My recommendation still stands: The ZOOM F3 has cleaner preamps/converters and will yield cleaner results if that is important for your recordings. However, I stand *somewhat corrected. If you apply a high pass filter at 70Hz with a 24dB/octave curve (not exactly the same as A-weighting, but somewhat closer), the practical noise floor for the H1 XLR improves to -63dB RMS Max and the F3 to -66dB RMS Max in our practical noise samples. Better, and usable. However, once you boost spoken word/dialogue audio to levels that are typical for online distribution, say -16 LUFS, the noise floor will be back up to around -59 dB RMS Max on the H1 XLR. You may want to apply some noise reduction in post production. Still not ideal, but probably *good enough depending on your goals and production quality expectations.
Thank you! This is one of the reviews I was hoping for. I’ve been a giddy F3 owner for almost a year now, and your comments about this new recorder’s self-noise confirmed my suspicions that I may be better off where I am. No FOMO here!
@3:50 I really appreciate you taking the time to break this down and give us key information like this to help us in our journey as Filmmakers/Documentarians. 2.5 decades behind the lend and Sound Quality is extremely important, without we as storytellers would have nothing, thank you again your videos on these smaller devices.
As a blind person, thank you for covering the voice feature. Very few devices consider accessibility, which is unfortunate, and we certainly would benefit from higher quality portable recording options.
It really is a shame there's not more concern for accessibility. When I started out in UX 20+ years ago I got really excited about it. It seemed like a niche field that would make a very gratifying career. By far the lowest paying design jobs are in accessibility. Software companies might pretend they care, but they don't. It's a shame, but it's also just bad business. At least 20% of the population has some attribute that would benefit from improved accessibility. I'm colorblind and have lost a lot of hearing, so I'm one of those people. (shout-out to Bandrew over at podcastage who is also a colorblind accessibility advocate)
H1 XLR with FetHead is absolutely amazing. No noise whatsoever. With 2450 mAh rechargeable AA batteries from IKEA I got 4:30 hours of continuous recording with 2 microphones with FetHead and activated phantom power, connected headphone for monitoring and activated display. Connecting a powerbank or supply is possible during recording without any noise or weird distortion.
Hi Curtis! Here is my take on this device. "Not so hot": -The normalize and export functions, probably due to a weak processor, take about 2-3 times as much time than the length of the actual recording (at least at 32/96 stereo normalization)! -As you mentioned, we need to be able to ride the faders! I am sure Zoom thought people would use it as a set and forget device, but this feature is probably easy to implement in firmware. -It lacks a bit of durability because of the plastic body. -The Mic/Line selector can be a bit of a curse in case you change input types and forget to switch, you want to make sure you always monitor your input before the recording. -The screen is extremely tiny for reading. "Legit:" -Definitely score for the accessible menu features. -I like that it has XLR/TRS combo and PIP mic port, so it is a great dictaphone with a small stereo PIP mic. -Pre-rec buffer. -It is very small and portable, so that is convenient. -USB-C power for external powerbank/computer/charger, you can run it off anything in a pinch. -I like the top mounting of the XLR/TRS ports, it is a more streamlined profile and easier to route cables (just preference I guess based on use case). -It is definitely Zoom "noisy", but not excessive for the purpose and price range. It is OK to treat a device as a price range for certain users and use cases. You manage expectations. -The battery life is decent. -I like that it is an audio interface, and has loopback, and because it has a battery, even mobile devices on battery can use it as a streaming interface without draining too much power. -The lanyard hookup is nothing fancy, but for something this size and format is a good drop safety feature.
From a real-world perspective, I haven’t had any issues with self-noise on my Zoom H1 XLR in the field. I primarily use it for electronic news gathering in sports media-recording in locker rooms, outdoors, and open press conference spaces-not with an SM7B, so my use case differs from a studio setup. I’d also love to hear your perspective on the onboard mixer’s gain boost quality compared to boosting in post, especially with the device being “32-bit.” With years in broadcasting, it’s in my DNA to gain stage as precisely as possible, especially since I often send audio back quickly for near-live playback. Thanks for your insights!
In noisier situations, the ambient noise definitely covers the self noise. The gain applied in the recorder is all post digital conversion so it is the same as boosting in post - just adding numbers to each digital sample.
@@curtisjudd I appreciate the clarification on how this device handles gain. I haven’t bought into the “never set your gain” bullet points; I agree with your comments about the mixer. It would be great if it allowed on-the-fly volume adjustments, as I often switch quickly between loud and soft speakers in various situations. The ability to adjust gain dynamically would be beneficial. Thanks for your reply!
Hey Curtis! I’m very close to buying a Zoom F3. I do really like the Mic/Line switch on this recorder though because exactly like you said, a lot of times at weddings the DJ gives me some random plug in connection and I have to choose mic vs line very quickly as speeches are about to begin. I believe on the Zoom F3 it’s just a bit deeper in the menu settings rather than a quick little switch on the exterior. Tough decision, I’ll probably still go F3
Thank you curtis... I own an Zoom F3... and I LOVVVVEEEEE IT!!! the sound is just fantastic... also I have many other sound divices that I use in wedding as back ups but my Zoom F3 is my favorite.
I hope you will get a chance to review the new Comica VM40 wireless boom mic. On the paper it looks like an incredible product but I would love to get your opinion on the sound quality. I love my MKH50 (who doesn’t) but the Comica VM40 seems quite handy for on the go recording. Cheers
Hi Curits. Wonderful reviews and so thoroughly informative. If you your were to own only 1 of these field recorders - Zoom F3 OR Diety PR2 - which would you choose and why?
Many thanks for the review. I was tempted to get a h1 xlr for 32 bit field recording, but the noise floor is way too high to be acceptable Therefore thanks to you to help me avoid to spend my own money on it
You convinced me to buy a Zoom F3 and I love it. BTW: I am traveling (back in the U.S. from Manila). I am using my ZV-1 M2 to record my voice overs. It has an incredible mic. I know Sony cameras are not your thing but I was blown away as an owner of a Rode NTG, Rode 5, Rode Video GO2, Rode Pro Wireless and DJI Mic 2. Have B&H lend you the ZV-1 M2. :-)
Thanks Curtis. I was thinking about replacing my F3 for this one, but I will spare up for the Tascam FR-AV2 then. What I greatly miss from the F3 is a 3.5mm input. Adapters are big and ugly :)
I am currently using a Tascam DR100 MkIII for my editing room recorder, and DR10x's for my on-body recorders. Am thinking the new Tascam FR-AV2 might be a good addition as an 'outside' field recorder. I don't have any 32-bit float gear yet. I never have any problem with clipping. I also use safety tracks when I I record. It would be nice to have 48v phantom power on an outside recorder and the new 32-bit tech.. I think the price on the new Tascam recorder is reasonable for it's features -- your opinion? Cheers.-- enjoy your show very much. Have learned a lot.
I am not convinced that 32-bit float recording tech is necessarily a benefit if you don't have issues with clipping with your current equipment. But as an additional recorder, the FR-AV2 is a fine choice as a general recorder.
@@curtisjudd Thanks, I am not seeing any benefit to 'uprading' to 32-bit gear. I'm really just interested in a 2nd field recorder that can supply phantom pwr. I really like my DR100-3. Cheers
Hi Curtis, Thanks for the review. Are you able to do silent clips of the H1 XLR and F3 and alternate in between them in a video? I'd be interested to hear the differences but I don't own either recorder. Thanks for the consideration!
@@curtisjudd Well that would be nice, but also using the same mic, and these two recorders to record in the same room for ~60 seconds or so, then in the video alternating between the two recorders with the same mic. In your Zoom F3 video, you're using a different mic than you are in the video with the H1 XLR.
I get the same DC offset with my H1essential - I suppose this is something related to "new" 32 input in essential "input block". I think H1 XLR and whole essential family have a lot of similarities in this area...
Great work as usual, what do you think of the new Comica VM40 Shotgun Microphone with 32bit internal recording. I think these guys are introducing something special here.
Thanks. I will be talking about audio devices with non-user-replaceable batteries soon. Unfortunately, I believe the Comics VM40 falls into that category.
hey Curtis thanks for another great review. I already own an f3 looking for a budget lav system, do you think zoom h1e with rode lav 2 is better than getting a zoom f2? or a wireless system?
