With the Zoom H2N hand-held recorder you can record groundbreaking audio quality. From film and broadcast to journalism and podcasting the H2N provides amazing recording quality. It is the first handheld recorder to offer a mid-side stereo recording which combines the uni-directional mid mic and bi-directional side mic recording. This combination captures sound from both left and right centers of the mic. The H2N is easy to use, with its newly designed interface, critical controls are right at your fingertips. Other advanced features include automatic gain control and onboard MS decoding, plus effects like compression, limiting and low cut filtering.

Variety of Uses

With its multiple microphones and recording modes, the H2n can handle just about every kind of application. It can be used for live recording of concerts and rehearsals, in either stereo or surround sound as well as location videography as the H2n gives you plenty of options in postproduction. This recorder can also be used for creating audio for YouTube videos, generating lasting audio documents of important events and as a USB microphone providing input to recording software.

Five Built-In Microphones

The H2n offers not one, not two, but five built-in microphones. Two of them are arranged as an X/Y pair, while the other three are configured in an MS (Mid-Side) pattern. They can be used separately for X/Y or MS stereo recording, or combined to create stunning 2- or 4-channel surround sound.

Recording File Types

The H2n can record audio in two different basic file types: WAV and MP3. The main difference between the two is that WAV files are uncompressed; that is, they contain all the recorded signal without any data being removed. The WAV files recorded by the H2n can be either 16- or 24-bit, with sampling rates of 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz, and are automatically time-stamped, making them Broadcast Wave Format (BWF) compliant—especially important when recording audio for video since it allows for precise synchronization in post-production. MP3 recordings are compressed, which means that some unnecessary data is removed prior to storage, making them much smaller than WAV files, and thus much easier to upload and download. Some MP3 files exhibit a slight loss of audio fidelity as compared with the original signal; however, this is not noticeable in all circumstances. 

The Ins and Outs

The H2n Line In is a stereo 1/8-inch mini phone jack that can accept two channels of mic- and/or line-level signals. Condenser microphones requiring Plug-In Power (2.5 volts) can be connected to this jack. An analog-type Mic Gain dial allows you to manually set input level, or you can choose one of the three Auto Gain presets to automatically set the optimum recording level. The H2n Line Out is a stereo 1/8-inch phone jack with dedicated volume control. Headphones can be connected to this jack for private monitoring of the input or recorded signal. There's also a built-in speaker on the back panel for fast monophonic monitoring of the recorded signal without the need to make any connections.

Additional Features

Thanks to its data recovery function, you don’t have to worry about losing recorded data due to unexpected errors. In case you experience battery loss or an accidental power-down, this feature will automatically restore your data the next time the H2N is powered on. The H2N gives you over 20 hours of continuous operation on just two standard AA alkaline batteries. Alternatively, you can use an optional AD-17 AC adapter, which allows you to power the H2n from any standard wall socket. The Zoom H2n also comes with free download licenses for Steinberg’s Cubase LE music production software and WaveLab LE audio editing software, providing not just the ability to capture superior audio in every box, but to do spectacular things with it

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