There is a special cable that attenuates (lessens) the line level signal for mic inputs on cameras that don't have line-in or else the audio will be too loud www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/746645-REG/Sescom_LN2MIC_ZOOMH4N_LN2MIC_ZOOMH4N_Line_to.html/BI/5841/KBID/6710 I don't recall if the H6 has a pad built in but the first step might be to use any stereo(TRS) 1/8" to 1/8" cable that you have and test if with your recorder and camera. This will let you know if you need a special cable or not.
LIFESAVER! Brand brand brand new to audio dlsr videomaking.. overwhelmed to say the least. Just got the H6 today --your video helped peel me from the ceiling!
Not exactly. That would be one of the downsides, it can't be used as an interface and a recorder at the same time. You could hack it by outputting the line out of the H6 to the computer and recording that mix as a backup or connect another recorder the same way to do the same thing. Other units like the MixPre are amazing for so many reasons but also because it can handle this dual function podhelp.me/mixpre3Zon (referral link). The new Rodecaster can also do this podhelp.me/rodecasterBH but can't do multichannel and the Zoom L12, which I reviewed, can also do this including multichannel podhelp.me/zoomL12BH
Thanks. This is just an overview of why it works for video creators. Getting into the menu would be a good idea for it's own video but I don't have the device anymore, it was a review unit. Still a good piece of gear.
@@RayOrtega I'll lend you mine, lol... Thank you for replying. I am a video creator, so I have a keen interest in getting the most out of my H6, even though my application involves repetitive tasks, especially in post production.
Why is my audio so low on playback after a live show recording. It was recorded within -6 and -12db. Playback is alot lower volume then the video camera caught. Full band drums bass guitars and vocals. This is a huge problem for me with the H6
Not sure exactly but as long as you captured it at good levels, just bring up the levels in post production to what you need. Is that what you're doing?
Hi Ray. Very good presentation! Need your advice. I sometimes record my digital drums live into my I phone. I use GO Mixer Pro from Roland but I m not happy with this device. The USB port is jiggling and sometimes gives no connection. My question 👉🏼Can this Zoom 6 been used as an Interface directly into the IPhone? That it also records internally is of course a beneficial. Grts from Belgium
HI, Bob, I can't say I've used the H6 with the iPhone. It does connect to a computer via USB but I'm not sure if it works the same on iOS. You'd need a USB to lightening adapter at a minimum or if you have an older phones, maybe a 1/8" cable would do but I haven't tried and I don't have the device, it was a review unit which means I only had it for 30 days. The other issue however is that if you use it as a USB interface, at least on a computer, then you can't record internally. The other method would be to record internally while also sending an analog feed to the iPhone via something like the iRig which I show here ruclips.net/video/ZiP_k55FEUs/видео.html
by far one of the best h6 reviews I have seen. and thanks for letting us know your opinion on the shotgun mic. I guess it's better to by that from another company
I am a newbie to the world of sound and would be grateful if you could answer a question: I record video on my Sony A7iii of streams and rivers and want to add high quality sound to the video. I can't figure out the equipment I need to accomplish this result. I could use a RODE Stereo VideoMic X which seems to be the simplest answer but many people seem to attach Zoom F6 devices to their camera along with mics and other equipment. What kind of configuration or equipment would you suggest buying if I want to add very high quality sound to my videos of streams and rivers ? Is the Zoom F6 the right tool for the job and if so what speaker(s) should I buy ? Also, when you connect the F6 to your camera while you are recording video does the sound from the speakers get saved on the SD card in the camera or do you have to synch them in post production ?
I'm getting a lot of white noise when recording. Is there a setting within my Panasonic GH5 that I need to change in order to not have this? Am I doing something else wrong? Thanks Ray!
Never used the GH5 but if you run the input too high then you'll get noise on pretty much every camera. So try and increase the level from the H6 and lower the level in the GH5 and see if that helps.
Hi Ray, was wondering if you could provide the link to your audio processing video you mentioned around the 4:50 mark... I went looking for it in your other videos, but didn't see any titles that matched... TIA
Scott J here it is ruclips.net/video/593L2Ravx7U/видео.html I also added it to the description and note that I now usually use the Denoiser in addition to the effects you'll see in the video. Not very much, but just a little does a nice job in knocking down a light noise floor.
Maybe no one is still posting to this video, but it seems the Zoom H6 will function as a mixer and preamp and you can record to your camera directly and maybe eliminate the need to do extensive audio work in post production, at least for some video work (e.g. you tube videos explaining stuff about stuff, as opposed to music recording).
Yes you could plug the H6 into a camera via the camera line out which unlike the H4n can attenuate the signal so it doesn't overload the cameras mic level preamp. Here's how I did it a long time ago with the H4n ruclips.net/video/lJYdjHbnrV0/видео.html
Scot Becker hm that's surprising. I know with the H4n it's not as friendly because of the not so great preamps but the H5 improved significantly on their preamps and it should work much better. That said, the NTG2 needs lots of gain. The NTG3 is much better overall but doesn't have battery power. The new NTG4 and NTG4+ look awesome podhelp.me/ntg4plusBH (referral link). Also did you have your avatar painted by that website, Paint my Head or something like that? Looks like that, he or she never did mine sadly;(
Hi Ray, I have a Sennheiser 416 and a Zoom H4N. I found that when outside with the Sennheiser that in certain circumstances it did not deliver enough power to the microphone. I nearly always had to have it set to 10 or the highest level and even so the output was only going to about -12 dB instead of the -6 that I wanted. Do you think that the H6 will deliver more power so that I can use the 416 fully? Many thanks. You have produced a great video. Brian
Question?? How can I create 2 separate channels of audio that will go out the Line Out ? Is this possible - I want to connect a LAV in input 1 and boom into input 2 then feed that into my Ninga assassin ??? Please help
Ray, thank you for your professional presentation. I am in the business called court reporting, testimony taken down by steno, then transcribing legal proceedings such as depositions, but now I have moved into ASR, automated speech recognition. As I can see with the special adapter we can have up to 6 Lavalier condenser mics XLR or using the VXLR adapters we can record six voices. The sound is impeccable and so easy to use a USB cable to dump the audio to the PC which has the voice-to-text technology. We would not use anything else and the H6 with 6 Lavalier mics is so light to transport.
The shot gun mic works really well aimed more straight and farther back. A 128 gb card is very handy while recording clinics where they can drum 2 hours long without a break. Appreciate your knowledge and review. Take care, Pete
Are preamps on H5/H6 as good as Juicedlink? I have been thinking of buying Juicedlink for my H1 to eliminate the background hiss that you get when you directly plugin the recorder to the camera to avoid syncing audio and video during post production. If the preamps are good, i can do away with JL and spend that money on H6
***** haven't compared but Juicelink is really good. But you get a lot more flexibility with the H6. Can record separate as well as send to cam. Probably plenty clean.
***** good to know. Everything I've heard from the JL has sounded great and I wouldn't say the H5/H6 were perfect by any means. I'm actually surprised to hear that they are superior to the JL but good to know.
Great articulate video! I noticed you screwed it into the DSLR Camera. Do you know if the Zoom H6 can be mounted easily to camcorders like Canon G30 too?
+David Harvey Thanks! Ah yes, I did a video about it..of course;) ruclips.net/video/XxXrxKxccUg/видео.html the one I have is really pricey but you'll get the idea and can shop for another podhelp.me/zyballmount (affiliate link). Look for one with metal connections like this one, not plastic.
Hi, do you have any comments or suggestions on the fact that there is a very wide-spread trouble being reported of the H6 on the web ... the buzzing sound in the XLR mic inputs. The XLR ports have the buzzing even when no mic is plugged into it!!!! Any ideas....?
you had me at "it starts up right away." did i hear you right, that you can record audio with the shotgun attachment at the same time as recording with an xlr input? what was that line splitter you mentioned for the h4n? love all your reviews, tnx!
Photographic Elements you should be able to record with the shotgun at the same time but I don't recall testing that. The line splitter most commonly used is made by Sescom which you can find at my gear page thepodcastersstudio.com/gear. Thanks for your patience in my response, if you want to get quicker answers to your questions I'm trying to make that happen at patreon.com/ray thanks
Ray, why won't it record while acting as an audio interface? I am thinking that this will replace at least two devices that I am using now and possibly keep me from buying a third. Right now I am using a Tascam DR-05 with a very low quality Samson mic connected via 3.5mm jack for audio interviews. At home, I have another inexpensive XLR mic connected to a Scarlett 2i4 as my audio interface. I was also considering a Tascam DR-60D MKII for video. It looks like the H6 or H5 for that matter could serve in all three functions.