Pocket recorders are good if you can do re-takes when things don't work out (e.g., you find out after a shoot that there was a bunch of clothing rustle captured by the lav, but you didn't know because you weren't able to monitor through the entire shoot like you can with wireless). So yes, something like a ZOOM F2, or my preference, the DEITY PR-2 can work as a less expensive sort of replacement for wireless.
Interesting and thorough. Thank you. Will you review the new mics and cone-editing audio options in the iPhone 16? I know, I know, not pro, but as Apple inches toward giving us pocketable media beast machines it might be interesting to see where they stand technically. I'm not expecting miraculous sound - but perhaps "editable" audio is now available with a phone?
Really appreciate this fantastic review. I know you might think it hilarious that you sold one of these these to me based on your review, but I am still reasonably confident that it will fill my specific needs while concurring with you that the F3 is a much better purchase for most people. I just really dislike the ergonomics of the F3 and the new Tascam FR-AV2 for what I want, even though I understand why they are designed as they are. I will do testing when mine arrives and I can return it if it turns out that the quality is unacceptable for my purposes. I already own higher quality recorders capable of better sound, so this is more down to if the quality is acceptable enough for when I want to be lazy and bring something smaller and not already hooked up to a sound bag or other setup. I will check the DC offset as that could potentially be trouble, but I’m also pleasantly surprised by your RF testing, because that has been trouble for me in the past as it has been something Zoom has historically been poor at shielding against. Anyway, thanks for your review and your perspective and I look forward to testing and seeing if this will fill my needs.
@@Ozpeter Hi, thanks so much for sharing your experience! My main reason for buying this is to stick it in the back of a rack of equipment and record a soundboard feed while I run the mix for live shows. Need to be able to leave it running unattended and perhaps 32 bit float operation might be useful in this scenario although I personally have an affinity for a good analog limiter. I think EMI is something I have more of a chance of running into having it in a rack with mixers, amps, and all sorts of equipment, but there are also some wireless mics in the vicinity. I have used a Zoom H5 for that purpose before and it worked fine, except that I always did have to guess on the levels because I needed to plug it in and let it run before the show and my attention from then on was on running the live mix. Usually recorded a hair low out of caution because the H5 had a useless digital limiter. Then the H5 rubberized plastic broke down and went all sticky, and I didn’t want to touch it again. Ick.
@@nickr5213 I would anticipate that it would be fine in that use. Maybe run it with a USB power pack. As for levels, the chief concern would be overload of the analog stage. The level control provided in its mixer is at the digital stage and that stage would never overload before the analog. So that level control is really only useful if you don't have the means or opportunity to normalize later. Anyway, the spec of the line input should be ok with a standard line output. Hopefully you could run the old and new devices on the first gig to be sure of avoiding problems.
The biggest benefit of the X1 XLR vs F3, is that it can send USB audio while recording to its SD card. Very few recorders can do this, none at the price point.
I'm curious about your take on the new(ish) Zoom L6 vs the Zoom F6, specifcally for the context of podcast/streaming with simultaneous recording. The L6 is $299 so I'm wondering what you get for the extra $400.
I don’t know. I’m sort of disheartened with the quality of the H and L series from ZOOM. We used to use the L-12 at work and 5 out of 6 of them would crash daily after a couple of years of service. For context, we used them as audio interfaces with their integrated mixing capabilities.
@@JosephElsherbini From a quick check of the specs, it appears that the L6 has the same preamps as the H series with a -120 dBu A-weighted EIN. I would pass. The F6 will be significantly cleaner.
Can’t wait to see Curtis compare the new Tascam FR-AV2 to the Zoom F3. The implementation of timecode on the new tascam recorder seems to be more flexible for filmmakers, as we don’t need to buy into that Bluetooth timecode system.
Hi, I just want to ask from your Experience which Zoom recorder has the best preamps, meaning less self-noise and the best amount of gain the unit can give to a microphone. Will that be only the Zoom F-8 Pro ? Or are there other Zoom models that can provide silent preamps with no self-noise and the most gain?
I tested the noise floor of an H6Essential using a 150 ohm test plug (a Neutrik connector with a 150 ohm resistor soldered between pins 2-3), and compared it to my 888 and Mixpre II as well as some other devices. I applied A-weighting to match how the manufacturers spec their noise performance and adjusted all of them to the sam signal level with a fixed mic/source (pink noise played from a speaker at a fixed volume, as measured by an MKH8040). The H-series A/Ds are indeed pretty noisy as you observed. They came in 6 dB worse than a FocusRite Scarlett 4i4, 8 db worse than the MixPre 3 II, and 10 II, and a full 10 dB worse than the 888. They are probably making their -120 dbU spec, but only just barely. With that said, your results seem worse than what I saw with the H6E, and in particular I didn't see that low-frequency signal in the noise floor. Combining such limited-range A/Ds with 32-bit recording strikes me as somewhat farcical. You could set a fixed gain for 24-bit recording and capture everything from saturation down to the noise floor without undue quantization. With all of that said, for many microphones and recording applications the H-series are "good enough". For example I don't think that any of my Lavs (which include DPA-4060, COS-11, etc) have sufficient dynamic range or a sufficiently low signal to expose the limitations of these A/Ds. I think that you have to at least be working in a quiet studio with a very good SDC like your MKH50 (or the 8050 that I sometimes use) for it to become an issue. For street interviews and similar content captured in noisy/busy settings it's a nonissue. I urge you to consider adding A-weighting to your noise comparisons. Some A/Ds (most notably Sound Devices' 32b designs) have slightly elevated low-frequency noise, but psychoacoustic research tells us that such noise is imperceptible at low volumes and should be excluded from noise measurements. For example the S/N of the MixPre 3 II and 888 both improve by 4-5 dB when I apply A-weighting to both the reference source and the noise measurement with the test connector. I theorize that this LF noise is a side-effect of the cross-correlation algorithm that SD uses to continuously calibrate the difference between the high and low A/D signals. For the record the Zoom H-series only improve by 1-2 dB with A-weighting, so if anything lack of A-weighting probably causes you to underestimate their noisiness relative to others. A-weighting might have attenuated that LF signal that your sample produced, though.
Thanks for the suggestions, Patrick. I especially appreciate the constructive manner you made them (it's been a rough day on RUclips). While I originally started this method of measuring "practical noise floor" as a rough way to make sense of the standardized, but otherwise difficult-to-apply-to-real-life measurement of EIN A-weighted, I agree that it would be good to do this in my own measures. What I haven't figured out is exactly HOW to apply an A-weight curve in a DAW. I get the idea that I could potentially use an EQ which supports enough parameters to manually input the values, but I'd be concerned about the fact that various EQ plugins operate in different ways. Do you perhaps know of any practical tutorials on how to apply A-weight curves to measurement data?
Depends on how close you position the SM7B to your mouth and how much ambient sound there is. But it should be fine unless you have fire truck sirens nearby.
Curtis, perhaps B&H will lend you the Zoom H6 to test sometime. That's the H6 not the H6 Essential. I think you'll be impressed. Costs the same as the F3 only it's a much better recorder. No 32BIT however.
I bought the H6 years ago. Amazing recorder. If you know what you're doing you don't need 32bit.. unless you're on a set and have to leave it somewhere on it's own like a car scene of which I'm never doing.
I uploaded my own real-world stereo tests of the H1 XLR a couple of days ago, and my conclusions differ from those expressed here, with the caveat that I was coming from a different standpoint . The purpose of this review is to compare this device with a significantly more expensive alternative. The purpose of mine was to evaluate whether in practice the H1 XLR can be used with a mic configuration costing 25 times as much as the recorder without significant degradation. Possibly I am the first person on the planet to put together a one piece cable free MKH 30/40 MS recording system! My conclusion from my admittedly quick listening (not measuring) test, which was based on exposing the system to very loud music, followed by "silence" in my suburban house lounge, was that the system was fine in a real world context. Holding the rig did generate some slight noise from my blood flow and muscles, when I normalised the quietest part, and one comment mentioned a faint audible tone, but that tone was actually in the air (from outside the house I suspect) as it is not there on other recordings. Since that published test I have done others such a putting a stereo mic (Superlux) under a pillow on a bed in the early hours of the morning, recording the silence, and then dropping a cotton earbud on the pillow, which made me almost jump out of my skin when I replayed it normalised. In my book, this device has passed those tests with flying colours. I also note that the published spec of this device in respect of self noise is slightly better than the "essentials" series device reviewed by Curtis Judd recently, where his conclusion, as I recall it, was that its noise when used with a suitable mic would not be a real world problem. Yes, this is not the best recorder at any price. But it is the quietest I have ever used, as someone who has been recording audio since before Curtis Judd was born :) , and who has more album tracks on RUclips music (classical) than Taylor Swift has songs. None of those recordings attracted adverse comment about noise levels, as in context any noise was insignificant, even using the crude video based digital systems in the early 80's. I was also surprised at the mention in this review of low headphone output, as my experience was quite the opposite. I did not need to use the full level in order to listen to replay at above natural levels. The mention of the fader not working when recording is also neither here nor there as far as I am concerned as I cannot imagine why I would want to use it under any circumstances - don't mess with the digital level during recording when you can do so on a far more controlled basis in the DAW later.
