Zoom H2essential Handy Recorder
- Three built-in mics with nine recording options
- 32-bit float recording at up to 96 kHz
- Works as a USB microphone while recording
$179.99 USD
Zoom H2essential Handy Recorder
With three built-in microphones and nine ways to combine them, the Zoom H2essential handy recorder captures stereo, mono, mid-side, or surround sound in 32-bit float.
Microphones and Inputs
Two cardioid mics face front and rear, and a bidirectional mic faces side to side. The pickup pattern switches between 90-degree stereo, 120-degree stereo, and mono. Mono narrows the pickup to reduce background noise. Recording can come from the front, the rear, or both at once for surround pickup.
MS Raw recording keeps the mid and side signals apart, so the stereo width can be set in post. The 3.5 mm mic/line input with 3.3 V plug-in power takes a lav mic, audio player, or keyboard, and it records alongside the front mic.
Recording and Playback
The H2essential records WAV files at 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz in 32-bit float with BWF and iXML metadata, to microSD cards up to 2 TB. A built-in mixer sets each track’s level, the 1.3-inch color LCD shows the waveform as it records, and a dedicated button sets markers.
A low-cut filter, pre-record, auto record, and playback speed adjustment are built in, and the onboard speaker plays takes back. Firmware updates add MP3 recording, level adjustment during recording, and AI noise reduction for steady background noise.
Interface and Control
Over USB-C it works as a 32-bit float USB microphone for a computer, iOS device, or Android device while it records to the card, and it can record audio straight onto a phone’s video. The 3.5 mm headphone output also feeds a camera.
With the optional BTA-1 adapter, the Handy Control & Sync app for iOS and Android starts and stops several Zoom recorders and syncs their timecode. The optional TCA-1 Timecode Adapter generates timecode or takes it from an external clock.
Voice guidance reads the menus aloud through the speaker or headphones for blind and visually impaired users, in seven languages. It runs about 11 hours on two alkaline AA batteries when recording the front mics, or on USB bus power, a USB battery pack, or the optional AD-17 AC adapter.
Features
- Three mics: front and rear cardioid, side bidirectional
- 90-degree stereo, 120-degree stereo, or mono pickup
- MS Raw recording for stereo width set in post
- 32-bit float recording at up to 96 kHz
- 3.5 mm mic/line input that records with the front mic
- 32-bit float USB microphone while recording to the card
- Built-in mixer and 1.3-inch color waveform display
- Remote control and timecode sync with the optional BTA-1
- microSD cards up to 2 TB
- About 11 hours on two AA batteries
Specifications
| Microphone | Mid (front and rear): unidirectional, −37 dB/Pa at 1 kHz, 120 dB SPL maximum; side: bidirectional, −39 dB/Pa at 1 kHz, 122 dB SPL maximum |
|---|---|
| Inputs | Mic/line in: 3.5 mm stereo mini jack, 2 kΩ, −7 dBu maximum, 3.3 V plug-in power |
| Outputs | Phone/line out: 3.5 mm stereo mini jack, 20 mW + 20 mW into 32 Ω, 10 Ω or less; built-in 250 mW speaker (20 × 30 mm elliptical dynamic) |
| Recording Media | microSDHC and microSDXC cards up to 2 TB |
| Recording Formats | WAV: 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz, 32-bit float, mono or stereo, BWF and iXML |
| USB | USB-C (USB 2.0 High Speed); audio interface 4-in/2-out (multitrack) or 2-in/2-out (stereo), 24-bit or 32-bit float, at 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz (interface only) or 44.1 or 48 kHz (with onboard recording); file transfer (USB 2.0 High Speed) |
| Remote | Zoom BTA-1 wireless adapter (optional) |
| Display | 1.3-inch full-color LCD (240 × 240) |
| Power | 2 AA batteries (alkaline, lithium, or NiMH), Zoom AD-17 AC adapter (DC 5 V/1 A), or USB bus power; 3 W maximum |
| Battery Life | About 11 hours (alkaline), 9 hours (1900 mAh NiMH), 20.5 hours (lithium); front stereo recording at 48 kHz/32-bit float, no headphones or remote |
| Dimensions | 60 mm (W) × 44 mm (D) × 97 mm (H) |
| Weight | 170 g (with batteries) |
