1. Posted: Sep 10 2008

   There's not much I can add to the previous reviews. They sum it up pretty well. I got the H2 to record rehearsals and bird calls and general armature audio fooling around. As a first time user of a digital recorder, I can say that I found the H2 easy to figure out. It does not win any points for usability, but once you get past the membrane and the tiny display, the commands are logical and the most used options are up front. The manual is pretty good as those things go these days. No stupid machine translation text. One could wish for some recording tips or advice on how and when to make some settings. But the manual is clearly laid out and gives you the step-by-step to get you going. The unit does offer a modest degree of complexity (particularly in mic set up) compared to the point-and-press voice recorders. But those extras, such as compression, panning, etc are useful even if you're just a hobbies. I don't understand the reviews fussing about the pressing twice to record. It's great to be able to tweak setup ahead of time then pressing the 2nd time to start. I was glad to see the unit stores your recording settings so you don't have to set up each time you start in a similar situation. Though the feature most obviously lacking is a record pause. But if you stop, you stop. Starting again creates a new file. That is a bit of a pain if you're used to analog recording, but it may be an artifact of digital technology. I went right into 4-channel for some ambient outdoor recording and was delighted to find I could mix the 4 down to stereo in the H2 before downloading -- though be warned, this can take a few minutes. The mics are plenty sensitive (surprisingly so, in fact) for my armature outdoor use and tame down nicely for recording my rehearsals. All the extras are useful, stand, mic grip, etc. It's not just stuffing in the box. So if you've shopped around, compared features, I think you'll find the H2 stands out. But do some price comparison because there are better deals to be had out there and the price seems to be coming down.

2. Posted: Sep 8 2008

   I'm not a professional or amateur musician and my main reason for purchasing this recorder wasn't for music. I haven't tried this unit in its surround sound (4 channel) mode, so I can't comment on that. What I can say is that the unit performs very well for voice and other environmental sounds that I have recorded. What I've primarily used this for has been idea recording which the H2 is exceptionally well suited for. It's light weight, fits in a shirt pocket and records to a different file every time the record function is turned on. I spent maybe a half hour to an hour going through the booklet finding out how to use the controls, which are as commonly set out for any other device such as a digital camera or digital camcorder. The only thing that wasn't mention,either in the booklet or in any of the reviews that I looked at, was that if you use one of the newer SDHC (such as the 4GB SDHC ScanDisk), it won't be recognized by the normal memory card reader in your computer. Not to fear, the supplied USB cable that fits your H2 allows the H2 to be recognized as another drive device from which you can down load or up load your sound files. The only difficulty that I've had so far is in tech support, of which, as far as I can tell, doesn't exist. I tried to get in touch with them about the memory card reader difficulty before trying the USB cord (which, by the way, powers up the H2 when it's plugged in). Never got a response back. Would I buy this now knowing what I know now? In a heart beat, and the sound is great.

3. Posted: Sep 7 2008

   The Zoom H2 is, in fact, a handy recorder. I purchased mine after hearing the crystal clear "surround sound" recording of our band at an outdoor summer party, caught by one my friend owned. My main interest was recording guitar and vocal practice, and the performance of our band, but I have also been able to use the line-in jack to capture some old recordings directly from turntable and cassette player. These may or may not need to be edited once uploaded to your computer - but still- the capability is there, and it's handy and relatively inexpensive. Would it be nice to be able to more quickly stop and start a new file, or mark some point as a separate "track" ? Sure. Is the SD card access port blocked by the removable stand? Sure. You'll need to be careful when you change batteries or take the card in and out. Like all plastic electronic devices, "durable" is a relative term. I would try to avoid dropping it. Come on - they make these things for speed of assembly, lightweight shipping, small size, etc. But look what you get! It fits in your pocket. Screw a 1/4 inch eye bolt in where the stand goes, and you can hang it wherever you want. Use a camera tripod, or a mike stand... I've heard people complain about hand noise on their recordings - ANY time you touch a sensitive mic during recording, that'll be an issue. SO... again -be careful! And when you are, you can get incredibly clear recordings through the mics, or run a device directly into the H2. The level adjustments and options are quite limited. They are for ease of use, not perfection. You will have to experiment. But remember- you spent way less than $200 - you're not a sound engineer with a million dollar studio... you're using a great little portable recording device that requires no in-depth learning curve to operate. Enjoy!

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