@@curtisjudd Not really, I think. When used during recording, only the scaling of the waveform display is adapted, not the recording level itself. The recording level is determined by the fader level at the start of recording. (And anyway: The actual gain is fixed when recording 32bit float with the F3 and friends. Any level adjustments are all post ADC which are not really relevant with 32bit float...)
@@jez7362 Sorry for the confusion - I thought I read ZOOM F6. Now I see it is F3. The F3's buttons do act as faders which affect the 3.5mm output level WHILE recording which is important if sending audio to camera or mixing a live show.
Well,yeah. But I feel that it doesn't matter if it's just a plug and forget device for backup audio. It's kinda in the same price range but idk if it has better hardware since it's made for recording music@@curtisjudd
please answer not to a professional. what do you think about h4e (only xlr input) in comparison with these two? In terms of price it is between them, but what about quality?
If Curtis doesn't have a video of the H4e, I doubt he would speak about it, except in high level overview. You could try the recorder with your mics and see if the results are good enough.
When the heck is Zoom going to release the higher end versions of the essentials line of products? I don't want the cheapo stuff. I may have to go with Tascam instead.
The H1 XLR and F3 clearly do not have the same preamps or converters (or both) based on the results we shared in this video. It is less clear whether the F3 and F6 preamps/converters are identical. They might be.
I am curious. You have now, basically, panned this product from Zoom. Other audio youtubers have panned each of the Zoom essential series. This means that the entire line of most current products from a big audio recording company have been panned. It seems that most of the audio youtubers (yourself included) are very meh about 32 bit float recording, but it certainly looks like it is becoming a standard. Who's missing the boat here? Zoom must feel there is a good sized market for the essential series, and the H1 XLR, that bypasses all this criticism.
The audio youtubers didn't like the zoom h1e but having got one seems perfectly decent to me but then I'm a visual guy first and audio is a distant 2nd, I just want something that will give me noticeably better than on camera audio and won't go wrong on me (because hey how many other things are we worrying about during a shoot) and these seem to do just that
I think @godsakes nailed it! For some people, the H1 XLR is good enough. I actually think it is probably a fine place for someone to learn audio recording. But if they get serious about audio recording, they'll need to upgrade. And that's probably exactly what ZOOM expects and why they made this device.
Seems about the same, yes. Both not great. Especially when so many people assume (or were told by some product companies) that 32-bit float means cleaner recordings.
@@curtisjudd 32 bit float does give the manufacturer the opportunity to create a device with mics (if present), preamps and a/d converters carefully matched to produce the best possible results at the price point. Whether they succeed in that endeavour is of course a matter for discussion...
@@Ozpeter I'm not convinced that ZOOM achieved that here, or they used really poor quality preamps/converters. I've experienced better dynamic range and self noise on plenty of other 24-bit linear recorders and interfaces.
I would get an F3 or a Tascam FR-AV2, maybe even a X8. The "next generation" for this model will also be the same value grade, maybe just with more bells and whistles.
Hey Curtis - 32bit Float does not need to be adjusted during Recording- so the gain setting ist only to visualize the Signal in any way, it's not a real fader in any way like the F3 even does not have those - it's just fot visualizing levels in my eyes. It's a set and forget Recorder - adjust the levels in Post and your fine. Maybe thats not perfect for fast turnarounds, but generally not such a big deal at all in my eyes. At this price Point the unit ist outstanding and compares to the F3 in some ways better specced including XLR Combo jacks instead of XLR only ports. And even the usage as mobile 32bit Float Interface is stellar when producing audio content on the run, like on a MacBook. I see your Points - but for me it's not that easy to "push" people into the F3 Recorder - it clearly depends and the noise isnt such a big deal at all. Especially when producing for social Media... And If there is any noticible moise, then it's its mainly coming from the Low Signal Mic Output... If it disturbs - there are tools like clarity by waves or similiar to reduce that to dead clean - If you need so... For me Personally the H1 XLR is the better choice compared to the F3 - beginning with the Combo xlr jacks and an additional 3.5mm Plugin powered input which the F3 simply lacks for example.
@curtisjudd but thats a more theoretical Use Case. The H1 XLR is not an Mixer - it's mainly a recorder. And: If you Connect a Microphone Like a lavalier or even Shotgun directly to the camera there is no gain adjustment as well - you have to adjust the gain inside of the camera to fit the incoming Signal. Again : i understand your point - but it's an 150€ field recorder mainly and Not a fully Mixer/Recorder. Maybe they add auch a Feature in the Future - but i wouldnt expect it.
@@kiekstetv Sending audio to camera is far from theoretical for a lot of people who make videos. And also, why did they label the button mixer? Sure, maybe my expectations are off base, but ZOOM didn't help there with the labels. Also, it's fine, if it isn't a problem for you, that's great. But I do have an obligation to call that out because for some people it is an issue.
@@curtisjudd Sure - it's fair to adress such a for you missing Feature - but it's a more personal need/wish and nothing Zoom claimed to be possible. Does the F3 allows mixing when sending audio through the recorder into a camera?
Thanks Curtis. This move to audio tech that's *just good enough* to hit price points is dangerous, particularly for a cost-conscious consumer (like me). I appreciate so much that you and others drill down into these products. Zoom just keeps getting bitten by this temptation to just-good-enough. I bought the F3 soon after it came out, and was initially irked when I saw the Essential series show up... but now I'm okay with it! Paying more payed off. Thanks again.
You are solid with that F3 purchase. If you wanted more flexibility and slightly cleaner preamps but at a higher price, Tascam AV-FR2 is a good candidate, though it is less rugged and not rated for low temperatures.
Thanks, Curtis. Despite all the work they've put into accessibility I would never purchase these because of the poor quality preamps and inability to choose bit-rate. This is only at the level of carry-around voice recorders which would seem to provide better solutions at this point. in fact, making me choose between accessibility and quality is somewhat insulting.
It depends on what one is doing. I learned audio recording on the original ZOOM H4 which had preamps even worse than this. So I suppose there's a place for the H1 XLR. Also, not everyone has the same expectations that I have. I'm arguably spoiled. My primary mixer is a Sound Devices 888. But for someone who doesn't have that level of expectation, I guess the H1 XLR could be a good place to start.
In my experience it does not have preamps which I would describe as poor quality. I suspect that very few people, apart from those with golden ears, would be able to distinguish between real world recordings made with the H1 XLR and the F3. It is a shame, come to think of it, that Curtis Judd didn't do such a test when preparing this review, as he had both devices to hand. I would love to have seen how many people got it right in a blind test.
I'm breaking my promise, but I will be brief. The H1 XLR costs something like half the price of the F3, typically. But for those like me who have a collection of XLR and 3.5mm mics, and you want to be able to record either of those according to the requirement, the F3 won't help. You might need to buy the Tascam FR-AV2, which would set you back around $399. Not much compared to the four-digit prices necessary in days gone by, but still a whole different price from the H1 XLR.
@@rahulgkhs Ok, I see, and not a bad question at all. I don't have an H6 or H6 essential on hand, but my guess is that the F3 is cleaner. That's totally a guess.
Completely agree with you. The quality is cheap… cheap. Purchased one for work to test and the 3.5mm jack had intermittent functionality oob (tested using dozens of headphones, including the lowest impedance headphones we could find). On top of that the second input easily had double or triple the self noise than the first input’s pre. Returned without issue, but you definitely get what you pay for. We’re sticking with the F3’s for checkout, but it still would be nice if Zoom added combo jacks and finally fixed the flimsy plastic battery door. Maybe there will be a Rev 2 before they kill it.
I still can't understand why they keep moving from SD to microSD for professional devices. Too small to handle and see, too slow compared to V90 SD cards... I keep my old good H6!
