Zoom H2n Digital Audio Recorder Full Review - 4 weeks on 

2022, I just got a listen to this recorder and I have to say it was crystal clear! I was amazed just how clear it was listening threw headphones. It's so clear that you can actually hear your breathing if you have it to close. LOL

Hi , lets say Im on a tight budget , do you think this mic is good enough for filmmaking ? For example, use the mid-side function and position it like a boom/shotgun when filming outdoor ?

I have this Mic but i never get that clicking? It sounds like he was a little hot with the level?

Great review, thanks. I would like to know if i connect it to a contour+2 action camera to record the sound with it, do i start recording by pressing the record button on the zoom or does it start recording as i start to record the film footage, In other words do i have to start two separate recordings? or just one push of a button on the camera?

The sound was great, I'm really impressed with this recorder. Great review Dave!

Fantastic Review Dave, I'm very interested in making thing look & sound much much better than what you can get as standard with built in Mic's,That yes do the job, but are not quite what what you expect,Maybe this will change from the manafactures side of thing's but highly doubt it. I have the Zoom H1,Which in itself is cost effective and offer's very good result's when it come's to sound clarity. Did U experience any excessive noise being picked up ? while recording at any point ?

Greetings. Question...when in the midst of recording, without leaving the recording, is there an ability to rewind/forward to check and possibly revise the recording? Thank you!!!

Great review Dave. The audio has got some clicks in it. Was something going on whilst you were recording the video or is that what the microphone does itself? Also the sound of your Mic that you used in this video is very close many maybe even better than the zoom.

Do u have any tips for lining up the audio with video for perfect sync. What software do u use ?

Is this really good for recording metal riffs and screaming leads?

What is that clicking sound I'm hearing when the H2n is being demonstrated? I hope that's not from the mic itself.

Would this be good for capturing a wedding audio if you wanted it to be seperate from the camcorder to record the main ceremony ?

this is an outstanding review... great!

@redhillmedia Not clipping, now switched from MP3 to PCM which plays better with FCPX.

Can i use as mp3 player? Or playback desk?

Hello there. I bought my H2N on the strength of your earlier revue. I have hands like bears paws, & I have had no trouble with that rocker switch at all. I have found it to be positive in action in all respects. As to the finish ? My other Mics are all flat black, so I love this finish, as it is an exact match for my Porsche 911 paintwork (but the Porsche is only in my dreams). I think for the money, it is a brilliant recorder, & I use headphones to listen back with. Keep on keeping on Sir.

Just ordered my Zoom H2n, and was wondering what settings would be best to record my rock band in concert, to later be put on to a CD. Many thanks.

So, it can act as a conventional USB microphone by just plugging it into the computer's USB port via the mini USB cable and without the battery attached?

Nice review mate!

@ecartman12 Not clipping, now switched from MP3 to PCM which plays better with FCPX.

Hi there. Do you recommend this recorder to record live music bands, like in a bar or pub?

It has no XLR entry... How do I connect it to a boom pole mic?

Great set of Review Videos, It has definitely helped my decision to go ahead with the purchase. The fact is acts as a USB Mic is a definite bonus in my opinion, and givent he high audio quality, makes me wonder what the point of most of the entry level USB mics are. Did you ever have a chance to test the battery life claims? I was thinking to connect this to a usb portable battery to take care of power needs in the long term.

At 3.01 you have it set in XY mode, but the top XY sound pattern shows the other direction. Shouldn't it be facing screen away from you ? Thanks

Any chance of some raw downloads so that we can judge the audio quality without FCPX and RU-vid colouring the sound? It sounded like it might possibly have been very good, but there were simply too many artefacts for me to make a judgement.

@stubertphoenix Not clipping, now switched from MP3 to PCM which plays better with FCPX.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!! Is there an ability to rewind while recording to check the recording without leaving the recording/file?????????

Would this work for recording nature sounds or sound effects? Let's say I want to record a crow cawing outside, would this work? I can do a lot of editing, I edited the sound of the in built mic of my DSLR to something decent.. But I would like a handheld device with the best quality to be able to do this. So my question: Would this one work for that, and if not.. which portable recorder would be best suited for this?

Is there a way to turn off the back light on the screen? If you use it for meetings I would thing that bright screen might get annoying.

Got one and i love it. Use headphones to listen back..

I have had mine for a couple of years and it is excellent..

@pimpyouriphone3g No excessive noise, you have filters and levels to handle that. Zoom H1 is superb too.

My friend who is a bass player / sound engineer uses a Zoom H4n for live gigs and also direct line in recordings. Zoom H2n for me and Zoom H4n for him, great recorders...P.S. the batteries last for a very very long time, and I have never yet filled my 32g sd card up..

