Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Young
I think you'd be hard-pressed to hear a clear, consistent difference that everyone would agree on between a Zoom H4 with external mics and a much more expensive setup with the same mics in the same room, etc. Even with the built-in mics, it's close enough that unless you're making professional recordings, and both you and your listeners have picky and trained ears, the difference be undetectable.
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Hmmm, not sure I would agree entirely...
I've had an H4n for a couple of years. It is a neat little pocket recorder, and it is very useful for certain applications, but I would never use it for a serious recording.
The built-in stereo mics are fine, and produce an honest stereo image. In fact, as a scratch-pad/demo-machine, you'll be able to create very decent-sounding recordings.
BUT the preamps are REALLY noisy, so if you're making solo guitar, or quiet guitar and vocal recordings, you'll have to deal with a lot of hiss. The preamps just aren't that great.
I have also experimented by using the H4n with a pair of Rode NT1A LDCs, and the problem is even more obvious. Ultimately, the better the microphones, the more you're going to be bothered by the cheap preamps.
It's a shame, really, because other than that, it's a nice little device. The interface is a bit clumsy, but once you get used to it, it's fine. Battery life is really good, it is sturdy and extremely portable. I use it for on-the-fly demos when I get a flash of inspiration but I'm not in the studio.