H4essential Handy Recorder – 4-Track Recorder with 32-Bit Float, X/Y Microphones, XLR/TRS Inputs – For Music, Podcasts, Film Sound – Black

Five stars is a bit generous, so 4.5 would be how I rate it, but since it doesn't have the option. I have the Zoom h4 Pro, which is approx the same size, but the h4 Pro has better build quality than the Essential, but for what I paid for this £169, it's well worth it. It's 32 bit performance is good and all round performance is very good. It's better than the H4 pro, for using it as an audio device on a computer. I do YT videos and even on low end machines, it performs really well. I also use audio equipment for recording nature sounds and I've found it really good for that, light, cake to use and gets the job done. One thing, that is a warning, is that, unlike it's sibling, it only has sound as output. So what you record, can sound very low. It's a bit like a RAW file in photography, but the sound will still be excellent once it's been edited. A good looking, nice graphical interface and great sound, a bit of a cheap feel, but apart from that it's a quality device.

Fantastic quality for the price. The audio recording is unbelievably good, the 32bit is solid. I've used this quiet a bit now and the microphones are very good, and the line in xlr input floor level is only bettered by my zoom f3 which has a different function. battery life is very good, i managed 3 separate 1-2hour recordings on one full set of batteries, very easy to use, literally no setup apart from the time and date. the mixer function is a big bonus too mixing the mics with the line in on a extra recording. the size of the recorder is no different to other similar products, maybe smaller even. for its intended use and functionality, its perfect for my requirements.

Very high quality recordings and good responsive UI. Only downside is that all samples are put into individual folders which can make it a long tedious process. Also stereo recordings render two separate files and there is no option to combine them.

First impressions are very good. Sturdier than the Zoom H1 I was using previously; great sound quality via the built-in microphones too. I like the way that it has a metal screw hole for mounting to a tripod or mic stand rather than the plastic one that the H1 had (which I was extremely careful with to avoid stripping the plastic thread). The display and the menu system are great, and I found them pretty intuitive to use.

This is a great recorder. I deliberated over the buying decision for ages, but now I don't even think about the features compared to other models. It just works, and it works well. I use for recording interviews for our radio show, it just sits there and captures everything, no need to worry about guests positioning or mic technique, or having the right number of mic etc. You do need to edit in post, but It's all there even the quiet speech. It also captures great live music sound with the stereo mics giving a sense of space and ambience. In the real world, the battery life is great. Mut have recorded a dozen interviews with it, and a similar number of live songs. The battery is still showing full. Very happy with it.

Good quality.Built in mics very sensitive.No need to set any levels just record and go.Battery life poor, best to use power source if long sessions of recording are needed.Recording quality excellent.Handy for recording on the go.

An absolute gem. Can't fault it. But understand it first if you want to get the best from it. XLR incredible. Excellent devise

I have never had any issues with any Zoom products in the past, they have all functioned perfectly at a reasonable price. The H4 Essential is the first Zoom product I am seriously regretting purchasing. The sound quality of the recordings and the operation of the unit isn't the issue - that is great. The problem is it eats batteries so fast it just isn't a practical field recorder for recording anything longer than half an hour. Firstly it will eat a pair of brand new (meter tested) alkaline batteries in about an hour - but worse is to come. Because if you use them for half an hour and then turn the unit off and back on - nothing. It will not power up if it doesn't think there is enough power available - so those batteries which should have been good for another half an hour at least won't do. Even plugging it into the USB output of my PC isn't enough to power it up. So you either have to carry a battery power pack with you or plug it into a dedicated USB C mains power outlet if you want to be able to record for any length of time. The whole point of the purchase was so I could record live performances with a small portable battery powered recorder. I think I am going to return it...

H4essential est tout petit. Qualité 32bits extra. Réglages ultra simples. Autonomie sympa. Les prises xlr jack au top. Les micros XY canons. Un prise mini jack pour un micro sans fil : pratique. Le Bluetooth super pratique. C'est une option. Et la cerise sur le gâteau, il fait carte son. Franchement pour le prix, foncez !

Muy buena calidad y muy fácil de usar, un poco incómodo el tener que navegar por el menú sólo con un scroll pero se puede acostumbrar La devolví porque venía maltratada y finalmente pedí una tascam x6 por las opciones extras que brinda aunque cuesta una tercera parte más Sin duda la volvería a comprar por su practicidad y relación calidad precio

This product is a huge disappointment. I have a very long track record with Zoom and their products, but this is by far the worst product. First - it's cheap build. I have their previous generation Zoom H5, and the only reason to change it was it lacked 32bit recording, which I loved as I'm solo youtuber and I love the fact that I don't have to check on levels all the time and previous generation is FAR superior in build quality. This one is cheap plastic, jelly buttons, terrible rocker switch. Secondly - glitches. Today, for the 3rd time the recorder has ruined 1.5hours of recroding. God Bless I had backup recording (which I started to do with this recorder), but I'm trying to return it or sell this crap. I'm so surprised, how such a well established brand could drop in quality so much. Seems like another management decision to cut costs and squeeze every cent out their well selling product. Terrible experience.

32-bit float recording with dual level converters makes setting the correct recording levels a thing of the past. This is extremely useful for live recordings without the worry of clipping during unexpected loud passages if the levels were set too high on a traditional recorder like the H4n. With 32-bit float recording technology in the H4essential, this becomes a thing of the past. However, be mindful that overdub does not seem to be possible with this device compared to the H4n, ie, it does not seem to be possible to record a track while playing back another.

E muito bom para audio nao usei microfones ainda, so ele ja limpa os ruidos