Review of the Zoom H5: Best Investment I’ve Ever Made!
As a sound designer, engineer, and recordist, I rely heavily on recording so many different sources of audio. I have done location film shoots, foley, sound effects library creation, and record music. Because of all these things, I needed something that was portable, flexible, and integral to the system I had put in place.
The Zoom H5 can take care of so many things that I need on any typical day of recording audio sources. Its ability to record at higher sample rates, with decent wide-dynamic preamplifiers, and record large files continuously with an internal storage slot makes it the ultimate portable recording device.
The H5 poses these features:
- A maximum of 96kHz/24-bit uncompressed audio
- Up to four channels of audio simultaneously (LR mic capsule and Inputs 1+2)
- Modular microphone capsule slot to fit high-quality capsules for different needs
- Audio interface capabilities with low-latency monitoring
The H5 comes with an X-Y pattern microphone capsule, a USB cable, and a foam windshield for windy environments. The included microphone capsule has some seriously clean sound quality, and I have used it quite a bit to record guitars, stereo-image ambiance, sound effects, and even vocals, in some cases.
The ability to record at 96kHz/24-bit in stereo mode means that I have more flexibility in post-production to modify, manipulate, and even stretch waveforms, while maintaining a clear resolution.
The two XLR/TRS hybrid inputs on the very bottom of the device allow me to plug in my own microphones, meaning I can use the device strictly as a recorder, whether it be for my podcasts, interviews on-the-go, film shoots, and more.
I love the Zoom H5, and truly believe it was a great investment. Having it for only a few months, I find myself using it every day for so many different things. I honestly wish I got it sooner!
