Mini Test: Zoom H6essential & H4essential

Posted on Sep 11, 2024 by Pro Moviemaker

Capture pro-quality audio with Zoom’s H6essential and H4essential recorders, featuring 32-bit float, XLR inputs, and Bluetooth control

Every professional filmmaker knows the importance of top-quality audio in every production, and to capture it successfully from a range of sources you need a top-quality audio recorder.

It’s pretty much the only way to ensure the sound from XLR mics, wireless lapel kits, ambient omnidirectional mics and more can all be captured together without a loss of quality. Relying on your camera’s internal audio just doesn’t cut it.

But if you haven’t yet upgraded to one of the latest units that offer 32-bit float, you’re missing a trick. This technology allows recording of everything from a whisper-quiet vocal to a rock gig without the need to set gain levels. With a huge amount of dynamic range in the audio, 32-bit float lets you raise and lower audio volume in post without damaging sound quality.

Everything in the range your mics can handle is recorded, so you can tweak it later without fear of clipping. Once you’ve used 32-bit float audio technology, the days of setting separate levels and recording endless safety tracks will seem like something from ancient history.

As with any emerging tech, it takes some time to trickle down to price points where it’s affordable to all filmmakers. Now, with the latest Essential range from the legendary recorder brand Zoom, it’s not vastly expensive for even the highest spec.

The flagship H6essential costs just £259/$275, while the H4essential may have slightly lower spec but costs £175/$200. What isn’t compromised is the important bit – both use 32-bit float to give you the best chance of recording high-quality audio that never peaks.

The biggest difference is that the larger H6essential offers more XLR inputs, with six tracks of 32-bit float recording and dual AD converters. The Zoom H4essential has four-track, 32-bit float recording, advanced X/Y mics and two XLR/TRS inputs. Both use Zoom’s professional-quality preamps that support phantom power and +4dBu professional line level input.

On the H6 model, the included X/Y microphones slide onto the top of the unit and can capture up to 135dB SPL, which Zoom says is the equivalent to a jet plane taking off. This stereo mic is ideal for audio directly in front of the recorder, and captures it beautifully.

If you want more of a shotgun mic effect, Zoom offers the SSH-6e capsule. This has a directional mic at the centre as well as bidirectional side mics. Use the optional EXH-6e input capsule and this adds two more input sources, which are combined dual XLR/0.25in TRS combo inputs. You won’t find any standard 3.5mm inputs, so you’ll need an XLR adapter.

All tracks can be mixed and monitored via industry-standard waveforms on the new full-colour LCD screen. Audio is recorded to an SD card and simultaneously outputted through the USB-C port to PC, Mac, iOS or Android devices. This makes it ideal for streaming as well as keeping the recording for editing later.

To add more function, the optional £35/$40 BTA-1 Bluetooth adapter just plugs into the bottom of the unit and pairs the H6essential to an iOS phone so you can remotely start recording, adjust the mix, view waveforms and change settings. It can also pair with Bluetooth timecode devices, which is a big bonus for multicam set-ups.

The unit has a line output to connect to a camera, plus a headphone output to monitor audio. It’s a fully featured unit that’s usable, affordable, compact and the heart of a pro audio system.

If you want something even more compact and affordable, the H4essential doesn’t cut many corners, except in the number of XLR inputs. It has four-track, 32-bit float recording, great-quality X/Y mics and two XLR/TRS inputs. Preamps support phantom power and +4dBu professional line level input. Onboard X/Y mics capture sound up to 130dB SPL, in reality very similar to the big brother H6essentials.

It may be the lower-spec model in the range, but the H4essential still allows streaming in 32-bit float while recording to its internal SD card. The built-in mixer adjusts each track’s audio level using the waveform display. This is the same as the H6 unit, albeit at the top instead of the bottom. It’s also compatible with the optional BTA-1 to use via Bluetooth.

The H4essential can be set to four-track mode, enabling the use of the 3.5mm stereo mic input and combo jack inputs at the same time.

Recorders like these come into their own on location with multiple sources of audio, especially in run-and-gun situations where it’s hard to control sound levels. The XLR inputs can be used with shotgun mics to capture dialogue, for example, while onboard X/Y mics are good for ambience. You could plug in lav mic wireless audio, a reporter’s mic or two and be good to go. Just click the number of the mic port you are using and the sound bars show the audio input. Both are easy to use, audio quality is excellent and 32-bit float is what everyone needs.

£259/$275 and £175/$200

zoom-europe.com