Zoom | H1essential | 32-Bit Float | Stereo Recorder

I thought it would be a nice upgrade for the H1n I already own, but definitely not.It records nicely, but there is no option to change file types - something I needed - and the noise floor was SO bad on the unit I bought that I had to return it. If I'd known about that I wouldn't have bought it.So I purchased another H1n, which is perfect for my needs and will be an excellent backup unit for my other H1n.Mannys was helpful and quick with the refund.

A signifiant update of an already good sound recorder.

The sound quality of this new version of the recorder is quite good by itself, but I use it with separate Rode mics for video-with my Nikon DSLR and now my iPhone 15 Pro. Since changing to the iPhone 15, I bought it because of its easier usability, with especially the USB-C connection. I run the recordings through Acoustica Pro software and then add them to Logic Pro and, finally, Final Cut Pro. The recorder is really very good for its price range and usage.

Disappointing

Maybe I'm expecting to much from the Zoom 1H essential, but I've found the recordings it makes very quiet on play back on, for example, my PC, and noisy. If I make a comparative recording on my old iPhone 6s (so hardly state of the art), I get a much louder and clearer recording.Also there appears to be a bias in volume towards the right microphone. This waveform display nearly always shows higher amplitude for the right, even when the source of the noise is on the left. When I rotate the recorder so that the noise is on the opposite side, the right retains the higher amplitude.I've tried upgrading the firmware from 1.04 to 1.10. This does not help.This device is being returned.

Review of Zoom H1e Portable Recorder

Much better results than I could ever have expected first time out, quite an unfair, in at the deep end attempt at a live recording from very close to the PA, no test recordings just jumped right in! Initial setup is a little fiddly due to the size of the screen/buttons but the results are worth it. Recording times on card are excellent, not had time to check battery life yet though.

[Rewarded Review] 32-bit float

I had the older H1n. The main feature or the H1essential is the 32-bit float. The screen is smaller than the H1n, but is still sharp. Personally I would have like to have the same size screen. The USB connections is now USB-C and the 1/4-20 has a metal insert. The recorder will accept SDXC cards up to 1 TB. There is a mic/line in jack. You can record with the included mics, with a lavalier or connect to a separate device. i.e. connecting to the DJ's board to record audio. If you need XLR input jacks, you will need to upgrade the the H4esential.

[Rewarded Review] Good for loud scenes, interface is lacking

I have other Zoom products and was looking for a compact recorder to keep in my pocket or small camera bag so I thought this would be a good buy. This could be a 5-star review, but the build quality and hand noise of this recorder, plus the user interface limitations, keep it at 4 stars, and that is being generous. The sound quality is very good, which is what you want from a portable recorder. That said, I also own a Sony PCM-A10 which is easier to operate, a bit smaller, and has comparable sound quality even if it doesn't have 32bit float like the H1essential. The H1essential excels if you are using it in a loud environment, which I do on occasion.

[Rewarded Review] Line-Out has Substantial Hiss

Recorder itself feels fine (though very lightweight). The recordings both with the onboard mics and external mics sound great. My main qualm is with the line-out. I bought this after I saw a Zoom rep highlighting how you can record directly to a camera through the line-out. While this is true, the audio you get isn’t really worth much. There’s a fair bit of hissing, even when using the line-out solely as a monitor with headphones. Adjusting the output doesn’t help much in removing the white noise. I know the camera’s preamps aren’t worth going through to begin with, but the same mic sounds substantially better when connected directly to the camera vs into the zoom and through the line-out. Overall, solid device but not quite what I was hoping for.

