Edirol R44 vs Zoom H4n

[Nicholas de Kock]

Originally Posted by Brian Luce

I've had clipping issues at concerts -- music goes soft then a crescendo. I'm hoping a dedicated recorder like Zoom will provide that extra cushion without having to use auto leveling.

Brain I used the Zoom H4n for a school concert this week and the "Concert" limiter setting performed brilliantly! There was a lot of soft dialog mixed with shouting, etc. I'm starting to understand Steve's hate for automatic level control, constant volume mixed with a good limiter works better. I'm very impressed with the H4n however I'm selling it to get the R-44 for the 4 channels.

[Brian Luce]

Originally Posted by Nicholas de Kock

Brain I used the Zoom H4n for a school concert this week and the "Concert" limiter setting performed brilliantly! There was a lot of soft dialog mixed with shouting, etc. I'm starting to understand Steve's hate for automatic level control, constant volume mixed with a good limiter works better. I'm very impressed with the H4n however I'm selling it to get the R-44 for the 4 channels.

I also returned my Zoom for the Tascam DR100. I like the separate level control. It's only an additional $30.

[Daniel Behrman]

i have the zoom h4n and i've been using it for a while. for the most part it's great, but i have had issues. for one thing, when using NiMH AA batteries, they always read halfway empty - even when they are freshly charged. it will record for several hours like this. the problem is I can't see when they are really getting low. this is after changing the menu setting so the h4n knows that i have NiMH batteries in.

also i have tried a setup with one mic on phantom power and a ew100 g3 receiver in the other XLR. i get a tone popping in every second or two and the screen dims - almost like it doesn't have enough power to send out to both mics. if i unplug either mic it works fine.

the h4n is a great unit for what it is - but i think it's still a cheap consumer tool - i wouldn't even rate it prosumer. unfortunately it's the closest thing to pro in the price range - and it's a good small size, but i am hoping to have better luck with my r44

[Rick Reineke]

"i get a tone popping in every second or two and the screen dims - almost like it doesn't have enough power to send out to both mics. if i unplug either mic it works fine.

I'm not familiar with your term 'tone popping', however the unbalanced output of the G3 could be partially shorting out the phantom power. Typically in an unbalanced configuration, XLR pins 1&3 are tied to ground/shield. Pins 2 and 3 carry the voltage.

[Christian Brown]

Hello, I've used both units and have written a review of the R44, complete with samples and a comparison to high-end Great River and Benchmark preamps:

Oade Modded Edirol R-44 Review

In short, the main practical differences are:

-- Four channels instead of two.
-- Much quieter preamps.
-- Ability to handle line level.

All these makes the R44 MUCH more useful. Want to run a stereo pair of mics plus a two spots or lavs? Can't be done on an H4. Want to record from two lavs while also recording a shotgun? Can't be done on an H4. Want to record line level from the PA or DJ? Can't be done with the H4, at least not with out spending time setting/padding the level. Want a hiss-free recording of a recital? Can't be done with the H4.

The H4 is really easy to use and is a fair price. But if you are doing any sort of filming on a regular basis, you will find uses for the two extra channels and you will be thankful for the quiet preamps every time you turn it up.

Good luck!

[Martin Doppelbauer]

Unfortunately I found this thread just now.
The H4n has horribly bad THD when recording through the XLRs: Field recorder harmonics. The R44 plays in a different league. Choosing between the two really is a no brainer...