@@godsakes yes but it's faster when downloading it to PC... I use to take audio from the mixer for long shows and I have large files to download. I am always worried about not losing those small cards with my drone...
I feel the text to voice should be a standard feature companies are working in all of their products. The speaker is cheap to have. No reason to not include this.
Plastic is really expected at this price, and I could live with that. But ZOOM knows how to make better preamps/converters. It'd be an amazing product if they just charged $50 more and included great preamps.
Gee, sounds like it's a winner like the H1. Where you can't turn off the plug in power. So if you connect it for line in you get to pay 2v into your board. The equivalent Tascam recorder doesn't have this issue.
@@Ozpeter the original H1 and the H1R (I think that's it's name) did not. Nice they finally learned, YEARS LATER. There's nothing like connecting one of those to record in and having your VU meter pegged and you can't figure out why.
One final comment from me - I promise! - it is has just struck me that this comparison review of two audio recorders does not include, as far as I can tell, a single audio sample from either? Can we not make up our own minds about which sounds better? Never mind measurements, let our ears be the judge!
You heard the H1 XLR through the entire video and if you want a comparison, can pull up my F3 review in another tab. Both are normalized to -23 LUFS without any processing.
@@curtisjudd Ah, that wasn't clear to me. I couldn't relate what I saw on the meters with what I heard. Well, now I will listen again wearing reasonable headphones and see what I can hear that I shouldn't, if that makes sense. But I suspect that 90% of purchasers wouldn't be using a field recorder in a studio environment.
@@Ozpeter I was very clear about that at the start of the video Peter. "This entire episode is recorded with the ZOOM H1 XLR and a Sennheiser MKH50 microphone..." This is not a cheap microphone and it has a decent self-noise specification but on this recorder, the noise floor is more prominent than with other, higher quality recorders. And yes, the H1 XLR may be good enough for many people, but for those who want cleaner recordings, I cannot recommend it.
@@curtisjudd Indeed, I am guilty of not paying attention. Sorry. Meanwhile I have been revisiting the Avisoft Bioacoustics site, starting at the recorder tests page, which IMHO is essential reading for anyone interested in these matters. The company is highly respected in the field. In broad terms they concur with your observations about the differences between results with high output and low output microphones, pointing out that the overall noise floor of the entire recording system comprises the noise floors of the mic and the recorder which add geometrically. They state that no relevant noise is added by any professional recorder as long as a sufficiently sensitive mic is being used. But an insensitive dynamic mic would be more demanding. This seems to be at variance with your view that the H1 XLR does audibly degrade the signal from the MKH mic. However, my interest is not in studio recordings but in field recordings. That includes concert halls and the churches commonly used for classical music recordings. Here I think that the Avisoft "noisefloors" page comes into play, where they state that "in most practical field recording conditions, however, the inherent noise floor of the recording system will be masked by the more intensive environmental noise floor" - which is my experience of this device with condenser mics. Avisoft have not yet evaluated the H1 XLR - I hope they do! The F3 is ranked number 6 in their list, and the recorders above it are generally not cheap! So indeed, whether or can be heard or not, it's clearly a very good device at the price, or indeed on any basis. Going just by the manufacturer's specs, the H1 XLR would come in around number 22, next to the much respected Sony M10. But the question remains, with a decent mic, would the difference be obvious in a blind side by side test? Sorry for yet another long comment but I think you are as interested in this stuff as I am!
Ok, I checked both videos at levels close to threshold of pain wearing headphones. I could hear no significant difference in noise levels. The difference in the two mics used was probably clearer to me, subtle though it was. I cannot believe that any client would consider the H1 XLR recording as noisy. Or maybe I'm deaf. That's not impossible.
If I may. This is really for the 12 yearold youtube who just can't wait and the $160 bucks is burning a hole in their pocket. After seeing the specs, I recommend, stick with your paper route and deliver a few more papers. You will be better off using your internal mic on your cell phone (how many 12 yrolds have cell phones? lots I suspect) and just be patient and wait. Shame on ZOOM for exploiting those 12 year olds. Perhaps its a "crashcam-like" device where you budget to loose you $160 dollars in the bottom of a lake when working for free. 😉
I think it could be used by those who have lower expectations as well. It may be good enough if doing interviews in a sports stadium where there's so much noise that the self-noise of the preamps is a non-issue.
@curtisjudd you nailed it. Having personally owned the Zoom F1, H6, and H8, the F3 is a much better way to go than this device. In fact, if someone is this budget conscious but wants XLR, a cheap Behringer XENYX mixer is probably a better solution at 1/3rd the price. One thing to note: I can only assume it was CloudLifter who started the rumor that you need a CloudLifter with a Shure SM7b. I have one that I bought at the same time as my Shure SM7b. Reality: The Shure SM7b works just fine without the CloudLifter on my Behringer XENYX mixer ($49), Apogee Duet, Zoom H6, and Zoom H8.
My recommendation still stands: The ZOOM F3 has cleaner preamps/converters and will yield cleaner results if that is important for your recordings.
However, I stand *somewhat corrected. If you apply a high pass filter at 70Hz with a 24dB/octave curve (not exactly the same as A-weighting, but somewhat closer), the practical noise floor for the H1 XLR improves to -63dB RMS Max and the F3 to -66dB RMS Max in our practical noise samples. Better, and usable. However, once you boost spoken word/dialogue audio to levels that are typical for online distribution, say -16 LUFS, the noise floor will be back up to around -59 dB RMS Max on the H1 XLR. You may want to apply some noise reduction in post production. Still not ideal, but probably *good enough depending on your goals and production quality expectations.
but double price!
@@nickdual Or, go with the H1 XLR, apply a high pass filter, and apply noise reduction in post. 🤷♂
Zoom F3 Field Recorder is excellent. The more I use it the more I appreciate it. Excellent quality and versatility.
Thank you! This is one of the reviews I was hoping for. I’ve been a giddy F3 owner for almost a year now, and your comments about this new recorder’s self-noise confirmed my suspicions that I may be better off where I am. No FOMO here!
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@3:50 I really appreciate you taking the time to break this down and give us key information like this to help us in our journey as Filmmakers/Documentarians. 2.5 decades behind the lend and Sound Quality is extremely important, without we as storytellers would have nothing, thank you again your videos on these smaller devices.
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As a blind person, thank you for covering the voice feature. Very few devices consider accessibility, which is unfortunate, and we certainly would benefit from higher quality portable recording options.
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It really is a shame there's not more concern for accessibility. When I started out in UX 20+ years ago I got really excited about it. It seemed like a niche field that would make a very gratifying career. By far the lowest paying design jobs are in accessibility. Software companies might pretend they care, but they don't. It's a shame, but it's also just bad business. At least 20% of the population has some attribute that would benefit from improved accessibility. I'm colorblind and have lost a lot of hearing, so I'm one of those people. (shout-out to Bandrew over at podcastage who is also a colorblind accessibility advocate)
H1 XLR with FetHead is absolutely amazing. No noise whatsoever. With 2450 mAh rechargeable AA batteries from IKEA I got 4:30 hours of continuous recording with 2 microphones with FetHead and activated phantom power, connected headphone for monitoring and activated display. Connecting a powerbank or supply is possible during recording without any noise or weird distortion.
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Thanks indeed, Curtis. I'm very happy to have followed your advice and kept the F3; it works like "magic"
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Hi Curtis! Here is my take on this device.
"Not so hot":
-The normalize and export functions, probably due to a weak processor, take about 2-3 times as much time than the length of the actual recording (at least at 32/96 stereo normalization)!
-As you mentioned, we need to be able to ride the faders! I am sure Zoom thought people would use it as a set and forget device, but this feature is probably easy to implement in firmware.
-It lacks a bit of durability because of the plastic body.
-The Mic/Line selector can be a bit of a curse in case you change input types and forget to switch, you want to make sure you always monitor your input before the recording.
-The screen is extremely tiny for reading.
"Legit:"
-Definitely score for the accessible menu features.
-I like that it has XLR/TRS combo and PIP mic port, so it is a great dictaphone with a small stereo PIP mic.
-Pre-rec buffer.
-It is very small and portable, so that is convenient.
-USB-C power for external powerbank/computer/charger, you can run it off anything in a pinch.
-I like the top mounting of the XLR/TRS ports, it is a more streamlined profile and easier to route cables (just preference I guess based on use case).
-It is definitely Zoom "noisy", but not excessive for the purpose and price range. It is OK to treat a device as a price range for certain users and use cases. You manage expectations.
