NEW Zoom H4NPro coming soon

[Justme]

I found this listing on Amazon.ca and Amazon China. The H4N is a popular device for people who use DSLR for video recording and using the H4N as the sound recorder.

It seems that Zoom has a new model coming out called the Zoom H4NPro. Based on dimensions listed on Amazon China, it appears to be slighter bigger than the current H4N. But it uses 2 x AAA batteries instead of 2 x AA as in the current H4N. The screen colour is blue instead of the current yellow backlight.

I wonder if the XLR inputs will be quieter as in the H6N? Zoom NA isn't releasing any info on the new product as it hasn't been officially announced yet.

See listing on Amazon.ca. Release date of June 1, 2016.

https://www.amazon.ca/Zoom-H4nPro-H...ie=UTF8&qid=1461852957&sr=8-1&keywords=h4npro



And on Amazon China(?) with dimensions of the new product.

https://translate.google.ca/transla...nPro-Handy-Recorder/dp/B01DPOXS8I&prev=search







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[Justme]

Posted some print screen shots in original post.

The use of 2 AAA batteries in the new H4N Pro model is interesting. More efficient or less powerful? Does the word "Pro" mean this new model is better than the current H4N? If yes, in what way is it improved? One thing I expect from the new H4N Pro is faster boot times as the current H4N can take upwards of over 30 seconds to boot up depending on the size of your SD card.

Although the original H4N is hugely popular among musicians and DSLR videographers, a common complaint has been the noise floor and colouration to the recorded sound. Will this new yet to be released Pro version fix all this? Perhaps take the technology in the professional H6N model and incorporate it into the new H4N Pro? Time will tell.

My research into the H4N started when I was looking into buying one. I have a Sony DM 50. If you research the bio acoustics (bird calls, wildlife sounds requiring exacting high fidelity to the original sound being recorded) websites and forums, the Zoom H4N is not considered an option due to the aforementioned issues (noise floor and sound colouration). On the other-hand, the Sony DM 50 is highly regarded and rated similarly in the sound quality area. However, I find the Sony hard to use in anything but bright light due to the dim LCD whereas the H4N LCD is bright and easy to read, making it a joy to use.

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[Justme]

Looks like the unveiling is June 1, 2016. Supposed to record cleaner, clearer, etc.

 

[HugoS316]

And just that quickly, it has disappeared.

What would be the advantage of getting a proposed H4NPro over the H5 or H6 anyway?

 

[Justme]

And just that quickly, it has disappeared.

What would be the advantage of getting a proposed H4NPro over the H5 or H6 anyway?

Hopefully price. The form factor appears to be similar to the current H4N. This is good because I can operate the H4N with one hand. The H4N which is listed as discontinued on the Zoom NA website. Amazon was selling the H4N recently for about $149 USD but they don't seem to have anymore in stock...maybe check back later. They do show them available at other retailers but for $199.

I hope the noise floor on the new Zoom will be more like the H6N. I would still buy one at $149 USD but let's see what improvements are in the new H4NPro. And how does the H4NPro's 2 AAA batteries affect power vs the H4N's 2 AA batteries. A definite (we hope) improvement would be the boot-up time which was slow in the H4N.

One more day to see if the new H4NPro will be worth buying over the current H4N. One more day to see if the ads on the 2 Amazon sites are accurate or I would be all wrong.

 

[Justme]

And it is better. Mentions a very low noise floor. Same preamps as the H6n. Now has powered mic jack for lavalier mics.

Sounds like an awesome new Zoom. One correction to make. It still uses 2 AA batteries. The 2 AAA mentioned on the China Amazon page was a typo.

https://www.zoom-na.com/products/field-video-recording/field-recording/zoom-h4n-pro-handy-recorder

Nothing on Amazon yet (except from a sold by XX and fulfilled by Amazon). Normally, how soon after a product is released does it become available on Amazon?

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[HugoS316]

What are the fundamental differences between this new H4NPro and the H5? What does one do that the other cannot? It seems weird that they would feel the need to even create this, when the H5 is basically the same thing, is it not? Two XLR inputs, four track recording, same preamps as the H5, etc. It seems like the only real difference is you can't swap microphone capsules with this like you can with the H5 and H6.

 

[Justme]

What are the fundamental differences between this new H4NPro and the H5? What does one do that the other cannot? It seems weird that they would feel the need to even create this, when the H5 is basically the same thing, is it not? Two XLR inputs, four track recording, same preamps as the H5, etc. It seems like the only real difference is you can't swap microphone capsules with this like you can with the H5 and H6.

I think the H5 has physical buttons to adjust levels whereas the H4N Pro has level adjustments via a menu. The H5 has microphones that can be taken off so you can add a different one. H5 can use a much larger SD card while the H4N can only use 32GB max. The H5 is more expensive. There may be other differences that I can't recall now.

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[HugoS316]

About a $40 difference in price, and you lose the convenience of the physical level adjustment and interchangeable mic capsules. Just seems weird that they'd introduce such a similar, yet slightly inferior new product.

 

[Justme]

About a $40 difference in price, and you lose the convenience of the physical level adjustment and interchangeable mic capsules. Just seems weird that they'd introduce such a similar, yet slightly inferior new product.

The H4N was highly popular because it was just the right size for carrying around, traveling, simple to operate with big bright lit up buttons and a good price. The $40 price difference spread between the H4NPro and H5 may be because the H5 has been out for some time now and the price has leveled off (how much was it when it was first released?) and the price difference may end up wider after a number of months, as the price drops on the new H4NPro?

