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Product information

Item Weight

9.9 ounces

Product Dimensions

2.87 x 6.15 x 1.38 inches

ASIN

B001QWBM62

Item model number

H4N

Batteries

2 AA batteries required. (included)

Customer Reviews

2,545

4.7 out of 5 stars

Best Sellers Rank

#38,169 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
#195 in Portable Studio Recorders

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer

No

Date First Available

January 28, 2009

Hardware Interface

USB 2.0

Size

Recorder

Battery type

Alkaline

Media Format

MP3 Audio, WAV

Standing screen display size

1.9

Warranty & Support

Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please click here [PDF ]

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Product guides and documents

User Manual (PDF)

What's in the box

Zoom H4n Handy Mobile 4-Track Recorder - 1 GB SD

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Product Description

Zoom H4N Handy Portable Digital Recorder

Compare with similar items

	This Item Zoom H4N Handy Portable Digital Recorder - 2009 Version	Recommendations TASCAM Portacapture X6 32-bit Float Portable Audio Recorder, Field Recorder for Video, Music, Podcast, Voice, Podcasting	dummy Zoom H4n Pro 4-Track Portable Recorder, All Black, Stereo Microphones, 2 XLR/ ¼“ Combo Inputs, Battery Powered, for Stereo/Multitrack Recording of Music, Audio for Video, and Podcasting	dummy Zoom H4N PRO Digital Multitrack Recorder (Blue)
	Buying options	Try again! Details Added to Cart	Try again! Details Added to Cart	Try again! Details Added to Cart
Price	—	-7% $279.00 Typical: $299.00	$169.99	-10% $179.99 Typical: $199.99
Delivery	—	Get it as soon as Saturday, Apr 6	Get it as soon as Saturday, Apr 6	Get it as soon as Saturday, Apr 6
Customer Ratings	4.72,545	4.2282	4.61,104	4.621
Sound quality	4.7	4.4	4.5	4.3
User interface	4.3	4.0	3.6	4.3
Battery life	5.0	4.3	3.6	—
Portability	4.7	—	4.7	4.3
Value for money	—	4.0	4.0	—
Sold By	—	Loyal Firm	Kellards	AVBYFP
hardware interface	usb2.0	usb2.0	usb, sdhc, secure digital	usb
memory capacity	2 GB	32 GB	32 GB	32 GB
format	mp3 audio, wav	—	mp3 audio, wav	—
battery quantity	2 aa	—	2 aa, 2 aaaa	2 aa
weight	0.62 pounds	—	130 grams	—
mic form factor	Built-In	Built-In	Built-In	Built-In

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5

2,545 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers like the quality, sound quality, performance, ease of use, and value of the voice recorder. For example, they mention it has a lot of potential, the built-in mics are fine sounding, and it gets the job done. Some appreciate the clear written instructions and the clunky interface. Overall, most are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

384 customers mention356 positive28 negative

Customers are satisfied with the quality of the voice recorder. They mention that it has a lot of potential and has phenomenal recording quality. They also say that it is a great versatile field recorder with good mics.

"......" Read more

"...The H4n is a great versatile field recorder. I mainly use it to record audio for live event video such as weddings and speaking engagements...." Read more

"...a high-end Naim Audio system, I thought the recording quality was a pretty accurate representation of the live musical event...." Read more

"...ProsWell builtGreat sound qualityTONS of features beyond just recording (mentronome instrument tuning)..." Read more

322 customers mention275 positive47 negative

Customers like the sound quality of the voice recorder. They mention that the built-in mics are fine sounding, and the reverb options are natural to very echoy. They also say the recordings sound incredible and professional. Customers also appreciate the low noise and the ability to eliminate wind noise.

"Pros: Excellent sound quality, rugged construction, intuitive controls/navigation. Features 2 XLR inputs and phantom power...." Read more

"...head wind screens every time I record outdoors and they completely eliminate wind noise...." Read more

"...There are a range of choices for reverb, from natural to very echoy...." Read more

"...The quality of the recording was what really floored me: bass was full, tight, & powerful, the mids were surprisingly clean and the highs very..." Read more

281 customers mention211 positive70 negative

Customers like the performance of the voice recorder. They say it does what it needs to do well, produces amazing results, and is well designed. They appreciate the good functionality and features, such as low-cut reduction. They also say it works great with Ableton, Sonar, Cubase, and Vegas Pro. Customers also mention that it works well for getting quality files of nat sounds for documentaries.