Unfortately it's just the tech. It can't do both at the same time. Trust me, I wish it could, that would be amazing and really the only thing left that would make it perfect. But if you use a mic like the AT2005 you can actually make it work because that series of mics allows you to use USB at the same time. See this video I made: Record Skype with an ATR2100 and a Zoom H4n
Couple of questions...screen visibility outside, is it a major downside? Line out into a DSLR....namely a GH5. I wrote to ZOOM they said it might be possible but suggested an attenuator cable.
I didn't use it enough outside to know but I have heard it's harder to see. I think they have made this better in recent updates even in the H5 amzn.to/2JJVT6G but would definitely want to check other reviews. I thought that the H6 actually gave you the option to attenuate in the menu but maybe that is the H5 as well. Check the manual but if not then yes an attenuator would be handy.
Battery life.... OMG, Had mine for 2 weeks now using about every 3rd day, about 3 hrs. per day.... just ran out of my first (cheap) set!!! Powering up, 1/4 the time, easy. LOVE this recorder!!!!!!!!
Nice review. While you can record every input to separate channels, you can also configure channels 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 to record two separate stereo files. *CASSETTE DIGITIZING USING AUTO RECORD* Another feature I've found really useful makes use of this. When I want to digitize old cassette tapes I hook the output of the (auto reverse) cassette deck to channels 1 & 2 and set it to be a stereo pair. Then I turn on the Auto Record feature which starts recording as soon as it gets a signal. Once it's set up (audio levels, etc.) I just pop in a cassette, rewind it, then hit play. When I notice the cassette isn't turning anymore, maybe hours later, I pop that cassette out and put in another. This gives me one file for each cassette. When I'm done I load the files onto my computer and open them up in Audition, trim the start, the end and the delay between side one and side two. (I may do some other sweetening too like adjust the left-right balance, and clean up any noise.) Easy-peasy.
Hello, you know if it's possible to listen on the hearphone only one of the tracks during recording ? For exemple I use 4 micros in same time, but I want to be sure I dont have a problem in input 1 ou 2 during recording. Thanks, best regards, P.
There is no one setting cause you have to set up the gain based on your microphones and your environment. However, it's best to try and stay below 7 on the gain knob to get the cleanest audio.
Hello Ray. I am in Nairobi Kenya. Kindly i would like to know. I use a zoom H6 with a panasonic condenser shortgun mic that is powered with my DSLR camera, But i get alot of HISS and HUM in my sound, what is the best setting on the ZOOM H6 to solve this or what might be the problem?
Nice video! Since there are 4 XLR inputs, am assuming you can record from all 4 simultaneously, correct? I'm curious to know how those 4 inputs are recored on the SD card? Is it all mixed onto one track, or will I get 4 individual tracks from each input? I will be using 2 Sennheiser wireless Lav mics and also the input from the mixer. I wouldn't want the tracks to mix with each other. Anybody's answer would be appreciated.
Thanks. The noise is caused by a few factors. One, that mic is sensitive and so any room you are in is going to have to very quiet and you need to get close to the mic to be able to run the preamp (gain) as low as possible. Check out my video on setting up levels on an audio recorder ruclips.net/video/ka9cc1XzEwI/видео.html
Thanks for nice review, Ray! Do you think the H6 is good for sending sound to a videocamera with xlr? Maybe with the use of 3-4 mics into the H6. And maybe while recording..? Thank you!
Yes you could use it as a preamp for a cam. The nice thing about the H6 is that it has line level attention built in but that's mostly for DSLRs. A cam with XLRs would likely be able to handle line and mic level so if you wanted to send a mix into the cam, this could do it. The nice thing is that you also record discreet tracks on the H6 if you want/need to edit individual tracks in post.
I have a question. I bought the Zoom H6 but the screen has white edges and I can't monitor de 4th channel because of that. Is that customizable? Can I change the settings to be able to look the full screen? Or is it a factory defect?
So, if I plug the line out conector of the h6 onto my DSLR, and then I record several video files with my DSLR... Then each of those files will have their sound already ATTACHED to the video inside the DSLR? Or maybe I will have to export both the video file from the DSLR and the track/tracks that get recorded in the h6 separately? I mean, that late thing would be a pain in the ass because I would have to syncronize them.
Hi Ray, I have a question: I have an H6 and I'm going to mount it on top of my camera with the shotgun mic for filming myself explaining things and reading lectures. Most of the time I'll do this while alone. If I have the camera and the H6 with the shotgun towards me I can't obviously see the audio levels on the screen. Is there a smart way (or any way, or a trick) to adjust the mic sensitivity for the right levels if it is impossible to look at the meters (no chance to extend headphones cord)? This is a problem for all recorders with built-it mics in situations like this I think. I can't be the only one with this problem, but I can't figure out a solution. I'm only doing this with my Tascam DR22-WL since it's wifi and I can see and adjust levels from the app on my smartphone away from the recorder. Anyway, I'd like to improve quality with H6 + his directional shotgun. Any idea? Thanks in advance.
yes that is tough. You can hack a mirror setup so you could see the levels or do a few test recordings to find your best levels from where you'll be sitting and then use those settings while also having a limiter turned on so that you don't have to worry about peaking the audio.
yes that is tough. You can hack a mirror setup so you could see the levels or do a few test recordings to find your best levels from where you'll be sitting and then use those settings while also having a limiter turned on so that you don't have to worry about peaking the audio.
I was wondering, is the line out straight analog from the mic capsule to the camera, or is it converted twice, from capsule to digital and from digital to analog lineout and then converted again to digital in the camera?
Thank you Ray... I have 2 questions : Can I record Line level input on track 1 and 2, and MIC input on tracks 3 and 4 ? Also, H6 Line out to MIC in (of a Fujifilm mirrorless XT-1 camera)... do I need a special cable to attenuate the signal to Mic level ? if so what cable ?
+Roland Herrera there is a 'pad' (-20db) on each channel so you can engage that for line level. That said, I think the input itself is since it's a dual XLR/Line input, is rated for Line level when using a quarter inch input so you don't even need the pad but it's there to help if necessary. Another beauty of this recorder over the H4n is they added attenuation in the menu for the line-out which means you don't need any special cables;)
Thank you for this video. So helpful. I am new to video,recording and have purchased the zoom h6 plus 2 rode wireless mics. Do I need to be recording into the dslr as well as the H6? Also - it comes with a 2gb memory card - what do you advise is the most efficient size of memory card. You mention 64gb. Thanks again.
+王暐翔 I think there is a pan option in the settings but check their website to confirm. hard panning left and right would allow you to put whatever signals you want in each ear.
Can you record multiple inputs simultaneously? For example, can you record using the X/Y top microphone AND two separate XLR inputs, for total of three, at the same time?
Thank you. I had issues with Line Out to a Canon 5D Mark III. Camera was set to Manual Audio and it recorded too loud. Should it have been set to Automatic? Or is there a setting in the Zoom H6 to control levels for the camera?
Hey, thanks a lot for this video. when I connect the mic to my mac via a USB port it goes grey on me although the mac sees it but it doesn't pick up any sound, do you have a tip for me?
Just picked up the H6 today. Late to the game -- I know. Two quick questions -- do you ever use Lo Cut at all, especially in my case for recording toasts during a wedding reception? Also, do you shoot 24bit/48kHz? Do you recommend going higher like 24/96? Thanks Ray!
Congrats. I tend to record without a low cut and then add on in post if needed but if you have a low rumble or the guests have heavy plosives then it's something to consider. 24bit/48 is more than enough and in fact if you end up compressing to 16bit for final delivery then you might want to consider 16bit if you don't also process with dithering of the final audio. But mostly I'd go with 24bit/48 if you have the room on the SD card.
Hello Ray, thanks for the nice video! I wanted to ask for yoru advice: I’m planning to video record my string quartet while performing a few tunes and was thinking of using a matched pair of Rode M5 Condenser Microphones in ORTF stereo technique with a Zoom H6 recorder for the audio. My question is afterwards, where do I edit the files? Should I get a software like pro tools or Logic pro? Also is it better to record with the Zoom or use a mixer like Allen and Heath and record directly in pro tool? And for the video editing I should use a different software like Final Cut or similar? I hope you don’t mind me asking… but I wanted to start in the right way! Thanks!!
Hi Ray, Should i buy the zoom H6 over the H4n? I'm thinking the H6 might be too excessive for what i do. I make simple interviews for corporate web ads. I'm just looking for a way to avoid sinking audio in post with a Canon 6D and lavalier.
