Zoom H4N Line Inputs with field mixers

[Justin Vincent]

Do you think I could send the output from the “Audio-Technica ATR-3350 Lavalier” to the 1/4″ inputs of the H4N?

I will be in a conference and I need to be able to record 3 people talking at once each with a Lavalier I don’t have lots of money to spend, I don’t need pro audio quality I just need to get a semi decent recording of all 3 people.

I know that there is a dedicated input for a powered mic so at least one of the mics will work fine… the question is do I need to do anything funky to make the other 2 lavs work without distorting?

Thx in advance for any advice offered!

Cheers,
JV

[Henry Milliner]

I’ve been playing about with this problem for a little while as I wasn’t satisfied with the hiss from the H4N’s preamps.

Going in to the TRS at PPM4 and setting the record level to 0.6/100 is quieter but working of the backstop is just wrong. Also even when my SQN limiters kick in it’s not soon enough to stop zooms limiters crunching it.

My current solution is to put a 20dB pad in line, plug into TRS and set the record level to 12/100.

It’s quiet (no preamp) and doesn’t clip.

Off to test record some atmos this afternoon.

[Geoffrey Amend]

I experimented with the mixpre D today. I ran straight from tape out 1/8″ to 1/4″ h4n lines gain at about noon and rec levels on h4n at about 13 and got sound that was clean and rich, but might have felt a little hot. But not distorted, just a little noisy (like the H4n always sounds to me).

Then I ran tape out with a -25db attenuator line into the 1/4″ and had to ride the rec levels on the h4n up to 60, 80, even 97 with my sennheiser 8060.

Everywhere I looked all I hear is attenuators, so this seems strange. Am I missing something?

Thank you!

[Stacy Doose]

Yes I know it’s an old thread but I’m kinda new to the Zoom. Yes, -40dB attenuators are in order to manage the overload. I also use this device as a 4 channel field recorder, using an unbalanced 3.5mm TRS breaking out to 2 XLRs. Keeping the runs short and using the old-time prevention methods of keeping the AC lines at a distance, it works great. Cumbersome yes, but for $300?? Such the deal.

Producer/Editor

[Roland Comfort]

For what it’s worth, I have finally achieved spectacular sound using a SD-302 into the H4N using unbalanced xlr to phone plugs. The SD-302 set up is -10dbu at the outputs, tone generator set at 0dbu, clip set at +4dbu. H4N sets up vanilla at 48/24 with limiter set at studio, although, I don’t think you really need it on the H4N with the SD-302 set at +4dbu. I end up with 0dbu on both devices (using the SD-302 tone generator)with H4N input volume set at 58. I normally record at about -18dbu. This set up puts my SD-302 input trim and fader at about 12 o’clock unity. perfect. When I push it to clip by yelling into the input mic (MKH 416, or potting up, both devices limit at about the same time, with absolutely no distortion. The H4N set up this way produces identical quality vs my Fostex FR 2LE. I couldn’t be happier. Thanks for the tip about using the line input to avoid the not-so-good H4N pre-amps.

[Roger Often]

Roland Comfort – Your solution worked perfectly for me: Using unbalanced xlr to phone plugs. Thanks.

[Roland Comfort]

Thanks Roger. I uploaded a short video about it on YouTube. You can find it by just searching rolandcomfort h4n, it will pop up someplace.

[John Pastuch]

Yo just wanted to say Roland, your video totally saved me for a shoot over the weekend. It was my first time using a mixer going into the h4n and luckily your setup worked beautifully for me, especially because I’m pretty new and it could have ended ugly.

Thanks to you and everyone in the thread for this.

[Stephen Montgomery]

Is there any difference between using a “DI box” and a “Line to Mic Pad”? In this situation I will be using a FOH desk (line out) into the H4N mic input. DI boxes are a lot more expensive but are they better or am I just going to pay for functionality I will not use?

Another consideration is that I read a lot of pads are for 600ohm kit and the h4N spec says it’s input impedance is 1000ohm. Is this going to make much difference if I use a prebuilt pad designed for 600ohm kit? Or do I need to go back to school and read up on articles like https://www.uneeda-audio.com/pads/ to make my own?

Many thanks!