"...The H4n is a work horse. It has a ton of features and records in a number of different formats...." Read more

"...of the recording was what really floored me: bass was full, tight, & powerful, the mids were surprisingly clean and the highs very transparent...." Read more

"...detail about the interface and other features and so on, but it's all pretty good...." Read more

"...Not prohibitively difficult, but also not particularly user-friendly, especially for a novice...." Read more

259 customers mention211 positive48 negative

Customers find the voice recorder intuitive and easy to use. They appreciate the clear, detailed instructions and the simple recording interface. They also mention that basic recording is simple and quick to setup and record.

"Pros: Excellent sound quality, rugged construction, intuitive controls/navigation. Features 2 XLR inputs and phantom power...." Read more

"...H4n provides a built-in tuner, a built-in metronome, and a simple recording interface that can have you up and running in no time...." Read more

"...all of the buttons etc look I have found them to be VERY intuitive to use and have had to refer to the manual on very few occasions...." Read more

"...Noise was not an issue with either.*TEMPO SHIFT: Very useful practice tool, allows slowing down or speeding up recordings without changing..." Read more

240 customers mention221 positive19 negative

Customers find the value of the microphone to be well worth the money. They say it's a feature-laden tool at a reasonable price, and a great investment for starting up. They also say it has many applications and is very versatile considering the price. Customers also mention that it has made their production value so much higher, and that recording to SD cards is economical.

"...expensive for audio hobbyists, but has dropped to a reasonably accessible price-point and is now virtually a must-have accessory for podcasters and..." Read more

"...couldn’t be happier with this purchase – and at the price it's a tremendous value!" Read more

"...The negatives are quite minor and the good stuff is great." Read more

"...On overall value for the price, I'd say this is a five star review." Read more

155 customers mention131 positive24 negative

Customers like the build quality of the voice recorder. They mention that it's dependable, well built, and will last for years if they take good care of it. They also appreciate the stamina mode and the decent battery life.

"Pros: Excellent sound quality, rugged construction, intuitive controls/navigation. Features 2 XLR inputs and phantom power...." Read more

"...The H4n is a handy little studio on the go and is very dependable. I highly recommend purchasing one." Read more

"...ProsWell builtGreat sound qualityTONS of features beyond just recording (mentronome instrument tuning)..." Read more

"...MicroTrack/MicroTrack II, but zoom definitely achieves a much higher level of quality (the important thing) and so I think the increased size is..." Read more

103 customers mention81 positive22 negative

Customers like the portability of the voice recorder. They mention that it's an extremely compact device, easy to use, and handy without being too big or too small. The size of the H4n makes it a compact recording studio. Some say that the remote is very thin and easily fits in the palm of their hand. They also appreciate the professional quality audio and the ability to record as wav or mp3.

"...level of quality (the important thing) and so I think the increased size is worth it. It's ultimately necessary for the XLR inputs anyhow...." Read more

"...The size of the H4n makes it handy without being too big or too small. The transport buttons are large enough for big fingers...." Read more

"...The remote is very thin and easily fits in the palm of your hand making it easy to hold on to and since it has the same control layout as the front..." Read more

"...It has travelled well. I would definitely buy a RedHead windscreen for this unit to cut any wind noise, as the attached mics are super sensitive." Read more

87 customers mention67 positive20 negative

Customers like the mic quality of the voice recorder. They mention that the built-in microphones are excellent, have a low noise floor, and work great for NAT sound or interviewing someone on the spot. They also appreciate the ability to use external mics with XLR connections, but the built in mics can be swapped from 90. The unit has an XY stereo microphone built into it and audio effects. It is also possible to record with external mic's, great for guests on talk shows. The mic pre's are very good and you can also hook up other external microphones.

"...The internal mics are probably okay for recording an interview but not for singing -- singers will want to use a pro mic...." Read more

"...The recording quality you get from the built-in mics alone is impressive, but when you hook up a nice microphone to the H4n it sounds just too good..." Read more

"...Also included are a foam wind screen, a mic stand adapter, AC adapter, and a plastic case. Nice little accessories that are useful...." Read more

"...record via a maximum of three sources at once, but will only produce two actual audio tracks..." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

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Shane Rogers

Full-featured, rugged, intuitive recording device for podcasts/interviews and live performances

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2016

style: H4n ProVerified Purchase

Pros: Excellent sound quality, rugged construction, intuitive controls/navigation. Features 2 XLR inputs and phantom power.