Corbin Arts If you don't need all the channels the H6 offers, the H5 which is an upgrade to the H4n is a great choice. It's the best of both worlds, more affordable than the H6 with the upgrade of the preamp over the H4n, it's the perfect option for you podhelp.me/zoomh5. If you're interested in joining my private community where you can ask questions and get faster response or just support these videos, check out patreon.com/ray, thanks!
Thank you...I just purchased the H6 for our first documentary and will be using it this Saturday. I will use the Rodes boom mic on a boom rod and two wireless mic for a family interview. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks, John. For the camera, attach via the Line out and use the attenuation settings in the menu then use this tutorial to set your level ruclips.net/video/hAkuNBin-Mk/видео.html
I just got my first camera, the gh4 and I'm looking for a good on camera solution for run and gun but something more versatile then a rode vidmic pro. I was hoping the shotgun on the h6 would do that for me but I haven't really been able to find any examples, I'd love a follow up to see how the shotgun capsule preforms.
Spencer Moret I'm not a fan of the mic. You have to be really close to get good audio out of it and it only works with the H6 or H5 so you can't use it as another mic somewhere else.
Good to know my friend, thanks. Saved me $150. So my other thought for on camera solution would be a rode ntg2 going into a zoom h5 or h6 in a pocket. If you have any thoughts or advice on this I'd love to hear it.
Spencer Moret also a good setup. The H5 has preamps that are good enough to power the NTG2 which needs a little more boost than others. Rode just came out with a new series of NTGs including the NTG4+ which looks awesome www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1115089-REG/rode_rodntg4plus_ntg4_shotgun_microphone_with.html/BI/5841/KBID/6710 but of course is more money. Also remember that with any mic the quality is all about how close you can get the mic. Even a shotgun mic won't sound good if it's too far away, more than a few feet and you're going to get really different results.
Yeah the ntg4's look like good improvement on the older mics, Im really excited to see how the rodelink preforms. I'm basically looking for a solution to shoot weddings and similar run and gun situations and record audio from interactions and people I can't mic up.
Hey Ray I have a question, do you know If I am able to monitor audio from an external device, if someone else is recording with a boom and I would like to make sure audio is good? Please let me know.. thank you for the video.
Ray, thanks again for the help. I ended up getting all this equipment. I really like it. Need a piece of advice. Recording via the H6.. what setting do you recommend so that the 2 separate audio files can easily be merged to play as 1? Prob a stupid question I know. I did some onsite recording this past weekend and felt like I had to piece together the 2 audio files from the separate channels. I'm new to this so your advice is appreciated.
Jason Ballard glad you like it. The advantage of the H6 is the separate files. You do need to piece these together in post production however. If you don't want to work with the files you can simply put them into editing software and export them out as is. But the nice thing about separate channels is you have the freedom to control the audio for each individual track. But if you don't even want to bring them into editing software, the H6 actually allows you to export them out as a merged wav or mp3 stereo file (see page 52 in your manual). Also if you record in mp3, you will also get a mixed down stereo track as well as the individual files (page 83).
Awesome video. Question if you record 3 or 4 separate tracks to the sd card and when you want to transfer the files does it show the multiple tracks or just one single track? I also want to use my iPad Pro to edit the audio have you tried editing audio with the iPad? Thanks!
Thanks, Cris. You'll get each track separately. I haven't edited on an iPad. The one time I tried, it was painful and surprisingly difficult but I think they likely have some better apps by now.
Ray Ortega Thanks for the response and info highly appreciated. Auria Pro is a DAW for the iPad it's awesome but I will be using Ferrite Studio app it's awesome for Podcast and editing audio files you should check it out Thanks again.
Nice review, straightforward and good sound! :) I wanted to know if you can monitor individuals channels via your headphones. For example if Im running four channels say three radio mic's and a onbroad shotgun and want to hear only one channel to make sure its sounding ok rather than just hear a mash of all channels at once? Sometimes in a hectic shoot you just got hear one channel at a time to determine just noise i.e from jackets hiding among the clean audio from others or concerntrate on just one speakers content at a time. Im considering this unit H6 or Tascam 70D. Im not sure if the Tascam can monitor individual channels either. Cheers :)
+Obi Kenobi thanks! I don't think you can monitor only one channel which is a bummer but it's a good question that you might want to check out the manual or ask Zoom. That is something I would want to do! You could mute the other channels as you check the one you need but probably can't switch it to a monitor only while recording.
Thanks, Troy. I haven't tried it with an iPhone but if worked with the camera kit via usb I would think a USB to lightning would also work. At 2:00 min mark, this is H6 to Lightning to iPad ruclips.net/video/pn4gukYqTog/видео.html
Great review Ray! Curious to know if this would be good for us podcasters? I have a few interviews at conferences coming up so want to have the right gear. Can you recommend a good mic for a conference lobby environment. Do you think the H5 will do everything I need. Also I record directly into the Roland at home (backed up with call recorder) will the H6/5 be good for this too? Much appreciated.
Great video, thank you! What kind of microphone would you recommend to use with ZOOM H6 to film cooking videos? Someone would be wearing a mic and moving a bit.
Thanks. It seems to me in that case you'd definitely want a wireless lav. As far quality and affordability goes, this Rode is a great option podhelp.me/rodelinklavZon. Another option but it doesn't include the H6 would be to get this mic that I reviewed but you'd have to sync the audio with the video's audio in the edit ruclips.net/video/P53IC1dj6Fw/видео.html
Can this connect to a iPhone Pro max? Also my AT897 shotgun mic will not really work with the H4N. Turned up to 100 you can hardly hear it. I guess the pre amps are not good enough. Are the pre amps better with the H6?
Hi, Rob. If they have their own microphone, plugged into a separate channel then both channels will be separate. I believe it also records a mixed track at the same time.
Thanks for the video. I would like to know more about that equipment. Have you ever used it as a audio interface ?. If the answer is positive have you felt any delay problem while recording. It would be appreciated if you could kindly respond.
Thanks Ray so much for this informative video as all yours are. I'm considering buying one of this ( Zoom H5 or Zoom H6 ) to use it with Rode NTG 4+ No budget issue so shall I go for the H6 as it has more features. and am I going to miss much if I pick the H5. no need for more than 2 XLR input.
Thanks the video my question is if I use the line out to my canon 80 to record sound while shooting video will I still have to sync the audio? Or will my sound be ok in the recording on the canon 80D?
Hi Ray. The video is pretty cool. I have one technical question. I recorded the interview with the zoom h6. After that I checked the clips, everything was good (I checked directly on zoom speaker). But, when I put SD card in my computer (even in my card reader) I was surprised! Computer showed me empty card!! (when I do right click/properties I can see there is some using space!) ... So, sound data is there but I can`t see it and I can not take it from there!!! That`s very stressful! Do you have an idea how to take my sounds and what can be a problem? :( Thanks!
I had the same issue today - it recorded super clean but the card showed no info. I was able to "recover" the audio but it sounded terrible. I'm guessing it is a setting inside the H6. I'll try and call them tomorrow and find out what we're both doing wrong. CB
Great, pick up some tips for my new H6. What is the highest quality audio I can record. I recorded a concert with the dome mic for 1.5 hrs battery didn't even drop. I still haven't worked out what cables you use to go from line out to Nikon d800 for sync audio to video. Not sure how that setup goes. Anyone?
Any stereo cable should work since the H6 has the ability to control the output of the line out, allowing you to turn down the line out as far as -30db. This will give you the necessary 'pad' for the louder level. So a cable like this amzn.to/2noPVkP should work once you adjust the settings correctly
This looks promising for the kind of work I do. I'm wondering if the line out sends all channels at once, or if it's possible to only send 2 or 3 channels. I do wedding work, and it would be nice to do line out on the wireless mics, and have one or two other channels as backup recording to the h6
Ray Ortega Thanks for the reply! So it sounds like the channels can't be isolated then? It would be nice for our same day edits to only have 2 channels going into the camera. Still a great looking product tho!
Matt Kent you can't select which channels go out the line out, it's a mix of all channels that have a mic. You could pan one channel left and one right and that would create a pseudo two channels. I think with my Tascam DR60D I can select which channels go out of the line out.
SD is going to make a better recorder and you should look at the MixPre series podhelp.me/MixPre6BH (referral link) the 6 and 3 are super options that will save money over a 633 and give you SD quality. That said, the H6 will do just fine for most purposes. If you have a decent shotgun mic you are using with it, it will work great.