[Rewarded Review] There is no ability to adjust to gain at all on the recorder

I usually don't write reviews, but I feel the need to share my experience with this recorder,.Unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the gain, which is an important issue even with a 32-bit float. The auto gain setting even peaked when I was speaking into the back of the recorder. While this recorder may work for some, it's a no-go for me without the ability to adjust the gain.Even with the screen improvements, it's impossible to monitor your audio in the field without this feature.While 32-bit float is impressive, it doesn't make up for the lack of gain control. Perhaps a software update will become available to address this issue, but for now, I've chosen to return mine.If you're considering this recorder, I recommend looking at the previous model Zoom ... MoreI usually don't write reviews, but I feel the need to share my experience with this recorder,.Unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the gain, which is an important issue even with a 32-bit float. The auto gain setting even peaked when I was speaking into the back of the recorder. While this recorder may work for some, it's a no-go for me without the ability to adjust the gain.Even with the screen improvements, it's impossible to monitor your audio in the field without this feature.While 32-bit float is impressive, it doesn't make up for the lack of gain control. Perhaps a software update will become available to address this issue, but for now, I've chosen to return mine.If you're considering this recorder, I recommend looking at the previous model Zoom H1 or TASCAM DR-05X instead.I usually don't write reviews because of my reading disability. I use text-to-speech software, which translates my speech into text. I hope this helps you.My apologies if there are any grammatical errors. I try to use Grammarly to catch them

[Rewarded Review] zoom H1n still better

I use zoom h1n for more than 5-6 years, never have issue. the auto level is amazing. never peaked for me for putting in front of the DJ speaker. When I got this Zoom H1essential, I just talk loud in close distance, I already see the red light is flashing. I did hear noise and peaks. Sorry, I keep my H1n.

nice for the price

I bought the Zoom H1 Essential as a replacement to the Zoom H1N, which served me well for six years.The primary reason, as a totally blind person, for buying this recorder, is that Zoom includes voice feedback on this unit, which reads (almost) all the settings with speech, and they have committed to accessibility in future products. Having used Zoom recorders since the H4 in 2007, no longer having to count clicks, hoping I've landed on the correct option only to discover too late that I haven't is a game-changer.The unit itself is not particularly high-end, but for $99, don't expect that. It's in the name -- Essential.The noise floor and dynamic range is practically the same as the H1N, according to both my ears and reading levels on meters, though the H1E's ... MoreI bought the Zoom H1 Essential as a replacement to the Zoom H1N, which served me well for six years.The primary reason, as a totally blind person, for buying this recorder, is that Zoom includes voice feedback on this unit, which reads (almost) all the settings with speech, and they have committed to accessibility in future products. Having used Zoom recorders since the H4 in 2007, no longer having to count clicks, hoping I've landed on the correct option only to discover too late that I haven't is a game-changer.The unit itself is not particularly high-end, but for $99, don't expect that. It's in the name -- Essential.The noise floor and dynamic range is practically the same as the H1N, according to both my ears and reading levels on meters, though the H1E's self-noise is slightly more broadband, so may appear ever so slightly noisier to the naked ear. Not absolutely amazing, but perfectly useful in most situations.The major difference between the H1N and H1 Essential is that there is no gain-staging on the H1 Essential. The recorder is always capturing it's full dynamic range.Input Overload occurs at +24 dBFS. Anything up to this point can be safely recovered by normalizing in post. The H1N at a very low gain, set carefully, can achieve almost exactly the same range in 24-bit PCM land, so the biggest draw of the H1 Essential's 32-bit float recording is more of a safety feature than anything.Speaking of normalizing, though the unit has the ability to export to 16 or 24-bit WAV, as well as normalizing the audio, it is much better to do this in a DAW or two-track editor, as the unit performs these tasks in real time.USB C file transfer is extremely slow. I recommend just popping the card out of the unit and using a dedicated card reader.USB Mic Mode works well enough. I like that you can adjust the microphone monitor, USB send and USB return separately, as well as record to the unit and use it as an audio interface at the same time. Nice touch for something this small.A wind screen is an absolute must if using the internal microphones, even in-doors.A monopod or tripod for holding the unit cuts down on handling noise with the internal microphones as well.The unit can't count past 99 hours, 59 minutes of available record time on it's display.I do wish that the play, stop, next and previous buttons weren't as loud as they are, compared to everything else, but this is a miner complaint, really.