Zoom H1n Digital Handy Recorder

I evaluated quite a number of digital recorders before deciding on the Zoom H1n. And I'm glad I selected this one.The two main reasons I wanted a digital recorder are for recording live music concerts and for recording GOOD voice audio to put with videos I shoot.I have only used this a few times for recording voice audio, but I can say right now this records the BEST audio of any method I have tried yet. These other methods number probably a dozen, including cheaper digital recorders, computer-based recorders, camera-integrated sound recordings, and loads of microphones.Before we go any farther, you need to know that a good audio recording is principally captured by the MICROPHONE you use, but the recorder you use will also make a big difference.The things I LIKE about the Zoom H1n are:- the size - very easy to carry, hold, and use;- ease of use - like all digital gadgets, you have to learn how to use it, which means you have to RTFI (military acronym for "read the freaking instructions!"), and you need to practice with it. But this item is not hard to use, and there's no question I will be able to remember what to do after putting this thing away for a month then dig it out and using it.- quality of the sound - the built-in microphones are EXCELLENT. They have good stereo capability, which is essential for recording live music concerts, and they seem to pick up exactly what I want them to pick up, without a lot of extraneous noises.- the controls - they are well thought-out and intuitive. All it takes is a good orientation (RTFI).- battery life - you're supposed to be able to get more than 10 hours operation on 2 AA batteries. I cannot attest to that as I'm still on the first set, which came with the unit.What I'd like to see improved (in other words, what I DON'T like):- NO SD CARD INCLUDED! I know they're trying to keep the price down, but good grief! They should make a bigger point of letting us know that a micro SD card is REQUIRED BUT NOT INCLUDED with the unit. I was lucky to have one in a secondary camera that I could borrow and use.- Cheapo display - It's low-resolution blue and white, with a backlight that doesn't stay on long enough, and has no way to toggle it on to see what's displayed, other than activating a button. I'd be happy to pay a bit more for a higher resolution display, and it would be nice to have a way to turn it on so we could see it in the dark, without having to push some function-activating button.- So-so case material. It's plastic, and that's okay, but it feels slippery in my hand, and if I'm holding it while recording with the built-in mics, the noise of my hand moving even slightly on the case is recorded through the mics. A softer and more tactile (rubberized?) coating on the case would be a great improvement.Overall, so far I'm very pleased with this recorder.

I should have purchased this a long time ago. This thing is the Swiss army knife of audio solutions for video. I use it for my YT channel "Running Into History" if interested in hearing the sound quality.I have used this to capture different folly and ambience in the areas I am recording(I will be buying a second unit dedicated just to this). I primarily use this to record my narrative using an inexpensive Boya lapel mic. I then synch the audio to my Sony a7iii DSLR and gopro Hero 8 footage in Davinci Resolve. So eazy with Resolve. Drag the audio clip and the video clip into the timeline. Right click on the audio and select "synch to waveform". Always a perfect synch in seconds.Sounds much better than the audio coming from the Sony mic and preamp. I was reading that the video codecs used for dslr sound capture end up being lower resolution than even 16bit CD quality. I need to look into this further but this unit records in 24bit audio. Sounds pretty crisp and clear in comparison to even a Rode video mic mounted on my camera. I recently recorded a video in my truck. Rode video mic on my Sony and this Zoom unit on a tripod sitting on my center arm rest. The Zoom sounded much better. Seemed like it was more direct and higher resolution, could be due to the stereo mics on the Zoom vs the mono Rode mic.This thing can be used as a handheld mic with a cheap foam cover although this unit does pickup handheld contact noise.I also attached this thing to the end of a monopod as a boom mic and worked great.I have been researching wireless lav mic setups but they can have issues with dropouts at the worse times and to get anything close to the sound quality of this Zoom you will have to spend at least $300 for a good unit. For $120 this thing will sound better than the majority of expensive wireless lav mics and does so much more.I purchased a $10 dead cat wind cover and foam kit from Amazon and both work great. I also purchased a case on Amazon that holds the unit, extra lapel and Zoom unit batteries, lapel mic and dead cat cover, all in a compact case that fits in my camera bag.

I ordered the H1n based on my experience with the quality recordings of the Zoom H2n which I bought about 5 years ago for doing oral histories for the National Archives.My favorite hobby now is playing and teaching the ukulele. I wanted a simple recorder to use in my home studio. I was excited to read in the reviews that the recorder had a friendly interface. I often struggled with the somewhat clunky and difficult controls on the H2n.Happily the H1n is super easy to navigate and operate. Menus are intuitive and readily accessible. You can set the quality you want. I've been recording in 24 bit, 48K WAV format whatever that means in technical terms. The H1n will record at other levels including the 24 bit 96K format required for archival work. You can record in MP3 format with varying degrees of quality.I was surprised and pleased that I could overdub multiple times to build up a more robust sound. The recordings I made sound really good and that's what counts to me.I heartily recommend this device. It won't blow a giant hole in your wallet and it is unbelievably compact. If you buy it get and read the excellent PDF manual.