Hi Dave! I´m a Brazilian big fan of you. I´ve just got a Zoom H2n to improve audio on my youtube channel. I watched this video and I was wondering how do you equalize or what setup or "audio treatment" do you apply on audio when you are editing it? If you could answer this "big" question I'll be forever grateful. Tks

There's a bit of clicking on the Zoom audio - was it clipping?

@ndgreenaway Now switched from MP3 to PCM which plays better with FCPX.

Nice will definitely be interested in trying this mic out and see how it works for myself. Thinking about making some car videos and clips with it so lets see how that goes.

I was actually hearing some clicks when you were using it to record... Or was that me something that happened later?

@Herihjaltmohr Now switched from MP3 to PCM which plays better with FCPX.

PLEASE reply!, Could this microphone be used as a plug and play usb mic? Like the at2020usb+? Which means no software for audio input via usb.

Hello - At what distance does the mic need to be kept from the mouth? The reason I ask is because I would prefer the microphone not be visible in the video recording. Any information you can provide would be most helpful.

@GamingModsHacks Thanks.

Which mode do I use if I want to record a guy playing the saxophone on the streets? Your reply is very much appreciated! Do I need to turn on the low cut? Limiter?

is there an XLR input?? thanks for the review

Can you connect a synthesizer to the line in?

Thanks! :-)

Can I connect H2n with another audio device and use line to record from that device? If I connect it to my computer, can I record something that I listen to on youtube?

Hello Dave, Thank you for review. I received a H2N today. I've tested it for self-noise at various gains using the MS setting, as I'm interested in video. It's rather noisy. There is an audible hiss at gain setting 10 that produces a noise floor of around -50ish Db, and moving down to gain 6 produces a noise floor of around around -62 Db. Unfortunately at that level of gain, the source needs to be loud or very close, as normal speech at around 6 inches from the unit produces a -18 to -24 Db signal that would need to be increased, along with noise. I'm going to do some more testing with it, but if the noise cannot be reduced, then it's going back to where it came. I'm going to check your channel now to see what other portable recorders you've tested. All the best.

Can this device use USB as power source when you're out in the field?

RealJoshuaSe its a Great Mic it has threading on the bottom so you can attach a Boom pole...

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Question...when in the midst of recording, without leaving the recording, is there an ability to rewind/forward to check and possibly revise the recording? Thank you!!!

I love this mic now I have it, but iv had so many problems with it. Recording vinyl via line in is too loud even with the preamp on lowest, problems recording quiet sounds, computer not picking up the device (7-8 attempts usually), tells me my sd card is full when it's not and then tells me I have no SD card in!? Good mic when it works though.

how is the quality of the audio

Yup.

Fantastic audio but the clicking noise if a downside

Why doesn't anybody post a test of this mic in mid-side mode? That's what I'm interested in for recording people's stories. Quality should be better for mono recording. Yet no one tests that mode!!

something sounds wrong..

@pimpyouriphone3g ALL built-in mics, in the now, are all created equal, except for Zoom, whose mics are more "equal" than others, if you take my meaning. Zoom is going to continue on their present course and you just might be stunned and amazed by what they come up with down the road. Now, if you can't get YOUR Zoom recorder to sound better than "standard", it's not that Zoom is lacking- YOU are.

Hello Dave. I'm not sure if this is the same for all recorders, but I have noticed that this recorder is designed strangely. When recording with the screen facing in XY mode, the left and right channels are switched, so it is necessary to switch the stereo channels in a DAW. I have come to the conclusion that the POV of the recorder is with the operator being behind the unit regardless of the recording mode. So, when you are recording for video, it is important to get your subjects/actors positioned correctly, or make sure you switch channels in post.

@pimpyouriphone3g It's a standard cop-out for someone who doesn't have the skills to blame their gear no matter how great or not so great it is. And buying expensive mics to try and compensate for ones shortcomings just doesn't work. I'm kind of tired of folks coming on here and cutting Zoom down, however more or less, just because they can't handle what they're trying to do. I have an H1 myself and the results that it offers me are way beyond "very good".

@pimpyouriphone3g Search my videos and have a look and listen. Soundwise, they've all been done with the H1

Do not buy this device ... it is totally unusable for professional use. Every contact sound, even if you hang it in rubber bands, you will hear in your recording. Suppose you put your recorder on pieces of foam rubber and stuff some cotton and you connect your headphones, then every contact with the cable is a drum burst in your recording. It is incomprehensible that no one complains about this in all reviews from professionals. So you can only use it on a tripod without headphones and no one walking on the floor. So don't put it on a table. What works well is connecting an external mic in the line-in and switching off all Zoom mics. Good luck not buying this device. Oh yes, I have the Tascam DR4 and the ZoomH6, they don't have this problem.