Thank you for the excellent explanation. I understand one can use the H6 as an audio input for a video camera, but can you do the opposite? Can you use a video camera as an input and connect it to the ZoomH6 to be added as another source on the H6's card? Thanks
@@RayOrtegaTo which port in the zoom H6 should I connect the line comming from the camera? Should I somehow connect it to one of the PL inputs? Will I need a connector? Thanks again
Researching best settings for using a Sennheiser G3 lav mic into the Zoom H6. Transmitter sensitivity is self explanatory but I'm more interested in the AF Out of the Sennheiser receiver unit - and knowing how hot a signal to put into the Zoom. Would it be cleaner to raise the AF Out on the receiver and end up not having to have the dial up high for that channel on the Zoom? Also, is XLR preferred to the 3.5mm input? Thanks for any help!
I haven't done any deep testing but my preference would be to use something less than the max on the Sennheiser kit but still allowing you to not use as much of the Zoom preamp. The goal would be to keep the H6 preamp below 5 on the dial which produces really clean audio and I'd go with XLR when you have the option. When it comes to gain staging, typically I like to work downstream so the Sennheiser in this case would do most of the heavy lifting and downward from there;)
Ray Ortega that's great thanks Ray! On shoot yesterday I only had the Zoom dial around 3 and that was hitting around -12db, transmitter sensitivity set for subject so minimal clipping and AF out on receiver was around +6db.
Sounds good but I would aim for no clipping. You're much better off recording a little lower than having any clipping. You can record anywhere around -18 to -12db on average and probably have plenty of dynamic range to bring that up in post with no noticeable noise.
Yeah I shot an interview yesterday, -9db sensitivity which only clipped in very loud parts but the speaker did have a tendency to go all over the place volume wise - can definitely hear it in the edit :/ Actually considering reverting to using Saanken CS3e boom mic for interviews, less hassle to setup and to my ears - a generally better sound.
Hey bro what about monitoring?? no one is covering this ahah if I want to have 4 people all together in a podcast, how do I give them a feedback trough headphones??
Question ? My old old zoom H1 had a 3.5mm stereo line in so I could run my guitar effects processor into it. How would you set that up on the H6 ? My thoughts are to use a 3.5mm male coming out of the effects processor to two 1/4" mono male, one into input one and the other into input two on the H6. would that still give me the same results ?
Still not exactly sure of the setup you're going for but I can tell you that the H6 also has a 3.5mm input located on the mic attachment that comes with it that sits on the top of the Zoom. So you should be able to do the same thing you were doing on the H1. Does that help?
Yes, excellent, that is what I'm looking for, I just pulled up the owners manual online and discovered the 3.5 input. Thanks for your help, much appreciated.
Sounds like you need to format the card and make sure you don't have some kind of setting turned on that waits for you to talk in order to start the recording. But it's probably the card. Format and see if that helps or try another card
It has been a so useful video for me Sir... I'd like to have some street interviews with this device... And would like to have a affordable microphone. Which ohm microphone should have. 600 ohm or less... Is it a deal. And which db can be better. What does it mean... -50db or less... cardiodid type Is cardioid mic better or any other one to not to take all the ambiance voices, but the interviewer... Thank you in advance...
A dynamic cardioid mic will work best for 'on the street' style interviews, rejecting more background noise and focusing on the person's voice. Or a shotgun mic which is very directional paired with a pistol grip for shock absorption. Most any standard shotgun or handheld broadcast mic will work well with the H6. This is also an interesting mic in that it's more forgiving if you are moving the mic between yourself and an interviewee amzn.to/3vDwDYK check out some reviews. Rode makes great shotgun mics too that are relatively affordable.
@@RayOrtega So I'll buy the one that you recommend. I believe it will be the best fit for street interviews... It looks similar with what people use for interview... This should be the one... Thank you so much...
Only 1 phantom powered XLR at a time? Can I use Zoom H6 in this setup: shotgun mic to XLR1 + two Sanken COS-11D to XLR2 and XLR3? But Sanken's need phantom power. So it won't work then since Zoom H6 provides only one powered XLR?
No you can use phantom power for each of the four XLR connections built into the recorder. The XLR add-ons to the top do not supply phantom power. So you have four phantom powered inputs.
@@RayOrtega Thank you! Figured it out after watching few other videos. So much to learn and this is the most fun learning experience! I've opted for Sony XLR-K3M as a main audio mixer for run&gun and Zoom H6 whenever have to shoot an interview.
Ray can you explain why the h6 audio constantly goes out of sync with my sony FDRAX53? - I have the setting on the H6 as a wav save @ 44.1khz but I have to constantly re sync it every 2 min....I cannot figure this out...can you help? - Very new at this whole video thingy
You want to use 48Khz because that is what your video cam will be at. I don't know if this will solve the issue, in many cases sync occurs because the two different digital devices don't have internal clocks that are precise enough to stay in sync but you definitely want to match the audio specs of the camera with the Zoom so try 48.
Yes, in order to bring external audio into your camera you need a mic. input on your camera. That was one of the main reasons I went from a T2i to a 60D.
Best video we have seen so far on the H6. Great presentation.
Thanks!
I agree, thanks!
Wonderful review. Just ordered mine!
2:47 what was he using to plug the zoom into the dslr to record sound in sync with video? And more importantly where do I buy it? 😅
There is a special cable that attenuates (lessens) the line level signal for mic inputs on cameras that don't have line-in or else the audio will be too loud www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/746645-REG/Sescom_LN2MIC_ZOOMH4N_LN2MIC_ZOOMH4N_Line_to.html/BI/5841/KBID/6710 I don't recall if the H6 has a pad built in but the first step might be to use any stereo(TRS) 1/8" to 1/8" cable that you have and test if with your recorder and camera. This will let you know if you need a special cable or not.
Honestly Ray, brilliance is an understatement to describe your tutorials. Found this extremely helpful. Thanks a ton!
+Wasim Parkar wow, thanks Wasim!
LIFESAVER! Brand brand brand new to audio dlsr videomaking.. overwhelmed to say the least. Just got the H6 today --your video helped peel me from the ceiling!
I just bought h6 and your video help me a lot. thanks man
Awesome, enjoy the new gear!
Thanks for all the information, we just picked one of these up and are looking to shortcut the learning curve! This video is a big help!
Is there a way to record on the Zoom H6 and the computer at the same time? This way you will have a backup copy of your recording on the Zoom.
Not exactly. That would be one of the downsides, it can't be used as an interface and a recorder at the same time. You could hack it by outputting the line out of the H6 to the computer and recording that mix as a backup or connect another recorder the same way to do the same thing. Other units like the MixPre are amazing for so many reasons but also because it can handle this dual function podhelp.me/mixpre3Zon (referral link). The new Rodecaster can also do this podhelp.me/rodecasterBH but can't do multichannel and the Zoom L12, which I reviewed, can also do this including multichannel podhelp.me/zoomL12BH
@@RayOrtega It dose work, Thanks Ray.
Presentation is great, however you didn't get into the H6 menu, which is at least half of the features available on the H6.
Thanks. This is just an overview of why it works for video creators. Getting into the menu would be a good idea for it's own video but I don't have the device anymore, it was a review unit. Still a good piece of gear.
@@RayOrtega I'll lend you mine, lol... Thank you for replying. I am a video creator, so I have a keen interest in getting the most out of my H6, even though my application involves repetitive tasks, especially in post production.
@@nanaeats5027 lol thanks. And yes, I think post production is a synonym for receptive tasks;)
I like your decency.
This is a great review. Thank you, I'm buying this now.
Thanks for watching and enjoy the H6!
Fancy seeing you here brother. Loving the 36 Yard Zero!
Best review so far. Thank you!
+CaterpillarsTV thanks!
Good job Ray.
Thanks, James.
This is the best review of the H6 on Utube. Good comparison between the different models. This video is a good length and well taped. Good job....
Thanks Ray, I’m buying one tonight...any discounts?
Sorry I don't have any discounts but I do see this go on sale every few months it seems, usually at B&H podhelp.me/zoomh6 and sometimes amazon
Great video: no gimmicks, not too salesmanie, just straight forward great content
Thanks!
Another fantastic review - thanks Ray.
Will definitely be upgrading my H4n after watching this - I was waiting for your seal of approval!
***** awesome, thanks!
Great video, Ray. Lots of information and high production values. I'll probably buy this nice bit of kit.
+Shaun Weston thanks Shaun! Lots of power in this little device. Worth the price.
