This is a review of the Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder with audio Test. Link to the Zoom H1 Recorder: http://amzn.to/1didt19 Link to the Blue Yeti that was used to record the review audio: http://amzn.to/1Oufd88 Link to the Zoom H1 USB Cable: http://amzn.to/1kNbuoY Link to the Zoom H1 Accessory Package: http://amzn.to/1OueNPj Link to Zoom H1 Camera Shoe Mount: http://amzn.to/1OWNRlZ Link to a windscreen for the Zoom H1: http://amzn.to/1diedmY Link to a mini tripod for the Zoom H1: http://amzn.to/1Ouh9O7 Today we’re reviewing the Zoom H1 portable handy audio recorder, version 2. This is zoom’s entry-level audio recorder and is one of the most popular audio devices on the planet. The Zoom H1 is made from plastic and is about 5 inches long. Its currently available in black and white. It has its stereo recording elements on top, encased in a plastic cage that’s part of its body. Now we do recommend using a windscreen, like this one, to reduce the effect of plosives and spit on your recordings. Right beneath that is an LED indicator which indicates if your voice peaks. The LCD screen on the Zoom H1 is backlit and has a sound level meter and lots of useful information on it. And right under that is the recording start-stop button. Very well laid out- a clean simple interface. On the right hand edge you have the mini usb port to connect your Zoom H1 to a computer and transfer files or use it as a USB mic- we’ll talk about that a little later. There’s the power button, the button to delete files that are recorded and buttons to forward, rewind and play recorded clips. The input level button adjusts the gain of mics that are plugged into the 3.5mm input port of the Zoom H1, but is mainly used to the adjust the input gain of the Zoom H1’s built-in mic. The left hand edge has 3.5mm jack which can be used as a headphone jack or as a line-out for in-camera recording. Something we’ll test in a few minutes.You can also control the output level of that jack using the volume controls. The Zoom H1 accommodates micro SD cards of of upto 32Gb in size. It also comes with a micro sd card to SD card adapter to make it easier to transfer files to your computer. The Zoom H1 Portable Handy Digital Recorder is powered by a single AA battery that is located in a compartment on the back and can be powered via USB when recording in the USB mic mode. There’s also a ¼”-20 female thread, so you can mount it to a tripod or boom pole. The back of the Zoom H1 also has three other important buttons. The button to turn on or turn off the low cut filter, the button to turn on or turn off the auto level feature- which is pretty handy for run and gun applications. The Zoom H1 can also record in two different audio file formats- WAV and MP3. The MP3 recordings produce lower quality recordings but increase the amount of recording time available. The WAV files on the other hand are of a higher quality but reduce your recording times. Within each file type you can also choose different bit rates for your recordings. As a general rule of thumb- the higher the bit rate the better the quality and lower the amount of recording time available. And vice versa. The Zoom H1’s screen, displays the remaining recording time on your SD card, based on the file type and bit rate you choose. It all comes down to your specific requirements. Do you value recording time or audio quality or a balance of both. The Zoom H1 offers plenty of options for both. The Zoom H1 can also playback your audio clips using a single speaker on the bottom edge of the device. The Zoom H1 is extremely versatile and can be used to record audio in three distinctly different recording modes. It can be used to record audio directly into the Zoom H1, as a USB mic when connected to a computer and lastly as an on-board mic to record audio for a DSLR or camcorder. Now we’re going to test the recording quality in all three modes by reading a quote, so you can hear how it sounds. in all these tests, I am about 5 inches away from the mic, with the mic pointed at me in its horizontal position. When recording directly into the Zoom H1 Portable Digital Recorder, I am going to use different file formats and bit rates, so you can hear how it sounds. To use it as a USB mic, plug the Zoom H1 into your computer using a USB to mini USB cable, select the Audio option using the record button and now you can record into any recording software like say Audacity. This feature works with all modern versions of windows and on the Mac. You can hook the Zoom H1 into your camcorder or DSLR using a 3.5mm audio cable. You will have to adjust the input gain on your camera and the input level on the Zoom to find the best recording quality. Zoom also sells a shoe mount adapter to mount your zoom directly to the camera.

• published: 27 Apr 2015
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