file than files recorded originally as MP3's.

Also, buy an 8 gig SD card. They are not that expensive, and allow you to easily record more material. I use I think about 3 gig of space for a 3 hour recording in 24 bit WAV format. Here is an example of a 24 bit WAV file that has been converted to MP3, using the H2 with an 8 gig SD card.

Only if your computer is really old will it take you a long time to manage those files.

panama · #20 02-07-2011, 03:14 PM

I have a new computer and I don't connect devices with SD cards using USB since I have an SD card slot on my laptop. I just pop the SD card in the slot and it works like a charm. I find (with my digital camera at least) that the USB connection sometimes drops with I am transferring a lot of pics or video from it.