Why is my audio so low on playback after a live show recording. It was recorded within -6 and -12db. Playback is alot lower volume then the video camera caught. Full band drums bass guitars and vocals. This is a huge problem for me with the H6
Not sure exactly but as long as you captured it at good levels, just bring up the levels in post production to what you need. Is that what you're doing?
@RayOrtega ya that's what I was doing but it still seems much lower volume then the video camera catches. Hopefully I can figure this out
Hi Ray. Very good presentation! Need your advice. I sometimes record my digital drums live into my I phone.
I use GO Mixer Pro from Roland but I m not happy with this device. The USB port is jiggling and sometimes gives no connection. My question 👉🏼Can this Zoom 6 been used as an Interface directly into the IPhone? That it also records internally is of course a beneficial. Grts from Belgium
HI, Bob, I can't say I've used the H6 with the iPhone. It does connect to a computer via USB but I'm not sure if it works the same on iOS. You'd need a USB to lightening adapter at a minimum or if you have an older phones, maybe a 1/8" cable would do but I haven't tried and I don't have the device, it was a review unit which means I only had it for 30 days. The other issue however is that if you use it as a USB interface, at least on a computer, then you can't record internally. The other method would be to record internally while also sending an analog feed to the iPhone via something like the iRig which I show here ruclips.net/video/ZiP_k55FEUs/видео.html
Thanks Ray for the quick response. I think I have to go for the Zoom U 44.
How do you delete a file in the H6?
by far one of the best h6 reviews I have seen. and thanks for letting us know your opinion on the shotgun mic. I guess it's better to by that from another company
+oscargt23 thanks! I'd prefer something from Rode for a shotgun mic.
Shame it doesn't have 32bit floating like the H8.
GREAT VIDEO !!
😊
Yeah these are the days before 32bit float. Thanks for the compliments, glad you enjoyed it!
I am a newbie to the world of sound and would be grateful if you could answer a question: I record video on my Sony A7iii of streams and rivers and want to add high quality sound to the video. I can't figure out the equipment I need to accomplish this result. I could use a RODE Stereo VideoMic X which seems to be the simplest answer but many people seem to attach Zoom F6 devices to their camera along with mics and other equipment. What kind of configuration or equipment would you suggest buying if I want to add very high quality sound to my videos of streams and rivers ? Is the Zoom F6 the right tool for the job and if so what speaker(s) should I buy ?
Also, when you connect the F6 to your camera while you are recording video does the sound from the speakers get saved on the SD card in the camera or do you have to synch them in post production ?
I think your suggestion of the Rode amzn.to/2Zpsn3s is probably the best solution. Easy, compact, goes right into the camera.
I'm getting a lot of white noise when recording. Is there a setting within my Panasonic GH5 that I need to change in order to not have this? Am I doing something else wrong? Thanks Ray!
Never used the GH5 but if you run the input too high then you'll get noise on pretty much every camera. So try and increase the level from the H6 and lower the level in the GH5 and see if that helps.
Hi Ray, was wondering if you could provide the link to your audio processing video you mentioned around the 4:50 mark... I went looking for it in your other videos, but didn't see any titles that matched... TIA
Scott J here it is ruclips.net/video/593L2Ravx7U/видео.html I also added it to the description and note that I now usually use the Denoiser in addition to the effects you'll see in the video. Not very much, but just a little does a nice job in knocking down a light noise floor.
Thank you! Appreciate that!
Maybe no one is still posting to this video, but it seems the Zoom H6 will function as a mixer and preamp and you can record to your camera directly and maybe eliminate the need to do extensive audio work in post production, at least for some video work (e.g. you tube videos explaining stuff about stuff, as opposed to music recording).
Yes you could plug the H6 into a camera via the camera line out which unlike the H4n can attenuate the signal so it doesn't overload the cameras mic level preamp. Here's how I did it a long time ago with the H4n ruclips.net/video/lJYdjHbnrV0/видео.html
Dumb question but I am just making sure.
Will this work with the Ntg-3?
Joe Zoc yes. Great mic. I just had it to test and used it with the H6. Any mic will work with the Zoom.
Ray Ortega Yes, though the NTG-2 doesn't work so well with the Zoom H5. Apparently, without additional pre-amping.
Scot Becker hm that's surprising. I know with the H4n it's not as friendly because of the not so great preamps but the H5 improved significantly on their preamps and it should work much better. That said, the NTG2 needs lots of gain. The NTG3 is much better overall but doesn't have battery power. The new NTG4 and NTG4+ look awesome podhelp.me/ntg4plusBH (referral link). Also did you have your avatar painted by that website, Paint my Head or something like that? Looks like that, he or she never did mine sadly;(
Hi Ray,
I have a Sennheiser 416 and a Zoom H4N. I found that when outside with the Sennheiser that in certain circumstances it did not deliver enough power to the microphone. I nearly always had to have it set to 10 or the highest level and even so the output was only going to about -12 dB instead of the -6 that I wanted. Do you think that the H6 will deliver more power so that I can use the 416 fully?
Many thanks. You have produced a great video.
Brian
Question?? How can I create 2 separate channels of audio that will go out the Line Out ? Is this possible - I want to connect a LAV in input 1 and boom into input 2 then feed that into my Ninga assassin ??? Please help
Ray, thank you for your professional presentation. I am in the business called court reporting, testimony taken down by steno, then transcribing legal proceedings such as depositions, but now I have moved into ASR, automated speech recognition.
As I can see with the special adapter we can have up to 6 Lavalier condenser mics XLR or using the VXLR adapters we can record six voices. The sound is impeccable and so easy to use a USB cable to dump the audio to the PC which has the voice-to-text technology. We would not use anything else and the H6 with 6 Lavalier mics is so light to transport.
It has a hold button on the side to help with the lock issue that was brought up.
Definitely, great tip, thanks!
The shot gun mic works really well aimed more straight and farther back.
A 128 gb card is very handy while recording clinics where they can drum 2 hours long without a break.
Appreciate your knowledge and review.
Take care, Pete
Thanks.
Are preamps on H5/H6 as good as Juicedlink? I have been thinking of buying Juicedlink for my H1 to eliminate the background hiss that you get when you directly plugin the recorder to the camera to avoid syncing audio and video during post production. If the preamps are good, i can do away with JL and spend that money on H6
***** haven't compared but Juicelink is really good. But you get a lot more flexibility with the H6. Can record separate as well as send to cam. Probably plenty clean.
Ray Ortega I have both and I think the H6 is superior.
***** good to know. Everything I've heard from the JL has sounded great and I wouldn't say the H5/H6 were perfect by any means. I'm actually surprised to hear that they are superior to the JL but good to know.
Hi Ray,
I am looking for an audio gear for video production and was thinking of buying Zoom H6.
But how do we connect the cordless lapel receivers.
+VIDEO EPPO wireless lapels will simply plug right into the XLR connection via the receiver unit in the wireless kit
Great articulate video! I noticed you screwed it into the DSLR Camera. Do you know if the Zoom H6 can be mounted easily to camcorders like Canon G30 too?
+David Harvey Thanks! Ah yes, I did a video about it..of course;) ruclips.net/video/XxXrxKxccUg/видео.html the one I have is really pricey but you'll get the idea and can shop for another podhelp.me/zyballmount (affiliate link). Look for one with metal connections like this one, not plastic.
Hi, do you have any comments or suggestions on the fact that there is a
very wide-spread trouble being reported of the H6 on the web ... the
buzzing sound in the XLR mic inputs. The XLR ports have the buzzing
even when no mic is plugged into it!!!! Any ideas....?
Beautiful video, dude. Just bought the H6, and I'm loving it.
John Holzer awesome, thanks and have fun!
Question about how to save audio files, possible to name them? How do you keep yourself organized in that sense?
Hey, Ray. I just bought the H6 and your video was really helpful. Congrats from Brazil :)
you had me at "it starts up right away." did i hear you right, that you can record audio with the shotgun attachment at the same time as recording with an xlr input? what was that line splitter you mentioned for the h4n? love all your reviews, tnx!
Photographic Elements you should be able to record with the shotgun at the same time but I don't recall testing that. The line splitter most commonly used is made by Sescom which you can find at my gear page thepodcastersstudio.com/gear. Thanks for your patience in my response, if you want to get quicker answers to your questions I'm trying to make that happen at patreon.com/ray thanks
Looking at the H6, to use as a body mount recorder that can run a Shure TL47 lav, while I Vlog
Ray, why won't it record while acting as an audio interface? I am thinking that this will replace at least two devices that I am using now and possibly keep me from buying a third. Right now I am using a Tascam DR-05 with a very low quality Samson mic connected via 3.5mm jack for audio interviews. At home, I have another inexpensive XLR mic connected to a Scarlett 2i4 as my audio interface. I was also considering a Tascam DR-60D MKII for video. It looks like the H6 or H5 for that matter could serve in all three functions.