I used the H4N and loved the form factor and one hand use and simple operation. I did not keep it because of the long start-up time and the noise floor (based on many reviews). Many people were still buying it so it's a product with certain features at a certain price point that appealed to many customers.

Speaking of price leveling of new products, I bought the new Canon Vixia R700 a month ago and the price has already dropped about $50 Cdn. at Costco. Not sure how the price of the H4NPro will settle over the next 6 months, if it does.

I did a test between the H4N and the Sony PCM D50 recording ambient vocals from an iPhone 5 call on speaker phone. The Sony did much better with a cleaner and better sound. But I want a H4NPro that looks much sturdier and where I don't mind banging around taking it everywhere whereas I tend to handle the Sony D50 more gingerly (not that it needs to be handled in such a way as it is well built).

PS. On a bio acoustic site the H4N was not considered up to the job for recording wildlife/bird sounds including ambient sounds in the wild. Noise floor and sound colouration were two things mentioned. Think they tested the H6 too and that also was not up to their standards even though the H6 had a lower noise floor than the H4N. Maybe the H4NPro is even improved in the area of sound fidelity over the H6? One can only wish. They're great for music and vocals and podcasts etc. Those bioacoustics folks must have some very exacting standards The Sony PCM D50 passed the test though with very good scores.

Here is one link to test results done by this bio acoustics site.

http://www.avisoft.com/recordertests.htm

xx

xx

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[Justme]

One user mentioned that the H4N Pro takes 40 seconds to boot up after turning on the unit. Someone speaking for Zoom mentioned that the architecture for the new H4N Pro is like the H4N, indicating the start up times may not have improved. Too bad. The architecture in the H5 and H6 is different and do allow for a much faster boot up time in those models.

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[Le_Kilt]

One user mentioned that the H4N Pro takes 40 seconds to boot up after turning on the unit. Someone speaking for Zoom mentioned that the architecture for the new H4N Pro is like the H4N, indicating the start up times may not have improved. Too bad. The architecture in the H5 and H6 is different and do allow for a much faster boot up time in those models.

Very quickly...

About 6 seconds for the H5 startup.

Same SDHC card spec, up to 32Gb

Length : 190mm (H4n Pro:157mm)

Weight : 325g with batteries and card and standard mics (H4nPro:192g)

I picked up the H5 for the switchable mic modules
I do like the physical dials for the track volumes.
Too early days for any real audio quality feedback, but I like it so far...

(H4 specs from web site)

 

[HugoS316]

I've been using the H5 lately as well. With such a small difference in price between the H5 and this H4NPro, it's really baffling why they even bothered releasing something inferior, or why anyone would settle for it instead of just using the H5.

 

[Justme]

One user mentioned that the H4N Pro takes 40 seconds to boot up after turning on the unit. Someone speaking for Zoom mentioned that the architecture for the new H4N Pro is like the H4N, indicating the start up times may not have improved. Too bad. The architecture in the H5 and H6 is different and do allow for a much faster boot up time in those models.

Very quickly...

About 6 seconds for the H5 startup.

Same SDHC card spec, up to 32Gb

Length : 190mm (H4n Pro:157mm)

Weight : 325g with batteries and card and standard mics (H4nPro:192g)

I picked up the H5 for the switchable mic modules
I do like the physical dials for the track volumes.
Too early days for any real audio quality feedback, but I like it so far...

(H4 specs from web site)

You are right. The price difference between the H4NPro and H5 on Amazon.ca is only $50. What is the noise floor (when you are recording but make no sound...is there any hiss?) like on the H5? I have watched a lot of H5 videos on YouTube the last week or so.

 

[Justme]

I've been using the H5 lately as well. With such a small difference in price between the H5 and this H4NPro, it's really baffling why they even bothered releasing something inferior, or why anyone would settle for it instead of just using the H5.

How do you like the noise floor on the H5? During a quiet recording passage, do you hear any detectable hiss at all?

 

[Le_Kilt]

I've been using the H5 lately as well. With such a small difference in price between the H5 and this H4NPro, it's really baffling why they even bothered releasing something inferior, or why anyone would settle for it instead of just using the H5.

How do you like the noise floor on the H5? During a quiet recording passage, do you hear any detectable hiss at all?

Early days yet, but not noticing any hiss on the H5. It is quite sensitive to background noise, so if the mic is turned right up it will record distant passing cars, a quiet computer fan or fridge running, etc. Adjusting the mic to the right level seems to cure that and give a clean sound

 

[Justme]

I've been using the H5 lately as well. With such a small difference in price between the H5 and this H4NPro, it's really baffling why they even bothered releasing something inferior, or why anyone would settle for it instead of just using the H5.

How do you like the noise floor on the H5? During a quiet recording passage, do you hear any detectable hiss at all?

Early days yet, but not noticing any hiss on the H5. It is quite sensitive to background noise, so if the mic is turned right up it will record distant passing cars, a quiet computer fan or fridge running, etc. Adjusting the mic to the right level seems to cure that and give a clean sound

Thanks for sharing that. This may sound crazy but I am also interested in getting a Zoom H2N. I know external mics will be noisy based on what I have read but the built-in mics are nice and apparently clean. I like the "take it anywhere" size. Long battery life.