Cons: Bulky/heavy. There is no on-device ability to split the XLR recordings into separate tracks (more on this below). Battery life is meh, and is actively terrible when using phantom power.

Summary:

The H4N used to be prohibitively expensive for audio hobbyists, but has dropped to a reasonably accessible price-point and is now virtually a must-have accessory for podcasters and live performers of all stripes (especially comedians, lecturers, and solo musicians).

Most of the H4N's features have been covered exhaustively in other reviews, but it's worth noting that the multitrack functionality is essentially useless. Even an entry-level modern laptop running a free Digital Audio Workstation will outshine the H4N's limited multitrack functionality. This product is intended to record high-quality audio tracks that you can subsequently process on a computer.

Note that the H4N gives you the ability to record via a maximum of three sources at once, but will only produce two actual audio tracks (one track for the 2 XLR connections plus one track for the built-in dynamic microphones). This is not ideal for a multiple-mic setup. For example, let's say you hook up two microphones (one to each of the XLR inputs), and then activate 4-channel mode so that you can interview two people while recording your own voice on the built-in dynamic mics. You'll end up with two separate audio files: one for the built-in mics (your voice), and the other will be a combined stereo track featuring one of your interview subjects panned hard left and the other panned hard right. In order to mix the entire interview you'll have to import that stereo track into a DAW or audio editor (Audacity etc) and split the XLR tracks to separate the left and right channels, then export them separately, and finally re-import them (along with the track featuring your voice) for the final mixdown. Not prohibitively difficult, but also not particularly user-friendly, especially for a novice.

Despite its limitations, the H4N is an exceptional device that lives up to the hype. Be sure to carry extra batteries if you're using phantom power.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Tim Gooch

Amazing Value

Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2009

style: H4n (2009 model)Verified Purchase

There are three types of users that absolutely need to consider the Zoom H4n:

1) The guitar or bass player who wants to capture an idea for a song, along with a vocal track - For this user, the H4n provides a built-in tuner, a built-in metronome, and a simple recording interface that can have you up and running in no time. I'm not this user, but several of my friends are, and when they sat down and looked at it, they wanted to buy mine from me.

2) The person people go to for "Can you record my band at ______ on Tuesday night?" - For someone who wants to capture location audio, especially a mix of ambient sound and a feed from a system, the H4n is very close to ideal.

For this type of session, I use the built-in stereo mics to capture un-mic'd sounds from the stage (drums, tambourine, misc noises from the props from on stage) as well as the sound of the auditorium. I place the H4n on a tripod at the foot of the stage, aimed roughly at stage center.

For sound that comes through the house system, I bring in a pre-mixed feed from the sound board, and feed it into Input #1 at the base of the H4n, and record everything as 4-channel audio. Afterward, I mix Input #1 into both channels, bring the level of the stereo built-in mics down just a tad, export an MP3, and have a perfectly listenable mix that required almost no setup time on my part, and is mixed and exported in less than 10 minutes. Can it get any easier?

3) Someone recording audio for video/film - The new crop of video-recording DSLRs (the Nikon D90, the Canon 5D MkII and 7D, and the Panasonic GH1) all record audio, but you'll be better off recording audio separately, for a variety of reasons. (The fact of the matter is that most indie video should go this route, regardless of the camera being used, but that's a whole 'nother issue.) The H4n provides phantom power, has combo inputs (1/4" or XLR), and can even do some rudimentary signal processing, if you're so inclined. (I don't do this, and defer such things to post, but I can understand why some might work differently.) The H4n can record in BWF WAV format, which means if you carefully sync up the clock in the camera with the H4n, and then drop the resulting audio & video into your editor and have them properly sync'd.

There are several DSLR configurations that work well with the H4n, but a great setup is mounting the H4n to the camera's hot shoe (get one of the many shock mounts that will handle the H4n), using the built-in mics to get ambient sound (which will be in stereo, if you want it, and will always have the correct left/right perspective to the camera) and then feed audio from a boom mic or a lav (or both) into Inputs #1/2. You have an 1/8" stereo output that you can then feed into the mic input on these cameras (usually a mono input, so get a stereo/mono adapter), and then your camera audio, while not great, will be something you can use to sync against (Pluraleyes is a great option there).