Unfortately it's just the tech. It can't do both at the same time. Trust me, I wish it could, that would be amazing and really the only thing left that would make it perfect. But if you use a mic like the AT2005 you can actually make it work because that series of mics allows you to use USB at the same time. See this video I made: Record Skype with an ATR2100 and a Zoom H4n
Thanks Ray!
Ray Ortega
Ray, so based on this video I sold the Scarlett and DR-05 and bought the ZOOM H5. Great build quality and preamps!
Great video!!
Thanks!
Couple of questions...screen visibility outside, is it a major downside? Line out into a DSLR....namely a GH5. I wrote to ZOOM they said it might be possible but suggested an attenuator cable.
I didn't use it enough outside to know but I have heard it's harder to see. I think they have made this better in recent updates even in the H5 amzn.to/2JJVT6G but would definitely want to check other reviews. I thought that the H6 actually gave you the option to attenuate in the menu but maybe that is the H5 as well. Check the manual but if not then yes an attenuator would be handy.
Great demo. You answered a few unanswered questions I had. I'll buy one now with the EXH-6 capsule. Thanks!
Battery life.... OMG, Had mine for 2 weeks now using about every 3rd day, about 3 hrs. per day.... just ran out of my first (cheap) set!!! Powering up, 1/4 the time, easy. LOVE this recorder!!!!!!!!
sweet!
Nice review. While you can record every input to separate channels, you can also configure channels 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 to record two separate stereo files.
*CASSETTE DIGITIZING USING AUTO RECORD*
Another feature I've found really useful makes use of this. When I want to digitize old cassette tapes I hook the output of the (auto reverse) cassette deck to channels 1 & 2 and set it to be a stereo pair. Then I turn on the Auto Record feature which starts recording as soon as it gets a signal. Once it's set up (audio levels, etc.) I just pop in a cassette, rewind it, then hit play.
When I notice the cassette isn't turning anymore, maybe hours later, I pop that cassette out and put in another. This gives me one file for each cassette.
When I'm done I load the files onto my computer and open them up in Audition, trim the start, the end and the delay between side one and side two. (I may do some other sweetening too like adjust the left-right balance, and clean up any noise.) Easy-peasy.
+Robert Shaver cool. Lots of uses. thanks for sharing and watching!
Hello, you know if it's possible to listen on the hearphone only one of the tracks during recording ? For exemple I use 4 micros in same time, but I want to be sure I dont have a problem in input 1 ou 2 during recording. Thanks, best regards, P.
Hi, I wanna use this for filming. I was wondering if I could use my iPhone's Camara?
Hi Ray, could u tell me bes setting for dialogue recording & for ambience recording using Zoom H6. thank u before
There is no one setting cause you have to set up the gain based on your microphones and your environment. However, it's best to try and stay below 7 on the gain knob to get the cleanest audio.
Can you connect the Zoom h6 line out to two cameras? I'm using a blackmagic atem switcher with two Panasonic Lumix G7 for livestreaming.
Hello Ray. I am in Nairobi Kenya. Kindly i would like to know. I use a zoom H6 with a panasonic condenser shortgun mic that is powered with my DSLR camera, But i get alot of HISS and HUM in my sound, what is the best setting on the ZOOM H6 to solve this or what might be the problem?
Nice video! Since there are 4 XLR inputs, am assuming you can record from all 4 simultaneously, correct? I'm curious to know how those 4 inputs are recored on the SD card? Is it all mixed onto one track, or will I get 4 individual tracks from each input? I will be using 2 Sennheiser wireless Lav mics and also the input from the mixer. I wouldn't want the tracks to mix with each other. Anybody's answer would be appreciated.
Thanks Dan. Correct. Each input will have it's own file on the SD card. All separate tracks, up to six with the XLR attachment.
Hi dude! Nice video! just a quick question, do u know anyway possible to reduce the white noise behind the recording? I am using the MS mic. Thanks
Thanks. The noise is caused by a few factors. One, that mic is sensitive and so any room you are in is going to have to very quiet and you need to get close to the mic to be able to run the preamp (gain) as low as possible. Check out my video on setting up levels on an audio recorder ruclips.net/video/ka9cc1XzEwI/видео.html
Thanks for the respond, I'll make sure to check it out!
Thanks for nice review, Ray! Do you think the H6 is good for sending sound to a videocamera with xlr? Maybe with the use of 3-4 mics into the H6. And maybe while recording..? Thank you!
Yes you could use it as a preamp for a cam. The nice thing about the H6 is that it has line level attention built in but that's mostly for DSLRs. A cam with XLRs would likely be able to handle line and mic level so if you wanted to send a mix into the cam, this could do it. The nice thing is that you also record discreet tracks on the H6 if you want/need to edit individual tracks in post.
@@RayOrtega Thank you very much for very quick reply!!:)
I have a question. I bought the Zoom H6 but the screen has white edges and I can't monitor de 4th channel because of that. Is that customizable? Can I change the settings to be able to look the full screen? Or is it a factory defect?
So, if I plug the line out conector of the h6 onto my DSLR, and then I record several video files with my DSLR... Then each of those files will have their sound already ATTACHED to the video inside the DSLR?
Or maybe I will have to export both the video file from the DSLR and the track/tracks that get recorded in the h6 separately? I mean, that late thing would be a pain in the ass because I would have to syncronize them.
Hi Ray,
I have a question: I have an H6 and I'm going to mount it on top of my camera with the shotgun mic for filming myself explaining things and reading lectures. Most of the time I'll do this while alone.
If I have the camera and the H6 with the shotgun towards me I can't obviously see the audio levels on the screen.
Is there a smart way (or any way, or a trick) to adjust the mic sensitivity for the right levels if it is impossible to look at the meters (no chance to extend headphones cord)? This is a problem for all recorders with built-it mics in situations like this I think. I can't be the only one with this problem, but I can't figure out a solution.
I'm only doing this with my Tascam DR22-WL since it's wifi and I can see and adjust levels from the app on my smartphone away from the recorder. Anyway, I'd like to improve quality with H6 + his directional shotgun.
Any idea? Thanks in advance.
yes that is tough. You can hack a mirror setup so you could see the levels or do a few test recordings to find your best levels from where you'll be sitting and then use those settings while also having a limiter turned on so that you don't have to worry about peaking the audio.
yes that is tough. You can hack a mirror setup so you could see the levels or do a few test recordings to find your best levels from where you'll be sitting and then use those settings while also having a limiter turned on so that you don't have to worry about peaking the audio.
I was wondering, is the line out straight analog from the mic capsule to the camera, or is it converted twice, from capsule to digital and from digital to analog lineout and then converted again to digital in the camera?
Thank you Ray... I have 2 questions :
Can I record Line level input on track 1 and 2, and MIC input on tracks 3 and 4 ?
Also, H6 Line out to MIC in (of a Fujifilm mirrorless XT-1 camera)... do I need a special cable to attenuate the signal to Mic level ? if so what cable ?
+Roland Herrera there is a 'pad' (-20db) on each channel so you can engage that for line level. That said, I think the input itself is since it's a dual XLR/Line input, is rated for Line level when using a quarter inch input so you don't even need the pad but it's there to help if necessary. Another beauty of this recorder over the H4n is they added attenuation in the menu for the line-out which means you don't need any special cables;)
+Ray Ortega That's great news ; I'm getting this to replace my M_AUDIO Microtrack II. Fine of you to reply so fast...thx a bunch
Thank you for this video. So helpful. I am new to video,recording and have purchased the zoom h6 plus 2 rode wireless mics. Do I need to be recording into the dslr as well as the H6? Also - it comes with a 2gb memory card - what do you advise is the most efficient size of memory card. You mention 64gb. Thanks again.
for shooting the film, can I monitor the boom on left and the mini mic on left channel?
+王暐翔 I think there is a pan option in the settings but check their website to confirm. hard panning left and right would allow you to put whatever signals you want in each ear.
Can you record multiple inputs simultaneously? For example, can you record using the X/Y top microphone AND two separate XLR inputs, for total of three, at the same time?
Thank you. I had issues with Line Out to a Canon 5D Mark III. Camera was set to Manual Audio and it recorded too loud. Should it have been set to Automatic? Or is there a setting in the Zoom H6 to control levels for the camera?
How would this handle line level peaking up to +10dbU coming off my Mackie 2404VLZ4? Info on how it handles hot line level would be appreciated.
