First Look: Zoom H5 Recorder

去年Zoom发布的旗舰级产品H6震撼全球，成为了业界新标准并获得了各界一致好评，一年之后Zoom再度发力，为我们带来了新的H5手持录音机，作为H6的跟班，H5更小更便宜，并保留了很多核心功能包括可更换的Mic，详细参数请进
Zoom sent shock waves through the pro audio world last year with the introduction of its flagship H6 recorder and its breakthrough modular microphone system. Although still very young, the H6 has already become an industry standard and a go-to piece for professional and enthusiast videographers, journalists, engineers, and musicians alike. Now, just a year later, Zoom brings yet another creation to the table in the form of the new H5 Handy Recorder—a smaller, yet more affordable little brother to the mighty H6, which keeps many of its key features, including its trademark interchangeable mic system. For English Scroll down.

Zoom H5 继承了 H6 的录音品质和可换式立体声麦克风，同时为了降低成本去除了 XLR / TLS 输入（不过可以另外选购相应的模块），在 H6 上出现的彩色屏幕这次也变成了黑白。除此之外，备份录音用的是模拟输出，至于发售信息暂时还未被公布，价格估计会落在 H4n 的 299 美元（约人民币 1,810 元）和 H6 的 399 美元（约人民币 2,420 元）之间。

双XLR/TRS混合输入接口直接内置在下方

详细参数：

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The H5 ships with the XYH-5, a stereo X/Y microphone module that's similar to the H6's standard XYH-6 mic, but with smaller matched condenser capsules and a fixed 90-degree X/Y angle. Like all of the modules, the XYH-5 has its own gain knob for setting the input level, but it also features an integrated rubberized shockmount that employs rugged external wires to help minimize vibration and handling noise. This feature will certainly come in handy for run-and-gun ENG applications, where any extra measure to combat hand, boom, and camera-borne noise is always appreciated. Another intriguing aspect of the XYH-5 is its ability to handle an impressive 140dB SPL, which is more than any other Handy Recorder mic. This means that you’ll be able to get closer to loud sound sources and rest assured that your audio will be recorded cleanly. This is great for recording concerts, foley, sporting events, and more. Additionally, the module has a 1/8" mic/line-in jack on its side, capable of supplying 2.5 volts of plug-in power to small condenser mics that require it.

Now, the XYH-5 is great, but the fun doesn't stop there. One of the things that excited me the most about the H5 is that it's compatible with all of the H6's microphone modules, including the XYH-6 X/Y mic mentioned above, the MSH-6 mid-side stereo mic, the SGH-6 shotgun mic, and the EXH-6 dual XLR/TRS combo input module. I made some test recordings with the H5 using the included XYH-5, and the optional SGH-6 shotgun module, which I'll tell you more about in a minute.

Capable of recording up to four tracks simultaneously, the H5 features two XLR/TRS combo inputs for connecting your own mics, in addition to the stereo module. These inputs use the same mic preamps as the H6, have switchable -20dB pads, and have the usual circular knobs to control the input gain. However, the H5 features a protective "roll-bar" that covers the knobs to prevent accidental movement of gain controls in the field. I thought this was a nice touch considering how well suited the unit is for handheld use, due to its small size (as opposed to always being used with protective carry case).

On the monitoring side, the H5 features an 1/8" headphone output, plus there's a line out for making a backup or sync-guide recording directly to your camera. The headphone and line out jacks both have independent volume controls, as well.

The recorder has the same tough rubberized plastic build we're used to, but is still very light, weighing only 0.7 pounds with the XYH-5 attached and two AA batteries installed. The H5 is capable of more than 15 hours of continuous recording using alkaline batteries, and an optional AC adapter is available separately to power the H5 without batteries.

While the H5 doesn't have the flashy, casino-like, full-color display of the H6, it does have a nice, large backlit LCD screen that is easy to look at, and certainly serves its purpose. It was easy on the eyes while reading level meters and navigating through menus; everything looked very clear and readable. The transport controls are as they should be, including dedicated buttons for Stop, Play/Pause, Record, Rewind, and Forward, as well as record arm buttons for each of the four inputs. The arm buttons also serve as track mutes during playback.

On the right side of the unit, you'll find the obligatory 2-way joystick selector and menu button that allows you to navigate the H5's folder-driven interface. The H5 puts a plethora of control at our fingertips, giving us channel independent compression and limiting on each track, as well as low-cut filtering. There are three compressor settings and three limiter settings for various applications, as well as ten different low-cut settings between 80 and 237Hz.

There are some useful advanced features that are worth mentioning, including the Pro Tools-esque pre-record function that keeps the H5 continuously recording in the background, keeping a two-second buffer whenever you have a track armed. This is useful in the event that you're late to the punch (no pun intended) in hitting the record button, so you won't miss the first word of that interview, or the first note of that guitar take. There is also a convenient back-up record option that can be engaged on the L/R tracks to create a duplicate version of your main recording, only 12db lower than your input level settings. This is a nice failsafe that will give you some options if your main recording clips by accident.

Just under the joystick and menu button lives the SD card slot, which takes SD or SDHC cards up to 32GB, and a 2GB card is included in the box. Audio can be recorded to either BWF-compliant WAV or MP3 formats in a variety of resolutions. For WAV files, the H5 supports quality up to 24-bit/96kHz for stereo recording, and up to 24-bit/48kHz in four track mode. The MP3 format can only be used when recording in stereo mode, and various options between 48 to 320kbps quality are available. The USB port on the left side of the unit makes it easy to transfer recorded files to your computer, and it also lets you use the H5 as an audio interface with either your computer or an iPad.

In preparation for my test recording (an indoor interview of my poor wife), I set my bit-depth and sample rate to 24-bit/48kHz and connected the included XYH-5 stereo X/Y module to the H5, which locked into the top of the unit easily with a gratifying snap. I positioned my subject (wife) about five feet in front of me and the H5, so that the air conditioning unit in our apartment was to her right, about twelve feet away. I hit the Record button, and asked her to tell me about her day. The first thing I noticed in my headphones (other than that her job is way less fun than mine) was that the stereo image was tight and focused, reproducing her voice loud and clear in the center, while still giving me a sense of the acoustic space at the same time. I could hear the AC unit mostly in my left channel, but it was definitely lower in volume and more subdued in the stereo field.

Next, I popped on the optional SGH-6 shotgun module and immediately noticed the highly directional quality of the mic, and the excellent rejection from the sides. Now my wife's voice sounded extremely clear and present, as long as I kept the mic pointed directly at her. The air conditioner, on the other hand, was now dramatically lower in volume and, with the low cut kicked in at 150Hz, it was even less noticeable.

After the interview, I was conveniently able to play back the recording so that my wife and I could both hear it by using the H5's built-in speaker, located on the back of the unit. Also located on the back, there's a 1/4"-20 thread for tripod mounting, or to connect directly to a DSLR or camcorder with the use of an optional hot-shoe mount.

Last but, not least, in addition to the XYH-5 capsule, the H5 package includes a foam windscreen, a USB cable, a 2GB SD card, two AA batteries, a download for Wavelab LE for PC or Mac (Windows and OS X), and a carry case for safe storage and transport.

If Zoom’s goal for the H5 was to take the most essential pieces of the H6 and pack them into a smaller, more portable device (and I have an inkling it was), I’d have to say they’ve succeeded with flying colors. I’d be curious and excited to see where Zoom takes the Handy Recorder line from here.