-The battery life is decent.
-I like that it is an audio interface, and has loopback, and because it has a battery, even mobile devices on battery can use it as a streaming interface without draining too much power.
-The lanyard hookup is nothing fancy, but for something this size and format is a good drop safety feature.
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From a real-world perspective, I haven’t had any issues with self-noise on my Zoom H1 XLR in the field. I primarily use it for electronic news gathering in sports media-recording in locker rooms, outdoors, and open press conference spaces-not with an SM7B, so my use case differs from a studio setup. I’d also love to hear your perspective on the onboard mixer’s gain boost quality compared to boosting in post, especially with the device being “32-bit.” With years in broadcasting, it’s in my DNA to gain stage as precisely as possible, especially since I often send audio back quickly for near-live playback. Thanks for your insights!
In noisier situations, the ambient noise definitely covers the self noise.
The gain applied in the recorder is all post digital conversion so it is the same as boosting in post - just adding numbers to each digital sample.
@@curtisjudd I appreciate the clarification on how this device handles gain. I haven’t bought into the “never set your gain” bullet points; I agree with your comments about the mixer. It would be great if it allowed on-the-fly volume adjustments, as I often switch quickly between loud and soft speakers in various situations. The ability to adjust gain dynamically would be beneficial. Thanks for your reply!
Hey Curtis! I’m very close to buying a Zoom F3. I do really like the Mic/Line switch on this recorder though because exactly like you said, a lot of times at weddings the DJ gives me some random plug in connection and I have to choose mic vs line very quickly as speeches are about to begin. I believe on the Zoom F3 it’s just a bit deeper in the menu settings rather than a quick little switch on the exterior. Tough decision, I’ll probably still go F3
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If you want line and PIP mic, but at higher price of course, look at the Tascam FR-AV2. Curtis did a review on it,
Just bought the F3 for $200! Pretty great for a plant mic for my dpa 4017
Nice!
Where did you get it for 200? I’m about to buy for 300 on B&H
Thank you curtis... I own an Zoom F3... and I LOVVVVEEEEE IT!!! the sound is just fantastic... also I have many other sound divices that I use in wedding as back ups but my Zoom F3 is my favorite.
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I hope you will get a chance to review the new Comica VM40 wireless boom mic. On the paper it looks like an incredible product but I would love to get your opinion on the sound quality. I love my MKH50 (who doesn’t) but the Comica VM40 seems quite handy for on the go recording. Cheers
Thanks. They offered to send me one but I'm not a fan of non-user-replaceable batteries in audio gear...
@@curtisjuddFair enough. It is true that with a replaceable battery such as the MKE600 it would be great. Too bad for us 😞
Excellent video, as always. I am curious what your thoughts would be of the Zoom M4 MicTrak vs. the Zoom F3...
Thanks!
Hi Curits. Wonderful reviews and so thoroughly informative. If you your were to own only 1 of these field recorders - Zoom F3 OR Diety PR2 - which would you choose and why?
What's the use case? Deity dr2 hands down all day long, if you need locking 3.5mm adapter for a bodyworn portable recorder.
I would choose the ZOOM F3 because I typically record with XLR based microphones.
Many thanks for the review. I was tempted to get a h1 xlr for 32 bit field recording, but the noise floor is way too high to be acceptable
Therefore thanks to you to help me avoid to spend my own money on it
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thank you very much again. i was waiting for this and wondering if yould come through since its a relatively cheap recorder.
Sure thing!
Does Zoom have any plans to release higher end versions of these recorders for those who actually want to record clean usable audio?
They already do: F3, F6, F8n Pro.
You convinced me to buy a Zoom F3 and I love it. BTW: I am traveling (back in the U.S. from Manila). I am using my ZV-1 M2 to record my voice overs. It has an incredible mic. I know Sony cameras are not your thing but I was blown away as an owner of a Rode NTG, Rode 5, Rode Video GO2, Rode Pro Wireless and DJI Mic 2. Have B&H lend you the ZV-1 M2. :-)
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I was waiting for this review. Going to look at your F3 review now.
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Thanks Curtis. I was thinking about replacing my F3 for this one, but I will spare up for the Tascam FR-AV2 then. What I greatly miss from the F3 is a 3.5mm input. Adapters are big and ugly :)
Or go with the H1 XLR and apply a high pass filter and possibly noise reduction in post.
I am currently using a Tascam DR100 MkIII for my editing room recorder, and DR10x's for my on-body recorders. Am thinking the new Tascam FR-AV2 might be a good
addition as an 'outside' field recorder. I don't have any 32-bit float gear yet. I never have any problem with clipping. I also use safety tracks when I I record.
It would be nice to have 48v phantom power on an outside recorder and the new 32-bit tech.. I think the price on the new Tascam recorder is reasonable for it's features -- your opinion? Cheers.-- enjoy your show very much. Have learned a lot.
I am not convinced that 32-bit float recording tech is necessarily a benefit if you don't have issues with clipping with your current equipment.
But as an additional recorder, the FR-AV2 is a fine choice as a general recorder.
@@curtisjudd Thanks, I am not seeing any benefit to 'uprading' to 32-bit gear. I'm really just interested in a 2nd field recorder that can supply phantom pwr. I really like my DR100-3. Cheers
Sir how to use 48v probably without damage the microphone with Zoom f3?
Hi Curtis,
Thanks for the review.
Are you able to do silent clips of the H1 XLR and F3 and alternate in between them in a video? I'd be interested to hear the differences but I don't own either recorder.
Thanks for the consideration!
By silent, you mean with a dummy connector across pins 2&3?
@@curtisjudd Well that would be nice, but also using the same mic, and these two recorders to record in the same room for ~60 seconds or so, then in the video alternating between the two recorders with the same mic.
In your Zoom F3 video, you're using a different mic than you are in the video with the H1 XLR.
@@wildlyundivided Will try to get that before I have to ship it back to B&H later today. No promises, but will try.
I get the same DC offset with my H1essential - I suppose this is something related to "new" 32 input in essential "input block". I think H1 XLR and whole essential family have a lot of similarities in this area...
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Great work as usual, what do you think of the new Comica VM40 Shotgun Microphone with 32bit internal recording. I think these guys are introducing something special here.
Thanks. I will be talking about audio devices with non-user-replaceable batteries soon. Unfortunately, I believe the Comics VM40 falls into that category.
hey Curtis thanks for another great review. I already own an f3 looking for a budget lav system, do you think zoom h1e with rode lav 2 is better than getting a zoom f2? or a wireless system?
Pocket recorders are good if you can do re-takes when things don't work out (e.g., you find out after a shoot that there was a bunch of clothing rustle captured by the lav, but you didn't know because you weren't able to monitor through the entire shoot like you can with wireless). So yes, something like a ZOOM F2, or my preference, the DEITY PR-2 can work as a less expensive sort of replacement for wireless.
Interesting and thorough. Thank you. Will you review the new mics and cone-editing audio options in the iPhone 16? I know, I know, not pro, but as Apple inches toward giving us pocketable media beast machines it might be interesting to see where they stand technically. I'm not expecting miraculous sound - but perhaps "editable" audio is now available with a phone?
Just got an iPhone 16 Pro so we'll consider it!
@@curtisjudd Oh boy... :-) I'll go ahead and hope for your thoughts on the stock mics vs Shure MV88+ and others.
Really appreciate this fantastic review. I know you might think it hilarious that you sold one of these these to me based on your review, but I am still reasonably confident that it will fill my specific needs while concurring with you that the F3 is a much better purchase for most people. I just really dislike the ergonomics of the F3 and the new Tascam FR-AV2 for what I want, even though I understand why they are designed as they are. I will do testing when mine arrives and I can return it if it turns out that the quality is unacceptable for my purposes. I already own higher quality recorders capable of better sound, so this is more down to if the quality is acceptable enough for when I want to be lazy and bring something smaller and not already hooked up to a sound bag or other setup.
I will check the DC offset as that could potentially be trouble, but I’m also pleasantly surprised by your RF testing, because that has been trouble for me in the past as it has been something Zoom has historically been poor at shielding against. Anyway, thanks for your review and your perspective and I look forward to testing and seeing if this will fill my needs.
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I got RF breakthrough on mine from my mobile phone. But only when I sat the phone on the recorder! Phone in pocket, no problem.
@@Ozpeter Lesson learned: Keep the phone or wireless device away from the H1 XLR.