Hey, thanks a lot for this video. when I connect the mic to my mac via a USB port it goes grey on me although the mac sees it but it doesn't pick up any sound, do you have a tip for me?
i am a musician and want i have a question is this H6 worth buying rather than purchasing a separate sound mixer and microphones setup?
Just picked up the H6 today. Late to the game -- I know. Two quick questions -- do you ever use Lo Cut at all, especially in my case for recording toasts during a wedding reception? Also, do you shoot 24bit/48kHz? Do you recommend going higher like 24/96? Thanks Ray!
Congrats. I tend to record without a low cut and then add on in post if needed but if you have a low rumble or the guests have heavy plosives then it's something to consider. 24bit/48 is more than enough and in fact if you end up compressing to 16bit for final delivery then you might want to consider 16bit if you don't also process with dithering of the final audio. But mostly I'd go with 24bit/48 if you have the room on the SD card.
Hello Ray, thanks for the nice video! I wanted to ask for yoru advice: I’m planning to video record my string quartet while performing a few tunes and was thinking of using a matched pair of Rode M5 Condenser Microphones in ORTF stereo technique with a Zoom H6 recorder for the audio. My question is afterwards, where do I edit the files?
Should I get a software like pro tools or Logic pro?
Also is it better to record with the Zoom or use a mixer like Allen and Heath and record directly in pro tool?
And for the video editing I should use a different software like Final Cut or similar?
I hope you don’t mind me asking… but I wanted to start in the right way! Thanks!!
No answer? Hope you got this figured out I am also in same situation
@@dancassidy7471 I now record with Logic Pro and use very good mics. Then after editing the audio, I synch in Final Cut! Hope this helps!
Hi Ray, Should i buy the zoom H6 over the H4n? I'm thinking the H6 might be too excessive for what i do.
I make simple interviews for corporate web ads. I'm just looking for a way to avoid sinking audio in post with a Canon 6D and lavalier.
Corbin Arts If you don't need all the channels the H6 offers, the H5 which is an upgrade to the H4n is a great choice. It's the best of both worlds, more affordable than the H6 with the upgrade of the preamp over the H4n, it's the perfect option for you podhelp.me/zoomh5. If you're interested in joining my private community where you can ask questions and get faster response or just support these videos, check out patreon.com/ray, thanks!
Thank you...I just purchased the H6 for our first documentary and will be using it this Saturday. I will use the Rodes boom mic on a boom rod and two wireless mic for a family interview. Do you have any suggestions?
Sounds like you're all set. Which part did you need suggestions for? Have a great shoot!
I am not a sound man. But what recommendations would you set the H6 for the great sound
I try not to exceed 7 on the dial. Aim to get the peaks of your audio (on the meters) somewhere in the -20 to -12 range on average.
Great Video, was hoping to see coming in the sorts of camera setting when you attach the zoom6
Thanks, John. For the camera, attach via the Line out and use the attenuation settings in the menu then use this tutorial to set your level ruclips.net/video/hAkuNBin-Mk/видео.html
Perfect thanks for the great advice.
I just got my first camera, the gh4 and I'm looking for a good on camera solution for run and gun but something more versatile then a rode vidmic pro. I was hoping the shotgun on the h6 would do that for me but I haven't really been able to find any examples, I'd love a follow up to see how the shotgun capsule preforms.
Spencer Moret I'm not a fan of the mic. You have to be really close to get good audio out of it and it only works with the H6 or H5 so you can't use it as another mic somewhere else.
Good to know my friend, thanks. Saved me $150. So my other thought for on camera solution would be a rode ntg2 going into a zoom h5 or h6 in a pocket. If you have any thoughts or advice on this I'd love to hear it.
Spencer Moret also a good setup. The H5 has preamps that are good enough to power the NTG2 which needs a little more boost than others. Rode just came out with a new series of NTGs including the NTG4+ which looks awesome www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1115089-REG/rode_rodntg4plus_ntg4_shotgun_microphone_with.html/BI/5841/KBID/6710 but of course is more money. Also remember that with any mic the quality is all about how close you can get the mic. Even a shotgun mic won't sound good if it's too far away, more than a few feet and you're going to get really different results.
Yeah the ntg4's look like good improvement on the older mics, Im really excited to see how the rodelink preforms. I'm basically looking for a solution to shoot weddings and similar run and gun situations and record audio from interactions and people I can't mic up.
Hey Ray I have a question, do you know If I am able to monitor audio from an external device, if someone else is recording with a boom and I would like to make sure audio is good? Please let me know.. thank you for the video.
Not sure of the question. Yes you can monitor from the Zoom.
Ray, thanks again for the help. I ended up getting all this equipment. I really like it. Need a piece of advice. Recording via the H6.. what setting do you recommend so that the 2 separate audio files can easily be merged to play as 1? Prob a stupid question I know. I did some onsite recording this past weekend and felt like I had to piece together the 2 audio files from the separate channels. I'm new to this so your advice is appreciated.
Jason Ballard glad you like it. The advantage of the H6 is the separate files. You do need to piece these together in post production however. If you don't want to work with the files you can simply put them into editing software and export them out as is. But the nice thing about separate channels is you have the freedom to control the audio for each individual track. But if you don't even want to bring them into editing software, the H6 actually allows you to export them out as a merged wav or mp3 stereo file (see page 52 in your manual). Also if you record in mp3, you will also get a mixed down stereo track as well as the individual files (page 83).
Thanks so much Ray. Good point. Didn't think of the manual. Got it. Appreciate your time and for you responding Sir! Take care..
Awesome video. Question if you record 3 or 4 separate tracks to the sd card and when you want to transfer the files does it show the multiple tracks or just one single track? I also want to use my iPad Pro to edit the audio have you tried editing audio with the iPad? Thanks!
Thanks, Cris. You'll get each track separately. I haven't edited on an iPad. The one time I tried, it was painful and surprisingly difficult but I think they likely have some better apps by now.
Ray Ortega Thanks for the response and info highly appreciated. Auria Pro is a DAW for the iPad it's awesome but I will be using Ferrite Studio app it's awesome for Podcast and editing audio files you should check it out Thanks again.
Nice review, straightforward and good sound! :) I wanted to know if you can monitor individuals channels via your headphones. For example if Im running four channels say three radio mic's and a onbroad shotgun and want to hear only one channel to make sure its sounding ok rather than just hear a mash of all channels at once? Sometimes in a hectic shoot you just got hear one channel at a time to determine just noise i.e from jackets hiding among the clean audio from others or concerntrate on just one speakers content at a time. Im considering this unit H6 or Tascam 70D. Im not sure if the Tascam can monitor individual channels either. Cheers :)
+Obi Kenobi thanks! I don't think you can monitor only one channel which is a bummer but it's a good question that you might want to check out the manual or ask Zoom. That is something I would want to do! You could mute the other channels as you check the one you need but probably can't switch it to a monitor only while recording.
Great video. Do you know if this unit will transfer audio to an iPhone with the lightening connection?
Thanks, Troy. I haven't tried it with an iPhone but if worked with the camera kit via usb I would think a USB to lightning would also work. At 2:00 min mark, this is H6 to Lightning to iPad ruclips.net/video/pn4gukYqTog/видео.html
Great review Ray! Curious to know if this would be good for us podcasters? I have a few interviews at conferences coming up so want to have the right gear. Can you recommend a good mic for a conference lobby environment. Do you think the H5 will do everything I need. Also I record directly into the Roland at home (backed up with call recorder) will the H6/5 be good for this too? Much appreciated.
Great video, thank you! What kind of microphone would you recommend to use with ZOOM H6 to film cooking videos? Someone would be wearing a mic and moving a bit.
Thanks. It seems to me in that case you'd definitely want a wireless lav. As far quality and affordability goes, this Rode is a great option podhelp.me/rodelinklavZon. Another option but it doesn't include the H6 would be to get this mic that I reviewed but you'd have to sync the audio with the video's audio in the edit ruclips.net/video/P53IC1dj6Fw/видео.html
Thank you!@@RayOrtega
Can this connect to a iPhone Pro max? Also my AT897 shotgun mic will not really work with the H4N. Turned up to 100 you can hardly hear it. I guess the pre amps are not good enough. Are the pre amps better with the H6?
hi Ray: Question? if i have a guest and were both talking will it record together or will it record as 2 separate tracks?
Hi, Rob. If they have their own microphone, plugged into a separate channel then both channels will be separate. I believe it also records a mixed track at the same time.
thanks Ray.
