KVR Audio

Genetic_Junk · Post by **Genetic_Junk** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:11 pm

There have been some complaints floating around the net about the zoom h4 recording beeps that correspond with it accessing and writing to the SD card. I put the zoom in a drawer and recorded three files separatel,y one at 16 44, another at 16 48, and the last at 24 96. The 16 44 and 16 48 both exhibit the beeping problem. The beeps are non-existent at 24 96. I was quite surprised at the difference in sound quality between the two 16bit files and the 24bit.

http://www.bigwussy.net/samples/Zoom%20H4%20Test/

some interesting stuff

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

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 5:13 am

Nice! How are you liking your Zoom H4?

Are you using the Zoom stereo mics to record those sound effects?

stereomax · Post by **stereomax** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 9:32 am

Hi!

I would be interested in some words about the quality of the built-in mics also (I'm thinking of buying and Edirol R-09 or a Zoom H4). Thanks!

Genetic_Junk · Post by **Genetic_Junk** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 8:50 pm

Hey Greg. The portability and the sound quality make the Zoom H4 definitely worth the asking price. The sound effects were recorded with the H4's built in mics.

Hi stereomax. Those samples were recorded with Zoom's built-in mics, so they will probably tell you more than my opinion. If you have anything particular you would like me to record with the H4, feel free to ask.

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 9:04 pm

Yeah, it sounded like Zoom's built-in mics, but I just wanted to make sure.

I really love my Zoom H4... I've recorded a couple live shows (with the built-in mics) and every time have been amazed at the quality of those things. I've also done some stuff with the multi-track recorder it has. I find the GUI really easy to use, actually.

Genetic_Junk · Post by **Genetic_Junk** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 9:13 pm

I just wish it had a highpass filter to get rid of low freq wind energy. The included windscreen is nice, but it does cut back on the high frequency content.

I've also had some card errors with the 2Gb SD card I bought yesterday. Hopefully they will take care of that problem with a firmware patch.

Not a flawless piece of gear, but most gear isn't. Its drawbacks are negligible IMO.

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 12:50 am

From what I've read, they WILL be coming out with a firmware update (which are easy as pie to use, you just put it on the SD card and it'll update it from there!), which also fixes a big problem when you record in MP3 format at 64 kbps and 256 kbps... I believe those are the only two bitrates it has issues with. Doesn't matter to me, since if I'm going to record to MP3 I'll use around 160 kbps.

So it's good to know that they will update it to fix a few things...

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:04 am

i've been thinking up reasons to have 1 so i can use the charge card

Toonyfish · Post by **Toonyfish** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:21 am

http://www.2090.org/zoom/bbs/viewforum.php?f=15

I really want to get one as well. The above link is a userforum with some people posting some Zoom H4 audio issues and possible reasons and solutions. On your 24/96 sample I couldn't hear anything but I did see a pulse when opening it up in wavelab. The mics sounded good on your samples but I did hear a high frequency sound underlying many of them. This recorder is very cool and I'm sure is still very usable at this time but I'm still holding off until solutions to the mentioned can be figured out. It doesn't seem that everybody is having them though. Gregjazz, are you hearing any high frequencing whines or pulses when you use your H4?

Toonyfish

Genetic_Junk · Post by **Genetic_Junk** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 3:34 am

Actually that forum is what I was reading before I bought the H4 and spurred my asking Greg about the pulse/beeps. I tried to register, but the admin for some reason did not email me back the activation link.

I also saw the pulse in audacity. I had my headphone amp at max and couldn't hear the pulses. The high frequency you hear in those samples is various office machinery. The copy machine, the mini-fridge, and a couple computers were all running in the background. I am pretty discriminating when it comes to S/N and at 24 96 my H4 has very low noise. Just listen to the silence samples, the pulses or high pitch are both non-existent in the 24 96 file.

I'm not sure if they can fix the 16/44 and 16/48 beeps with a firmware update.

My 1616m laptop soundcard paired high quality condensers will best the H4 in sound-quality, but for me the H4 wins in the portability to sound-quality ratio.

Glad I perked some interest though.

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:02 am

Yeah, it's weird because I never noticed any audible beeps in my recordings... I recorded some samples inside a reasonably dead drum room, and didn't hear any beeps using the internal mics or external ones. I was recording at 24bit/44.1 I believe. I analysed the waveforms later, and I was getting an average amount of noise, but no whine or beeps or anything...

EDIT: Hang on, wait, I normalized it, and I DO hear a frequency around 640, it's an F (but a little flat) if my perfect pitch serves me correctly. It's VERY minimal, it's not even a solid tone, but a tiny attenuation in the overall fuzz. However, I loaded Genetic_Junk's silence tests, and it's quite prominent compared to mine, and it's almost a pure sine wave.

I wonder whether it has to do with the power... in America we have so much dirty power, since we're on 110 or so. Unless you have one of those power cleaners or have 220 power I think that's where you can pick up some buzzing and hum noises and such.

I did a lot of research on portable recorders before I bought the H4. I was looking for something no greater than $700. Everything seemed to have its own problems besides bugs: no XLR input, stuff like that... Anyway, I'm really happy with my choice.

Genetic_Junk · Post by **Genetic_Junk** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:21 am

Maybe 16bit is what sets on the beeps?

Toonyfish · Post by **Toonyfish** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:26 am

I would be interested in hearing if there is a difference between using NiCD and alkaline batteries as one of the people on the forum suggested as a possible solution.

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:48 am

Genetic_Junk wrote:Maybe 16bit is what sets on the beeps?

Yes, possibly, since your 24-bit 96khz is pretty clean, but the 16-bit 44.1khz has that noise in it.

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:50 am

Toonyfish wrote:I would be interested in hearing if there is a difference between using NiCD and alkaline batteries as one of the people on the forum suggested as a possible solution.

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?

Zoom H4 Test samples :edit: added interesting stuff