@@Ozpeter Hi, thanks so much for sharing your experience! My main reason for buying this is to stick it in the back of a rack of equipment and record a soundboard feed while I run the mix for live shows. Need to be able to leave it running unattended and perhaps 32 bit float operation might be useful in this scenario although I personally have an affinity for a good analog limiter. I think EMI is something I have more of a chance of running into having it in a rack with mixers, amps, and all sorts of equipment, but there are also some wireless mics in the vicinity.
I have used a Zoom H5 for that purpose before and it worked fine, except that I always did have to guess on the levels because I needed to plug it in and let it run before the show and my attention from then on was on running the live mix. Usually recorded a hair low out of caution because the H5 had a useless digital limiter. Then the H5 rubberized plastic broke down and went all sticky, and I didn’t want to touch it again. Ick.
@@nickr5213 I would anticipate that it would be fine in that use. Maybe run it with a USB power pack. As for levels, the chief concern would be overload of the analog stage. The level control provided in its mixer is at the digital stage and that stage would never overload before the analog. So that level control is really only useful if you don't have the means or opportunity to normalize later. Anyway, the spec of the line input should be ok with a standard line output. Hopefully you could run the old and new devices on the first gig to be sure of avoiding problems.
The biggest benefit of the X1 XLR vs F3, is that it can send USB audio while recording to its SD card. Very few recorders can do this, none at the price point.
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And that means you can record a digital backup for serious recordings.
As always a complete video! Thank you!
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I'm curious about your take on the new(ish) Zoom L6 vs the Zoom F6, specifcally for the context of podcast/streaming with simultaneous recording. The L6 is $299 so I'm wondering what you get for the extra $400.
I don’t know. I’m sort of disheartened with the quality of the H and L series from ZOOM. We used to use the L-12 at work and 5 out of 6 of them would crash daily after a couple of years of service. For context, we used them as audio interfaces with their integrated mixing capabilities.
@@JosephElsherbini From a quick check of the specs, it appears that the L6 has the same preamps as the H series with a -120 dBu A-weighted EIN. I would pass. The F6 will be significantly cleaner.
Can’t wait to see Curtis compare the new Tascam FR-AV2 to the Zoom F3. The implementation of timecode on the new tascam recorder seems to be more flexible for filmmakers, as we don’t need to buy into that Bluetooth timecode system.
Done! ruclips.net/video/w433J-C97Ec/видео.htmlfeature=shared
thanks you curtis for this video i iwas going to buy the zoom h1 xlr after seeing this video i am sticking with my zoom f3 its a nice audio recorder.
Good call and happy recording!
Was waiting for your review, thanks!
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Hi, I just want to ask from your Experience which Zoom recorder has the best preamps, meaning less self-noise and the best amount of gain the unit can give to a microphone. Will that be only the Zoom F-8 Pro ? Or are there other Zoom models that can provide silent preamps with no self-noise and the most gain?
The ZOOM F6 seems very similar to the F8n Pro in terms of gain and self-noise.
I tested the noise floor of an H6Essential using a 150 ohm test plug (a Neutrik connector with a 150 ohm resistor soldered between pins 2-3), and compared it to my 888 and Mixpre II as well as some other devices. I applied A-weighting to match how the manufacturers spec their noise performance and adjusted all of them to the sam signal level with a fixed mic/source (pink noise played from a speaker at a fixed volume, as measured by an MKH8040).
The H-series A/Ds are indeed pretty noisy as you observed. They came in 6 dB worse than a FocusRite Scarlett 4i4, 8 db worse than the MixPre 3 II, and 10 II, and a full 10 dB worse than the 888. They are probably making their -120 dbU spec, but only just barely. With that said, your results seem worse than what I saw with the H6E, and in particular I didn't see that low-frequency signal in the noise floor.
Combining such limited-range A/Ds with 32-bit recording strikes me as somewhat farcical. You could set a fixed gain for 24-bit recording and capture everything from saturation down to the noise floor without undue quantization.
With all of that said, for many microphones and recording applications the H-series are "good enough". For example I don't think that any of my Lavs (which include DPA-4060, COS-11, etc) have sufficient dynamic range or a sufficiently low signal to expose the limitations of these A/Ds. I think that you have to at least be working in a quiet studio with a very good SDC like your MKH50 (or the 8050 that I sometimes use) for it to become an issue. For street interviews and similar content captured in noisy/busy settings it's a nonissue.
I urge you to consider adding A-weighting to your noise comparisons. Some A/Ds (most notably Sound Devices' 32b designs) have slightly elevated low-frequency noise, but psychoacoustic research tells us that such noise is imperceptible at low volumes and should be excluded from noise measurements. For example the S/N of the MixPre 3 II and 888 both improve by 4-5 dB when I apply A-weighting to both the reference source and the noise measurement with the test connector. I theorize that this LF noise is a side-effect of the cross-correlation algorithm that SD uses to continuously calibrate the difference between the high and low A/D signals. For the record the Zoom H-series only improve by 1-2 dB with A-weighting, so if anything lack of A-weighting probably causes you to underestimate their noisiness relative to others. A-weighting might have attenuated that LF signal that your sample produced, though.
Thanks for the suggestions, Patrick. I especially appreciate the constructive manner you made them (it's been a rough day on RUclips).
While I originally started this method of measuring "practical noise floor" as a rough way to make sense of the standardized, but otherwise difficult-to-apply-to-real-life measurement of EIN A-weighted, I agree that it would be good to do this in my own measures.
What I haven't figured out is exactly HOW to apply an A-weight curve in a DAW. I get the idea that I could potentially use an EQ which supports enough parameters to manually input the values, but I'd be concerned about the fact that various EQ plugins operate in different ways.
Do you perhaps know of any practical tutorials on how to apply A-weight curves to measurement data?
If I plan to use zoom F3 with SM7B mic in a not 100% soundproof but somewhat acoustically treated room, how much ambient noise will it capture?
Depends on how close you position the SM7B to your mouth and how much ambient sound there is. But it should be fine unless you have fire truck sirens nearby.
@curtisjudd thank you so much. Greetings from Nepal 🙏
Curtis, perhaps B&H will lend you the Zoom H6 to test sometime. That's the H6 not the H6 Essential. I think you'll be impressed. Costs the same as the F3 only it's a much better recorder. No 32BIT however.
I bought the H6 years ago. Amazing recorder. If you know what you're doing you don't need 32bit.. unless you're on a set and have to leave it somewhere on it's own like a car scene of which I'm never doing.
I did written review of the H6 almost 10 years ago.
Zoom's given EINs are "only" 5dB apart between the F3 and the H1 XLR, interesting that the noise floor difference was significantly more in practice.
Those were a-weighted so that's probably part of it. A high pass filter in post will clean up a dB or two, but yes, not my favorite results.
I uploaded my own real-world stereo tests of the H1 XLR a couple of days ago, and my conclusions differ from those expressed here, with the caveat that I was coming from a different standpoint . The purpose of this review is to compare this device with a significantly more expensive alternative. The purpose of mine was to evaluate whether in practice the H1 XLR can be used with a mic configuration costing 25 times as much as the recorder without significant degradation. Possibly I am the first person on the planet to put together a one piece cable free MKH 30/40 MS recording system!
My conclusion from my admittedly quick listening (not measuring) test, which was based on exposing the system to very loud music, followed by "silence" in my suburban house lounge, was that the system was fine in a real world context. Holding the rig did generate some slight noise from my blood flow and muscles, when I normalised the quietest part, and one comment mentioned a faint audible tone, but that tone was actually in the air (from outside the house I suspect) as it is not there on other recordings.
Since that published test I have done others such a putting a stereo mic (Superlux) under a pillow on a bed in the early hours of the morning, recording the silence, and then dropping a cotton earbud on the pillow, which made me almost jump out of my skin when I replayed it normalised. In my book, this device has passed those tests with flying colours.
I also note that the published spec of this device in respect of self noise is slightly better than the "essentials" series device reviewed by Curtis Judd recently, where his conclusion, as I recall it, was that its noise when used with a suitable mic would not be a real world problem.
Yes, this is not the best recorder at any price. But it is the quietest I have ever used, as someone who has been recording audio since before Curtis Judd was born :) , and who has more album tracks on RUclips music (classical) than Taylor Swift has songs. None of those recordings attracted adverse comment about noise levels, as in context any noise was insignificant, even using the crude video based digital systems in the early 80's.
