Zoom H4 Test samples :edit: added interesting stuff

[Genetic_Junk]

Greg I just normalized my 24 96 sample in audacity and although the pulses are visually present there is no consistent tone. All I hear is noise. The two 16bit files do have consistent tone and pulse sounds, but the 24 96, from what I can hear, does not.

Toonyfish, I doubt the battery type will change the sound much, but I do have both types and will do a test tomorrow.

[dusted william]

thanks for the demo Genetic Junk,


dw

[Toonyfish]

Toonyfish, I doubt the battery type will change the sound much, but I do have both types and will do a test tomorrow.

Hmmm... you think battery power might be a reason for that noise?

I've never tried it with batteries, I always use the AC unit. Maybe that's why I'm not getting it?

It was suggested over at the forum I linked to in my first post. It was something about NiCD batteries vs. Alkaline and load resistance. I honestly don't know electronics that well. I think the same poster also wrote something about adding another capacitor as a fix it in those suggestions (you wouldn't find me doing that myself). Genetic_Junk, It would be great if you would test alkalines, NiCads and power supply though, to see if that makes a difference in the overall level and audability of the pulses. Who knows? It could be a solution.

Toonyfish

[Genetic_Junk]

You are welcome dw.

Sure I'll do the testing Toony. I'll record 3 sets of 16 44, 24 44, 16 48, 24 48, 16 96, and 24 96 wav files with the two different battery types and with the AC power supply. I'll place the recorder in the drawer (to get the most silent recording possible), like I did with the 1st set of samples.

[Toonyfish]

Sure I'll do the testing Toony. I'll record 3 sets of 16 44, 24 44, 16 48, 24 48, 16 96, and 24 96 wav files with the two different battery types and with the AC power supply. I'll place the recorder in the drawer (to get the most silent recording possible), like I did with the 1st set of samples.

Thanks Genetic_Junk. Hopefully it will shed some light on things.

Best Regards,

Toonyfish

[Genetic_Junk]

the files are in a big 100 meg zip. I didn't any editing at all, so you'll probably want to open them in a wav editor.

http://www.bigwussy.net/samples/zoom%20h4%20test1.zip

[Toonyfish]

the files are in a big 100 meg zip. I didn't any editing at all, so you'll probably want to open them in a wav editor.

http://www.bigwussy.net/samples/zoom%20h4%20test1.zip

Hi Genetic_Junk,

I'll post what I observed from your files. I could only hear beeps in the battery files, both alkaline and NiMH. The level of the beeps were pretty much the same for both NiMH and Alkaline. The frequency of the beeps changed with different sample rates. I could not hear any beeps at 96k whether it be 16 bit or 24 bit. I saw allot of pulses in all of the battery files.

I saw fewer pulses and heard no beeps with the AC Adaptor at all sample rates. (BTW, the 16/ 44 sample from the AC adaptor was a blank file.)

So the only difference I see is betweeen sample rates on batteries (96k-no beeps on anything. 48K-higher pitched beep, 44k-, lower pitched beep) and pulses (many pulses using batteries).

Once again there was fewer pulses and no beeping that I could hear at any sample rate using the AC adaptor.

Thanks Genetic_Junk for making those files.

Toonyfish

[stereomax]

... and thanks to both of you for making these recordings and sharing your findings!

[rnms]

I've had my H4 for a week now and have done a few tests, I only get the pulse ( access ) noise when using the built in mics and on batteries ( no noises when using the power adapter ) and when using the Viking 2 gig SD card I bought, I dont get any noises when I use the supplied 128 meg SD card. Someone on the Zoom forum mentioned earlier reported a high pitched whine when using Phantom power, I can't duplicate this even on batteries, all in all I'm very pleased with this unit.I must say we are talking of a very quiet noise here and is inaudible in normal recording it would only be a problem if you wanted to record the footsteps of a passing ant.

[stale bread]

can any of you tell us what you think of the unit as an audio interface, i'm thinking about picking up one to go with a macbook and wondering about the quality, latencey anything else applicable.

[rnms]

As an Audio interface this works very well, download the ASIO drivers from the Zoom website and latency is minimal, can be bus powered so no battery power is used, Someone on another forum (SOS) called the H4 the Swiss army knife of audio gear, I have to agree.

[Toonyfish]

I only get the pulse ( access ) noise when using the built in mics and on batteries ( no noises when using the power adapter ) and when using the Viking 2 gig SD card I bought, I dont get any noises when I use the supplied 128 meg SD card.

I wonder if it's the size of the card or the manufacturer that made a difference in your case rnms. Has anyone used a larger card of the brand supplied with the H4 and heard the pulse noise?

Genetic, Did you use the supplied card for those tests?

I'm wondering if this is a quality control issue that varies among units or if the problem can be reproduced in every unit using the same conditions.

[rnms]

There is a cofirmed media list on the Zoom website on the H4 page, my card is not on it, I wonder how much difference it makes.

[Genetic_Junk]

Thanks for the analysis Toony. I used a 2gb pqi SD card, not the included 128mb. I can't comment on the use as an audio interface, as I only use the H4 for field recordings.

[stale bread]

As an Audio interface this works very well, download the ASIO drivers from the Zoom website and latency is minimal, can be bus powered so no battery power is used, Someone on another forum (SOS) called the H4 the Swiss army knife of audio gear, I have to agree.

thanks i'm looking at this seriously to use when i'm on the move, for a samplist it looks like one of those no brainer ideal situations.