H2 Handy Recorder-Samson

All articles on this site are by Harry Skevington unless otherwise noted with another byline

FEBRUARY 4, 2008

Zoom H2 Handy Recorder from Samson
When I first saw the press release on the H2 Handy Recorder I though it would be great to use during CES. I sometimes record conversations while taking booth tours, at press presentations, or during meetings. I was wrong. It is a great recorder for musicians and others who want to record multi-channel sound.

The H2 is a much finer product than required for the use I planned but I tried it anyway. The unit is too large to carry in a pocket the way I treat my tiny Olympic recorder. When holding it there was noticeable noise created from my movements and it was not as easy for me to learn the many functions and menus.

It does have its place as a recorder. I tested it using my Dell Windows Media Center surround sound system. It duplicated the separation of sound quite well. After this test I found a fun reason to use the H2. I have many music files that I am no longer able to copy/burn to a CD, from the Dell to my notebook, or to MP3 players and music cell phones due to DRM issues. Since I can still play them on the Dell I placed the H2 in the middle of the surround sound speakers and recorded the tune. Just for kicks I did the same with a 12 song album as one long one track. This may seem like a painful way to do things but it was fun to see the results and the sound was great.

The H2 comes with earbuds, 1/8 inch stereo to RCA cable, mic clip adapter, tripod stand, USB cable, AC adapter and a 512MB SD card. For those of you who feel the Zoom H2 Handy Recorder from Samson may fit your needs here are some links, photos and specs.

Features:
W-XY mic patterns with 4 mic capsules and signal processing allows Front 90° cardioid, Rear 120° cardioid and 360° polar patterns
Built-in USB 2.0 interface
Records in WAV 96kHz/48kHz/44.1kHz at 16-bit or 24-bit, MP3 to 320kbps and Variable Bit Rate (VBR) data formats
Time Stamp and Track Marker functions in Broadcast WAV Format (BWF)
512MB SD memory card included
Accommodates up to 4GB SD memory cards
Auto Gain Control (AGC) for pristine recordings
Auto Start function means you're always ready to record
Low-cut filter eliminates wind noise
On-board chromatic Guitar/Bass tuner

As I mentioned above this is a good product that I attempted to use for the wrong task. If you are a musician or just want to record meetings or sounds that come from many directions the H2 is for you. If you want a recorder for memos, short one-on-one discussions, and other very basic uses you should look elsewhere. I apologize to Samson for my lack of understanding in this situation.
FOR INFORMATION ON THIS OR OTHER SAMSON PRODUCTS CLICK HERE


	Harry Skevington has been involved with electronics since 1981. He has taught, written for, and provided support to, computer users since 1985. Information that will help consumers with buying decisions is more important than ever due to the current convergence of computers and other consumer products . Harry attends CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas on assignment as a working press writer each year to find and write about emerging technology that seems to fit the needs of his readers. Contact Harry

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