I was also surprised at the mention in this review of low headphone output, as my experience was quite the opposite. I did not need to use the full level in order to listen to replay at above natural levels. The mention of the fader not working when recording is also neither here nor there as far as I am concerned as I cannot imagine why I would want to use it under any circumstances - don't mess with the digital level during recording when you can do so on a far more controlled basis in the DAW later.
Thanks for sharing your perspective.
Does the F3 have a fader that can be adjusted while recording?
Yes - the buttons act as post-digital-conversion faders by default. They only affect the 3.5mm output level.
@@curtisjudd Not really, I think. When used during recording, only the scaling of the waveform display is adapted, not the recording level itself. The recording level is determined by the fader level at the start of recording. (And anyway: The actual gain is fixed when recording 32bit float with the F3 and friends. Any level adjustments are all post ADC which are not really relevant with 32bit float...)
@@jez7362 Sorry for the confusion - I thought I read ZOOM F6. Now I see it is F3. The F3's buttons do act as faders which affect the 3.5mm output level WHILE recording which is important if sending audio to camera or mixing a live show.
As always great review.
Thanks.
So, how about F3 vs R4? R4 over here have a slightly higher price tag than the H1 but packs more versatility in software and hardware IMO
R4 is for overdub music production, right?
Well,yeah. But I feel that it doesn't matter if it's just a plug and forget device for backup audio. It's kinda in the same price range but idk if it has better hardware since it's made for recording music@@curtisjudd
please answer not to a professional. what do you think about h4e (only xlr input) in comparison with these two? In terms of price it is between them, but what about quality?
If Curtis doesn't have a video of the H4e, I doubt he would speak about it, except in high level overview.
You could try the recorder with your mics and see if the results are good enough.
Here’s my H4e review: ruclips.net/video/1MsmGfaQeaQ/видео.htmlfeature=shared
Short version, for non pro work the H4e is ok, not amazing, but ok.
When the heck is Zoom going to release the higher end versions of the essentials line of products? I don't want the cheapo stuff. I may have to go with Tascam instead.
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Can you review the Zoom R4 please.
That’s more of a music recorder and I’m not really qualified to review from that perspective.
Does the H1 xlr have the same preamps as the F3?
Does the F3 xlr have the same preamps as the F6?
The H1 XLR and F3 clearly do not have the same preamps or converters (or both) based on the results we shared in this video.
It is less clear whether the F3 and F6 preamps/converters are identical. They might be.
You should make a tier list for field recorders \uwu/
We do, about every three years or so - audio recorders for filmmaking.
@@curtisjudd Ayooo nice :D
I am curious. You have now, basically, panned this product from Zoom. Other audio youtubers have panned each of the Zoom essential series. This means that the entire line of most current products from a big audio recording company have been panned. It seems that most of the audio youtubers (yourself included) are very meh about 32 bit float recording, but it certainly looks like it is becoming a standard. Who's missing the boat here? Zoom must feel there is a good sized market for the essential series, and the H1 XLR, that bypasses all this criticism.
The audio youtubers didn't like the zoom h1e but having got one seems perfectly decent to me but then I'm a visual guy first and audio is a distant 2nd, I just want something that will give me noticeably better than on camera audio and won't go wrong on me (because hey how many other things are we worrying about during a shoot) and these seem to do just that
I think @godsakes nailed it! For some people, the H1 XLR is good enough. I actually think it is probably a fine place for someone to learn audio recording. But if they get serious about audio recording, they'll need to upgrade. And that's probably exactly what ZOOM expects and why they made this device.
What about h4 essential's preamp? Is that same?
Seems about the same, yes. Both not great. Especially when so many people assume (or were told by some product companies) that 32-bit float means cleaner recordings.
@@curtisjudd 32 bit float does give the manufacturer the opportunity to create a device with mics (if present), preamps and a/d converters carefully matched to produce the best possible results at the price point. Whether they succeed in that endeavour is of course a matter for discussion...
@@Ozpeter I'm not convinced that ZOOM achieved that here, or they used really poor quality preamps/converters. I've experienced better dynamic range and self noise on plenty of other 24-bit linear recorders and interfaces.
@@curtisjudd I am waiting for your h6 essential review to find out whether zoom's claim about better preamp is real?
@@AbbasTahaie Not planning an H6essential review at the moment.
Zoom F3 🎉
Yay for the F3!
"thanks to B&H so I don't have to spend my own money" LOL. Translation: Avoid the H1XLR like the plague. Save your money. LOL
"Buy the F3 instead."
Wow, thank you so much for this review, Curtis. I was seriously looking at this recorder but now I’ll wait for the next generation.
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I would get an F3 or a Tascam FR-AV2, maybe even a X8. The "next generation" for this model will also be the same value grade, maybe just with more bells and whistles.
Hey Curtis - 32bit Float does not need to be adjusted during Recording- so the gain setting ist only to visualize the Signal in any way, it's not a real fader in any way like the F3 even does not have those - it's just fot visualizing levels in my eyes. It's a set and forget Recorder - adjust the levels in Post and your fine.
Maybe thats not perfect for fast turnarounds, but generally not such a big deal at all in my eyes. At this price Point the unit ist outstanding and compares to the F3 in some ways better specced including XLR Combo jacks instead of XLR only ports.
And even the usage as mobile 32bit Float Interface is stellar when producing audio content on the run, like on a MacBook.
I see your Points - but for me it's not that easy to "push" people into the F3 Recorder - it clearly depends and the noise isnt such a big deal at all. Especially when producing for social Media... And If there is any noticible moise, then it's its mainly coming from the Low Signal Mic Output... If it disturbs - there are tools like clarity by waves or similiar to reduce that to dead clean - If you need so...
For me Personally the H1 XLR is the better choice compared to the F3 - beginning with the Combo xlr jacks and an additional 3.5mm Plugin powered input which the F3 simply lacks for example.
For sending audio to camera or for livestream, adjusting the levels matters.
@curtisjudd but thats a more theoretical Use Case. The H1 XLR is not an Mixer - it's mainly a recorder. And: If you Connect a Microphone Like a lavalier or even Shotgun directly to the camera there is no gain adjustment as well - you have to adjust the gain inside of the camera to fit the incoming Signal. Again : i understand your point - but it's an 150€ field recorder mainly and Not a fully Mixer/Recorder.
Maybe they add auch a Feature in the Future - but i wouldnt expect it.
@@kiekstetv Sending audio to camera is far from theoretical for a lot of people who make videos. And also, why did they label the button mixer? Sure, maybe my expectations are off base, but ZOOM didn't help there with the labels.
Also, it's fine, if it isn't a problem for you, that's great. But I do have an obligation to call that out because for some people it is an issue.
@@curtisjudd Sure - it's fair to adress such a for you missing Feature - but it's a more personal need/wish and nothing Zoom claimed to be possible. Does the F3 allows mixing when sending audio through the recorder into a camera?
@@kiekstetv Yes, the F3 does allow one to adjust the level of the output to camera. That's a big part of why I was so surprised with the H1 XLR.
9:09 „I‘m done“ ??? But you are Curtis, not Gerald 🤨🤨🤨 (😉)
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Thanks Curtis. This move to audio tech that's *just good enough* to hit price points is dangerous, particularly for a cost-conscious consumer (like me). I appreciate so much that you and others drill down into these products. Zoom just keeps getting bitten by this temptation to just-good-enough. I bought the F3 soon after it came out, and was initially irked when I saw the Essential series show up... but now I'm okay with it! Paying more payed off. Thanks again.
Indeed - in most cases, paying a bit more is worth it.
You are solid with that F3 purchase. If you wanted more flexibility and slightly cleaner preamps but at a higher price, Tascam AV-FR2 is a good candidate, though it is less rugged and not rated for low temperatures.
Thank you, Curtis :)
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Thanks, Curtis. Despite all the work they've put into accessibility I would never purchase these because of the poor quality preamps and inability to choose bit-rate. This is only at the level of carry-around voice recorders which would seem to provide better solutions at this point. in fact, making me choose between accessibility and quality is somewhat insulting.
It depends on what one is doing. I learned audio recording on the original ZOOM H4 which had preamps even worse than this. So I suppose there's a place for the H1 XLR. Also, not everyone has the same expectations that I have. I'm arguably spoiled. My primary mixer is a Sound Devices 888. But for someone who doesn't have that level of expectation, I guess the H1 XLR could be a good place to start.