Another setup for video is to put the H4n on a tripod that is roughly in the center of the "180 degree rule" space, capturing ambient sound that way, and again feeding Input #1/2 from a boom mic and maybe a lav. You'll probably not want to use the ambient sound, or may not want to use much of it, but it will give your editor a feel for how he/she may want to pan dialog if it's a stereo recording. (Knowing how far left or right someone's voice naturally sounded in the room, relative to a given point, can help you mix things in a way that will sound more natural. Technically, phase issues come into play as well, but you can fake things pretty effectively this way.)

*****

I currently have a 16GB SD card in the H4n, which gives me about 6 hours of 4-channel recording at 44.1Khz/16-bit. For video, you'll want to go to 48Khz, and you can go to 24-bit for a bit more dynamic range, but I'm skeptical about the ability of this unit to really give you more than 16-bits worth of range from the built-in mics. (You *might* be able to get that from some external mics with really low self-noise, but I haven't seen any test data to support such a configuration.) Because of the ridiculous amount of recording you can do, I generally start the H4n at the first take of a scene, and then capture all the takes in one clip. When we're done with all the takes for that scene, I stop the H4n, set up for the next scene, and then roll it as we begin the first take there.

I suppose I could find some things to complain about, but at this price, it seems kind of silly. The remote control is a probably good idea if you plan on mounting the H4n on a camera or on an elevated boom, but I've not missed it.

EDIT/UPDATE: DEAD BATTERIES WILL MEAN CORRUPTED FILES

One of the more recent ways I've used this is to grab sound at weddings from string instruments or other players that might not be mic'd. I did this recently, and was unable to find an AC outlet, so I had to run on batteries. Unfortunately, the batteries will only go about 45 minutes when they're phantom powering a Rode NTG-3 (the mic I have trained directly on the instruments), so it croaked during the service.

Here's the bad part:

When the H4n dies while recording, it will corrupt the files on the SD card. Some users online have reportedly been able to recover the files, but I was unable to do so (IT consulting and data recover is part of my business). If the batteries die when you're recording, expect that the files will be toast.

25 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Cliente Amazon

Muito bom

Reviewed in Brazil on November 5, 2023

style: H4n ProVerified Purchase

Gostei bastante, chegou super rápido e atende todas as minhas espectativas

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Katrin Schmid

Top

Reviewed in Germany on January 6, 2021

style: H4n ProVerified Purchase

Super Gerät

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Amazon Customer

It just works

Reviewed in Canada on October 11, 2018

style: H4n ProVerified Purchase

TL;DR: better sound than anything of about the same size, excellent low noise floor, responsive built-in mics. Menu a bit clunky (as are all Zoom products), no separate line in jack. Surfing levels and changing multiple inputs is a PITA.

I make short documentary films. I like the Zoom H4n Pro because it works well and is easily trousered. As a bonus, it sort of looks like a radio so it attracts less attention from baksheesh-searching
customs officials and border police.

I have used the Tascam Dr60D mkii and while it is a good recorder the quality is not as smooth as the H4n IMHO and the form factor is far less portable. I do use it for field recording though.

I use the H4n primarily with a RODE NTG2 and a RODE lav. I also use a few Sanken and Shures for VO.

I like that you can use it as an audio input device. This is handier than you might think especially if you narrate.

I wish it came with a y-connector so you could monitor line mics. This is a worthy add-on. I have also purchased the accessory kit with wind fur etc. and of course that can be handy if using the built-in mics.

I own the H2n and briefly owned the H1n (new version). This device has a sound quality in an entirely different league.

I will be taking it to sub-Saharan Africa next so I’ll see how well it stands up to inclement conditions.

In all, I think this is a highly worthwhile recorder, especially at the low price point. If you want slightly better pre-amps and better noise floor you can go to the H6, but this is easy and cheap and (so far) it just works.

One person found this helpful

Moi

Enregistreur

Reviewed in France on April 1, 2020

style: H4n ProVerified Purchase

Bien

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Amazon Customer

An awesome piece of kit

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2020

style: H4n ProVerified Purchase

For all you recirding geeks out there this is brilliant. Mics, guitar, drums, this is a mini 8 track recorder and you can edit using it!! Seriously cool piece of kit. Yes, I'm blown away. Perfect for field recordings and podcast creation.

3 people found this helpful

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Zoom H4N Handy Portable Digital Recorder - 2009 Version

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