Samson BASS PRE-AMP Manuel d'utilisateur télécharger pdf

Samson ZOOM H4 Review

file:///D|/Sonicweb%20Dreamweaver%20Edition_Recent/zoomh4rv.htm[4/3/2010 12:45:06 PM]

Sonic Studios™ SD Flash Portable Recorder NON-Review Commentary

MODEL: Samson Zoom

This is a brief non-review/commentary based on initial bench

testing of the H4 with as-shipped firmware version 1.10

DOWNLOAD

this page as

Acrobat PDF

file

Samson INPUTS REC TIME BATTERY TIPS MEMORY NOISE

ADD-

PRE

This is not a complete review of the Zoom H4 as initial testing was done

to verify analog input noise/frequency performance. Noise/frequency

response measurements were so poor, I stopped more thorough testing

and canceled doing a full review. This deck was NOT going to be suitable

for most recordists requiring adequate audio quality.

Introduction:

I admit to having a bad feeling about the H4 when a few

customers asked about it last year. And one kind taper on

www.taperssection.com newsgroup offered me a loan a few

months back that I passed on because of this feeling, and

having ability to do a quick evaluation/return was

questionable.

But one musician customer previously using a Sharp MD

was motivated to buy the H4 for having 4-track mix features

felt useful for her purposes, so I agreed to test the unit.

The 'Swiss Army Knife' Recording Deck for

Musicians !

Seems just about everyone, and especially musicians, is

awed by the H4's very low cost and features. H4 has dual

balanced XLR mic/unbalanced 1/4" TS mic/line input, 48 volt

mic phantom power, 16/24bit depth, VBR MP3 and

44.1/48/96K .wav file recording modes, and unique 4

channel recording mixer mode allowing mulitrack session

with inside-the-deck editing. On deck mics, instrument tuner,

metronome, many types of instrument/editing effects. Easy

powering is accomplished using just (2) AA alkaline or

NiCAD/NiMH type cells

H4 is also unique in ability to become USB recording

soundcard output directly into a PC or MAC computer.

Some noted feature shortfalls is limited up-to-2GIG SD card

storage (some reports of 4 GIG cards working OK), and

buried menu REC level control not ganged for stereo 2-track

mode. This means limited 24 bit depth recording time, and

awkward time consuming REC level adjustments during live

session.

Summary: Bottom line in my opinion is unless deck gets a complete redesign, only hope for H4 is restoring flat bandwidth to

>40K cycles AND using external mic pre to overcome switching power supply noise. Redesign is NOT likely at this point as H4

model seems to have been around for going on 2 years with Samson saying everything is fine in their opinion.

NOTES TO THE WISE: Sans needing H4's high frequency bandwidth restoration, using an external preamp seems a necessary upgrade for virtually

ALL low cost flash decks used for at least acoustic recording purposes with moderately low output mics. In perspective, it took Sony 2 1/2

generations of DAT deck refinement for mic preamp to start to get really usable, and the best was 4.5 generation M1 model. More realistic to expect

low costing flash deck refinement in 2 more generations where switching power supply noise is not such an issue, and external mic preamp is not so

needed for acoustic recording with most microphones.

INPUTS

Most owners of H4 experience severe overload clipping distortions while trying using this deck,

even though VU levels seem well below clipping. Testing found the cause to be the REC level

adjustment that ONLY APPEARS to have 0-127 steps for setting record level, or so it seems until my tests.

In reality, out of the 127 steps, ONLY #100 - #127 range works to control actual REC level; a somewhat

limited 10 dB range of adjustment. Setting REC level below #100 will lower VU level indication, but 1st mic/line

INPUT STAGE IS THEN CLIP DISTORTING!!! This was tested true in ALL sensitivity switch settings, but tested only

the dual unbalanced TS inputs.. Findings should hold true for dual XLR inputs as well.

1 2 3 4 5

Résumé du contenu

Page 1 - MODEL: Samson Zoom

Samson ZOOM H4 Reviewfile:///D|/Sonicweb%20Dreamweaver%20Edition_Recent/zoomh4rv.htm[4/3/2010 12:45:06 PM]Sonic Studios™ SD Flash Portable Recorder NO

Page 2 - Samson ZOOM H4 Review

Samson ZOOM H4 Reviewfile:///D|/Sonicweb%20Dreamweaver%20Edition_Recent/zoomh4rv.htm[4/3/2010 12:45:06 PM]It seems odd to me that no one has mentioned

Page 3

Samson ZOOM H4 Reviewfile:///D|/Sonicweb%20Dreamweaver%20Edition_Recent/zoomh4rv.htm[4/3/2010 12:45:06 PM]for the purposes of versatile portable recor

Page 4

Samson ZOOM H4 Reviewfile:///D|/Sonicweb%20Dreamweaver%20Edition_Recent/zoomh4rv.htm[4/3/2010 12:45:06 PM] Suggestions for SD memory cards likely to w

Page 5 - Mail Ordering Options

Samson ZOOM H4 Reviewfile:///D|/Sonicweb%20Dreamweaver%20Edition_Recent/zoomh4rv.htm[4/3/2010 12:45:06 PM] Eyegear/Headband/HRTF Bafflemountable match