In my experience it does not have preamps which I would describe as poor quality. I suspect that very few people, apart from those with golden ears, would be able to distinguish between real world recordings made with the H1 XLR and the F3. It is a shame, come to think of it, that Curtis Judd didn't do such a test when preparing this review, as he had both devices to hand. I would love to have seen how many people got it right in a blind test.
I’m in the market for the best bang for buck portable audio recorder today, can someone make a recommendation?.
ZOOM F3
I'm breaking my promise, but I will be brief. The H1 XLR costs something like half the price of the F3, typically. But for those like me who have a collection of XLR and 3.5mm mics, and you want to be able to record either of those according to the requirement, the F3 won't help. You might need to buy the Tascam FR-AV2, which would set you back around $399. Not much compared to the four-digit prices necessary in days gone by, but still a whole different price from the H1 XLR.
Yes.
thanks
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F3 vs H6 please!
Depends on your priorities (e.g., do you need built-in stereo mics? Do you need 4 XLR inputs?).
@curtisjudd I am sorry for the idiotic question. What I wanted to know is which one has the lowest self-noise? Thanks.
@@rahulgkhs Ok, I see, and not a bad question at all. I don't have an H6 or H6 essential on hand, but my guess is that the F3 is cleaner. That's totally a guess.
I wish they would include a built in rechargeable battery. Dealing with AA batteries is so annoying.
The trouble with built in rechargeables is that when the battery finally dies, so does the recorder.
I’d rather have batteries I can swap out. There’s already too much e-junk in landfills around the world.
Snarky Curtis: approved!
Just trying to be real. 🤪
I cannot turn that "stable volume" no matter what. Tried like 20 times. RUclips app for Android.
☹️ Silly RUclips.
@mxcrec It must be toggled while the video is running, then it worked for me.
Completely agree with you. The quality is cheap… cheap.
Purchased one for work to test and the 3.5mm jack had intermittent functionality oob (tested using dozens of headphones, including the lowest impedance headphones we could find). On top of that the second input easily had double or triple the self noise than the first input’s pre. Returned without issue, but you definitely get what you pay for.
We’re sticking with the F3’s for checkout, but it still would be nice if Zoom added combo jacks and finally fixed the flimsy plastic battery door. Maybe there will be a Rev 2 before they kill it.
I'd love to see a new F3 with everything you noted.
I still can't understand why they keep moving from SD to microSD for professional devices. Too small to handle and see, too slow compared to V90 SD cards... I keep my old good H6!
v90 seems a tad overkill for audio files??
@@godsakes yes but it's faster when downloading it to PC... I use to take audio from the mixer for long shows and I have large files to download. I am always worried about not losing those small cards with my drone...
Probably because they can make the devices smaller.
Muchas Gracias por el vídeo . Yo prefiero un mejor producto a un precio mayor , antes que botar el dinero en un equipo mediocre
Yo también.
The F3 only has xlr inputs unfortunately
That's true, but they can be switched to line level. And there are plenty of 1/4" to XLR adapters and cables available.
I've never seen any gadget get crushed like that by you 😂
Please consider it candor with kindness. 😀
A cheap buy - could be expensive !
In the long run, indeed!
you are done, Curtis Judd undone?
No, I'm done. It's Gerald that's Undone.
@@curtisjudd nice to meet the Curtis I'm done Judd, great series name hhh
0:00 This video is sponsored by me!
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I feel the text to voice should be a standard feature companies are working in all of their products. The speaker is cheap to have. No reason to not include this.
Yes, happy to see them add it. Adding a speaker takes up some space, but again, worth it for those who need the accessibility feature.
It was too good to be true. The noise and plastic quality is a big let down and a no go. Not even as a back up.
Plastic is really expected at this price, and I could live with that. But ZOOM knows how to make better preamps/converters. It'd be an amazing product if they just charged $50 more and included great preamps.
If you are on a budget - buy second hand
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Gee, sounds like it's a winner like the H1. Where you can't turn off the plug in power. So if you connect it for line in you get to pay 2v into your board. The equivalent Tascam recorder doesn't have this issue.
I assume that's sarcastic? 😀
The H1 XLR has switchable plug in power on its 3.5mm input (and of course the phantom power is switchable separately).
@@Ozpeter the original H1 and the H1R (I think that's it's name) did not. Nice they finally learned, YEARS LATER. There's nothing like connecting one of those to record in and having your VU meter pegged and you can't figure out why.
One final comment from me - I promise! - it is has just struck me that this comparison review of two audio recorders does not include, as far as I can tell, a single audio sample from either? Can we not make up our own minds about which sounds better? Never mind measurements, let our ears be the judge!
You heard the H1 XLR through the entire video and if you want a comparison, can pull up my F3 review in another tab. Both are normalized to -23 LUFS without any processing.
@@curtisjudd Ah, that wasn't clear to me. I couldn't relate what I saw on the meters with what I heard. Well, now I will listen again wearing reasonable headphones and see what I can hear that I shouldn't, if that makes sense. But I suspect that 90% of purchasers wouldn't be using a field recorder in a studio environment.
@@Ozpeter I was very clear about that at the start of the video Peter. "This entire episode is recorded with the ZOOM H1 XLR and a Sennheiser MKH50 microphone..." This is not a cheap microphone and it has a decent self-noise specification but on this recorder, the noise floor is more prominent than with other, higher quality recorders.
And yes, the H1 XLR may be good enough for many people, but for those who want cleaner recordings, I cannot recommend it.
@@curtisjudd Indeed, I am guilty of not paying attention. Sorry. Meanwhile I have been revisiting the Avisoft Bioacoustics site, starting at the recorder tests page, which IMHO is essential reading for anyone interested in these matters. The company is highly respected in the field. In broad terms they concur with your observations about the differences between results with high output and low output microphones, pointing out that the overall noise floor of the entire recording system comprises the noise floors of the mic and the recorder which add geometrically. They state that no relevant noise is added by any professional recorder as long as a sufficiently sensitive mic is being used. But an insensitive dynamic mic would be more demanding. This seems to be at variance with your view that the H1 XLR does audibly degrade the signal from the MKH mic. However, my interest is not in studio recordings but in field recordings. That includes concert halls and the churches commonly used for classical music recordings. Here I think that the Avisoft "noisefloors" page comes into play, where they state that "in most practical field recording conditions, however, the inherent noise floor of the recording system will be masked by the more intensive environmental noise floor" - which is my experience of this device with condenser mics.
Avisoft have not yet evaluated the H1 XLR - I hope they do! The F3 is ranked number 6 in their list, and the recorders above it are generally not cheap! So indeed, whether or can be heard or not, it's clearly a very good device at the price, or indeed on any basis. Going just by the manufacturer's specs, the H1 XLR would come in around number 22, next to the much respected Sony M10. But the question remains, with a decent mic, would the difference be obvious in a blind side by side test? Sorry for yet another long comment but I think you are as interested in this stuff as I am!
Ok, I checked both videos at levels close to threshold of pain wearing headphones. I could hear no significant difference in noise levels. The difference in the two mics used was probably clearer to me, subtle though it was. I cannot believe that any client would consider the H1 XLR recording as noisy. Or maybe I'm deaf. That's not impossible.
If I may. This is really for the 12 yearold youtube who just can't wait and the $160 bucks is burning a hole in their pocket. After seeing the specs, I recommend, stick with your paper route and deliver a few more papers. You will be better off using your internal mic on your cell phone (how many 12 yrolds have cell phones? lots I suspect) and just be patient and wait. Shame on ZOOM for exploiting those 12 year olds.
Perhaps its a "crashcam-like" device where you budget to loose you $160 dollars in the bottom of a lake when working for free. 😉
I think it could be used by those who have lower expectations as well. It may be good enough if doing interviews in a sports stadium where there's so much noise that the self-noise of the preamps is a non-issue.
@@curtisjudd Very good point.
You are right.
For a 2024 device, this is garbage
I'd say it is really close - just needs better preamps/converters. And I'd happily pay $50 more to get that.
@curtisjudd you nailed it. Having personally owned the Zoom F1, H6, and H8, the F3 is a much better way to go than this device. In fact, if someone is this budget conscious but wants XLR, a cheap Behringer XENYX mixer is probably a better solution at 1/3rd the price. One thing to note: I can only assume it was CloudLifter who started the rumor that you need a CloudLifter with a Shure SM7b. I have one that I bought at the same time as my Shure SM7b. Reality: The Shure SM7b works just fine without the CloudLifter on my Behringer XENYX mixer ($49), Apogee Duet, Zoom H6, and Zoom H8.
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