Zoom h1 recorder - recording rehearsals

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PermanentWavesPermanentWaves Frets: 59
edited November 2014 in Studio & Recording
I've posted something similar before but I'm now looking at at Zoom h1.

I want something reasonably priced that will allow me to record our rehearsals.

Everything |'ve tried so far has failed as it comes out really distorted. We do play loud in the rehearsals :)

Anyone using a Zoom H1 to record a loud practice session with success?

Thanks
Mike

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Comments

  • guitarfishbayguitarfishbay Frets: 7953
    edited November 2014
    Yes it should work fine unless you are super loud. What has failed you so far? My band is pretty loud and th H1 handles it fine with no clipping.
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  • Yes it should work fine unless you are super loud. What has failed you so far? My band is pretty loud and th H1 handles it fine with no clipping.
    i've just used standard mp3 recorders and it's way too distorted. Can't hear anything. I think it's the bass guitar that blows the sound levels. We aren't that loud but I suspect my simple mp3 player recorder was never designed for this!

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  • Had one... Was... OK... Didn't distort but didn't think it was that great picking up the low end. Now we use an zoom iq5 in an iPhone which is better. Cheap 2nd hand on eBay.
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  • Most of the zoom recorders have a volume pad and an auto gain function. I've got a Q3HD (i think thats the model number anyway). If I disable the auto gain and set the pad so the mics are at their least sensitive I get no clipping and decent signal.

    We're pretty stupidly loud


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  • MistergMisterg Frets: 293

    I've used a H1 straight in front of a 20W valve amp speaker and it coped just fine (auto gain off, and input level dialled down).

    They do have a low frequency roll-off filter which IIRC is switched on by default (so you may want to switch it off).

    FWIW, I think the audio quality is excellent, but it feels a bit cheap & 'plasticy'.

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  • ours also seemed to drain a battery slowly when it was off. irritating as I'd always forget to take it out and have to buy a new one each rehearsal...
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  • Thanks all. I bought one today from Amazon. Also included the accessories pack.

    I'll let you know how it works out.

    Thanks again.
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  • gusman2xgusman2x Frets: 919

    Don't know about the H1, but the H2 is great, that's what we use. Picks up the bottom end fine. Just gotta be careful of the positioning vs the drummer and how hard he hits the crash, but other than that I was blown away by the sound quality. Has revolutionised band practice too.

    Be warned though, when you're the dude that has to listen back to, chop up, convert, and send out every week, it gets old fast! :)

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  • @Gusman2x, what do you use for the 'chopping'?
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  • gusman2xgusman2x Frets: 919
    @Moe_Zambeek I just drag the individual tracks into garageband and chop them up there. I don't do any post production stuff, but you could I guess if you wanted.
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  • Thanks @gusman2x
    I was wondering how to do this without investing in some sw but I can use the mac so all good!
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  • CirrusCirrus Frets: 8481
    Anyone in your band have an iphone or Ipad with the bigger dock connector? If so the Tascam IM2 is really good for loud rehearsals.
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  • PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
    edited November 2014
    Oh one trick for zoom recorders is that they produce .m4a files however these are just the same container format as .movs so if you rename your files to .mov you can drag them straight into reaper. No conversion required.
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • Thanks @gusman2x
    I was wondering how to do this without investing in some sw but I can use the mac so all good!
    Try Audacity. It's free. I use it a lot in my job for chopping up audio files.

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  • Thanks @permanentwaves. Will give that a bash.
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  • Hey all,

    Just to say the Zoom H1 is working out great.

    First week I tried it with auto input volume settings. Only issue was it kept correcting itself when we played loud. So for example, the intro with one guitar sounded loud and then when we all kicked in the volume dropped.

    So last week I tried setting to a fixed min input volume. It worked a treat!

    Nice bit of kit. Highly recommended.

    Cheers
    Mike
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