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Old 12-19-2018, 05:20 AM
Vindellama Vindellama is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 400
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Jim View Post
Nice video and sound, Jake!

For Vindellama, I can offer some differences between the H4n Pro and the Spire (no idea how much more advanced the Zoom 5 is over the 4).

I do a sound check with the H4n Pro and try to set the levels so that I don't get any clipping on the loudest instrument/voice on that track. It still requires that I upload the tracks onto my MacBook Pro to get a reasonable balance. Moving from Stereo mics to multi-track is cumbersome on the Zoom: lots of wheel scrolling and button presses. If I want to use the mics on the Zoom for the guitar, and vocal, I am out of tracks; I have to mix down repeatedly if I want to add bass, drums, and any additional guitar or vocal.

With the Spire, you play 10 seconds of your loudest part on the track and it sets the levels automatically. You are then ready to press the record button and go for it. Much more user friendly. I prefer the single mic on the Spire over the X/Y mics on the Zoom - much better acoustic sound with no fuss. As you are recording, the track is moving wireless to your iPad or phone. Fast, easy.

If you want to set the metronome on the Zoom, it takes a bunch of clicks and wheel spins, then you have to navigate back into your track to hear it... if it is too fast or too slow, you guess by how much, go back to the button pressing and wheel spinning to get to the metronome, try again, then navigate back to the track. On the Spire, you can tap to get the beat you want or just slide the the dot on the metronome up or down for speed. Again, fast and easy.

If you want to change the name of your project on the Zoom, it is wheel and click time again, like trying to text on an old flip-phone. On the Spire, click on the name, delete, and type in the new title.

The pre-amps on both units are reasonably quiet - I'd call that a draw. For ease of use, the Spire still has it when plugging in, since the inputs are on the back of the unit, not the bottom. The Spire has good heft to it and just sits where you put it with anything plugged into it.

The Zoom has the disadvantage of being old technology. Good internals, but a pain to use compared to the iPad interface on the Spire app.
Did you use 2 mics 48v with the same power drawn as the akgs I mentioned?
Also... I forgot 2 things...
Can you record videos on the phone/tablet at the same time you are using the app?
What isn't available on android?