ZoomH1n Handy Recorder (2018 model) N/A - Beige, M

This recorder may be simple but it also a powerful, useful, well designed and if used correctly can be put to great use on many film and music projects. If you are new to the world of film or music recording then this is a great start and if you are experienced you may want to go up a few models but still also get this as a handy, convenient back up recorder.The best thing about this device is that so much thought has gone into making this product as perfect as possible. She is plastic, weighs very little and almost all controls are done with buttons and switches on the side, which makes it both easy to use and allows quick alterations if you are recording live. There is a great lock function to make sure you don't accidentally press any buttons once you have set it up. You can record to a really high WAV or MP3 quality and although it comes with a solid 2GB MicroSD card I upgraded to an excellent 32GB Sandisk (the best brand of SD cards in my opinion) which this easily takes. Runs on one AA battery which is supplied (always a nice touch) and it even displays on the screen how much battery power is left. A Line In socket which is essential for recording from mixing desks or wanting to use clip on mics ect.A great example of the thought put into the product is the Line Out socket for headphones that allows monitoring of sound not only in playback but also while live recording (something some recorders and video cameras sometimes forget) as well as a small but handy speaker. Combine that with accurate decibel bars on the screen and a red flashing light whenever the audio peaks and you have the ability to monitor your sound very accurately and simply.The recorder picks up sound great and can even pick up very faint sounds. This makes it sensitive to wind but is easily sorted with the help of a windjammer. I recommend the windjammers- 45 mm Internal Diameter Foam Microphone Windshield(Pack of 5) which are a perfect fit and have stood up to my tests. Another problem of picking up the faintest sound is that if you are holding it by the end the mics pick up the noises of your fingers on the plastic. However the makers have even managed to sort that! They simply put in a screw hole which allows you to fit a tripod or camera mount or whatever which eliminates any noise from holding it by hand.There are better recorders out there and long time professionals may find some problems with this but for the really relatively small amount of money you pay this is an amazing product that I'll always have a use for and is an essential part of my kit bag.

The H1 is very basic in terms of the functionality it offers, compared to other more expensive recorders on the market, but given its price that is hardly surprising. The H1 is probably unique in that it has a completely menu free user interface - everything you do with the recorder you do using controls located on the fascia. In some ways this is quite refreshing, particularly for anyone with previous battle experience when it comes to dealing with impenetrable layers of menus. However, this is primarily what limits its functionality. You can do all the basic things you need to e.g. setting sample/bit rates (from 24bit/96k down to Mp3), and adjusting recording and volume levels. Line in (mic), line out (headphone) sockets, delete, play, fast forward and reverse buttons are also on the edge of the fascia along with a recording button which is located on its own on the front of the fascia. The H1 offers one button recording using the recording button, which you also press to stop recording and return to the home screen. Recordings are made to a 2Gb micro SD card (supplied) and the recorder is powered by a single AA battery.Physically the H1 is about 4.5 ins long, 1.3 ins wide and 0.8 ins deep. Many of its controls are located along the right edge of the recorder which makes for a tight fit - consequently the buttons are small. Anyone with very large fingers may struggle. The recorder is also very light and I would guess mostly made from plastic. I would not want to suggest that its build quality is poor but you might not want to step on it too often.If you can access the small buttons the H1 is actually very easy to use. The only real downside for me in its menu free operation is that if you have a number of recordings on the machine there is no way to visually scroll through them to select a specific one; you have to listen to them all to find the one you want. Note also that if you are at the home screen pressing the fast forward or reverse buttons will change the sample/bit rate, and it is easy to do this accidentally.The digital recorder market is one that is rapidly expanding and there are a lot of models out there. So why buy this recorder in preference to others? Firstly it is being sold at a low price point that no other recorder can match so if you are on a budget it is a bargain. Secondly, and more importantly, you might want to buy it for the quality of its condenser mics. They are absolutely outstanding. I am familiar with a number of recorders such as the Olympus LS10 and Tascam's DR-2d (see my review). The H1's mics simply blow them away. I record acoustic guitar which is notoriously difficult to capture well. The H1 manages it effortlessly with a degree of accuracy and a complete lack of colouration which left me quite astonished. To date these are the best internal mics I have encountered and this alone makes the H1 a must buy. If I lost this recorder I would have no hesitation in buying it again.

The intuitive and simple interface makes it very easy to use, I only had to consult the manual for a minute. The sound quality is very good and I was particularly impressed with the stereo image. There's audible white noise in low volume situations e.g. conversation, although it's not at all intrusive. I use it for recording band rehearsals (rrrrock) and it gives a very clear sound without ever clipping, it is excellent for this purpose.It would get five stars but the flap covering the SD card doesn't stay in place and flaps about in a marginally irritating manner.I got it with the accesory pack. The tripod is a tad flimsy but the case is essential if you're taking the recorder out and about as it's not the sturdiest built thing in the World. If you have rechargeable batteries then you might just be able to get the case as the recorder on it's own comes with a micro SD-to-SD card converter and your computer might well have an SD reader built in.It's unusual appearance gives the added bonus that, should a desperate enough situation arise, you may able to convince your would-be assailant that it's a taser.