Thanks for the video. I would like to know more about that equipment. Have you ever used it as a audio interface ?. If the answer is positive have you felt any delay problem while recording.
It would be appreciated if you could kindly respond.
Thanks Ray so much for this informative video as all yours are.
I'm considering buying one of this ( Zoom H5 or Zoom H6 ) to use it with Rode NTG 4+
No budget issue so shall I go for the H6 as it has more features.
and am I going to miss much if I pick the H5.
no need for more than 2 XLR input.
Hello I'm new to all this I just purchased a zoom H6 and a Yamaha mg10xu mixer what's the best way to hook them up..
Thanks the video my question is if I use the line out to my canon 80 to record sound while shooting video will I still have to sync the audio? Or will my sound be ok in the recording on the canon 80D?
Hi Ray. The video is pretty cool. I have one technical question. I recorded the interview with the zoom h6. After that I checked the clips, everything was good (I checked directly on zoom speaker). But, when I put SD card in my computer (even in my card reader) I was surprised! Computer showed me empty card!! (when I do right click/properties I can see there is some using space!) ... So, sound data is there but I can`t see it and I can not take it from there!!! That`s very stressful! Do you have an idea how to take my sounds and what can be a problem? :( Thanks!
I had the same issue today - it recorded super clean but the card showed no info. I was able to "recover" the audio but it sounded terrible. I'm guessing it is a setting inside the H6. I'll try and call them tomorrow and find out what we're both doing wrong. CB
Great, pick up some tips for my new H6. What is the highest quality audio I can record. I recorded a concert with the dome mic for 1.5 hrs battery didn't even drop. I still haven't worked out what cables you use to go from line out to Nikon d800 for sync audio to video. Not sure how that setup goes. Anyone?
Any stereo cable should work since the H6 has the ability to control the output of the line out, allowing you to turn down the line out as far as -30db. This will give you the necessary 'pad' for the louder level. So a cable like this amzn.to/2noPVkP should work once you adjust the settings correctly
This looks promising for the kind of work I do. I'm wondering if the line out sends all channels at once, or if it's possible to only send 2 or 3 channels. I do wedding work, and it would be nice to do line out on the wireless mics, and have one or two other channels as backup recording to the h6
Matt Kent line out will be a mix but you'll also be capturing all channels separately inside the recorder.
Ray Ortega Thanks for the reply! So it sounds like the channels can't be isolated then? It would be nice for our same day edits to only have 2 channels going into the camera. Still a great looking product tho!
Matt Kent you can't select which channels go out the line out, it's a mix of all channels that have a mic. You could pan one channel left and one right and that would create a pseudo two channels. I think with my Tascam DR60D I can select which channels go out of the line out.
I was going to buy a Sound Devices 633 but this seems ideal.I'm making an indie film. Would you recommend this over the Sound Devices device?
SD is going to make a better recorder and you should look at the MixPre series podhelp.me/MixPre6BH (referral link) the 6 and 3 are super options that will save money over a 633 and give you SD quality. That said, the H6 will do just fine for most purposes. If you have a decent shotgun mic you are using with it, it will work great.
Thank you for the excellent explanation. I understand one can use the H6 as an audio input for a video camera, but can you do the opposite? Can you use a video camera as an input and connect it to the ZoomH6 to be added as another source on the H6's card? Thanks
If your camera has a headphone output then you could input that audio into the H6
@@RayOrtegaTo which port in the zoom H6 should I connect the line comming from the camera? Should I somehow connect it to one of the PL inputs? Will I need a connector? Thanks again
Researching best settings for using a Sennheiser G3 lav mic into the Zoom H6. Transmitter sensitivity is self explanatory but I'm more interested in the AF Out of the Sennheiser receiver unit - and knowing how hot a signal to put into the Zoom. Would it be cleaner to raise the AF Out on the receiver and end up not having to have the dial up high for that channel on the Zoom? Also, is XLR preferred to the 3.5mm input? Thanks for any help!
I haven't done any deep testing but my preference would be to use something less than the max on the Sennheiser kit but still allowing you to not use as much of the Zoom preamp. The goal would be to keep the H6 preamp below 5 on the dial which produces really clean audio and I'd go with XLR when you have the option. When it comes to gain staging, typically I like to work downstream so the Sennheiser in this case would do most of the heavy lifting and downward from there;)
Ray Ortega that's great thanks Ray! On shoot yesterday I only had the Zoom dial around 3 and that was hitting around -12db, transmitter sensitivity set for subject so minimal clipping and AF out on receiver was around +6db.
Sounds good but I would aim for no clipping. You're much better off recording a little lower than having any clipping. You can record anywhere around -18 to -12db on average and probably have plenty of dynamic range to bring that up in post with no noticeable noise.
Yeah I shot an interview yesterday, -9db sensitivity which only clipped in very loud parts but the speaker did have a tendency to go all over the place volume wise - can definitely hear it in the edit :/ Actually considering reverting to using Saanken CS3e boom mic for interviews, less hassle to setup and to my ears - a generally better sound.
If the H6 is hooked up to a DSLR with 6 inputs, which input will be recorded along with the video to the dslr, or are all of them with the video?
fifthquartermedia all the inputs you have going into the H6 will get mixed into the DSLRs stereo track audio.
Hey bro what about monitoring?? no one is covering this ahah if I want to have 4 people all together in a podcast, how do I give them a feedback trough headphones??
Question ? My old old zoom H1 had a 3.5mm stereo line in so I could run my guitar effects processor into it. How would you set that up on the H6 ? My thoughts are to use a 3.5mm male coming out of the effects processor to two 1/4" mono male, one into input one and the other into input two on the H6. would that still give me the same results ?
Reply
Still not exactly sure of the setup you're going for but I can tell you that the H6 also has a 3.5mm input located on the mic attachment that comes with it that sits on the top of the Zoom. So you should be able to do the same thing you were doing on the H1. Does that help?
Yes, excellent, that is what I'm looking for, I just pulled up the owners manual online and discovered the 3.5 input. Thanks for your help, much appreciated.
I just bought the zoom h6 everytime I press record it says empty folder wait for signal have you heard of this
Sounds like you need to format the card and make sure you don't have some kind of setting turned on that waits for you to talk in order to start the recording. But it's probably the card. Format and see if that helps or try another card
It has been a so useful video for me Sir... I'd like to have some street interviews with this device... And would like to have a affordable microphone. Which ohm microphone should have. 600 ohm or less... Is it a deal. And which db can be better. What does it mean... -50db or less... cardiodid type Is cardioid mic better or any other one to not to take all the ambiance voices, but the interviewer... Thank you in advance...
A dynamic cardioid mic will work best for 'on the street' style interviews, rejecting more background noise and focusing on the person's voice. Or a shotgun mic which is very directional paired with a pistol grip for shock absorption. Most any standard shotgun or handheld broadcast mic will work well with the H6. This is also an interesting mic in that it's more forgiving if you are moving the mic between yourself and an interviewee amzn.to/3vDwDYK check out some reviews. Rode makes great shotgun mics too that are relatively affordable.
@@RayOrtega So I'll buy the one that you recommend. I believe it will be the best fit for street interviews... It looks similar with what people use for interview... This should be the one... Thank you so much...
Only 1 phantom powered XLR at a time? Can I use Zoom H6 in this setup: shotgun mic to XLR1 + two Sanken COS-11D to XLR2 and XLR3? But Sanken's need phantom power. So it won't work then since Zoom H6 provides only one powered XLR?
No you can use phantom power for each of the four XLR connections built into the recorder. The XLR add-ons to the top do not supply phantom power. So you have four phantom powered inputs.
@@RayOrtega Thank you! Figured it out after watching few other videos. So much to learn and this is the most fun learning experience! I've opted for Sony XLR-K3M as a main audio mixer for run&gun and Zoom H6 whenever have to shoot an interview.
Ray can you explain why the h6 audio constantly goes out of sync with my sony FDRAX53? - I have the setting on the H6 as a wav save @ 44.1khz but I have to constantly re sync it every 2 min....I cannot figure this out...can you help? - Very new at this whole video thingy
You want to use 48Khz because that is what your video cam will be at. I don't know if this will solve the issue, in many cases sync occurs because the two different digital devices don't have internal clocks that are precise enough to stay in sync but you definitely want to match the audio specs of the camera with the Zoom so try 48.
Does your camera have to have a mic jack to do the line out? I have a rebel t5, and I wish I knew about it not having a mic jack.
Yes, in order to bring external audio into your camera you need a mic. input on your camera. That was one of the main reasons I went from a T2i to a 60D.