Zoom H4N Pro vs Zoom H5

Don't leave your batteries in it! Unfortunately, the internal clock requires them to keep track of time, if you want to time stamp your audio files - a must if you use it a lot. My first (brand new) pair of duracells were toast after I left them in there for just 3 weeks (without use). There's either some form of internal current leak, or the date/time circuit is just plain inefficient

CONS: * This thing gobbles battery power. I invested in a set of 4 rechargeable AA batteries which work nicely. I get about 3 or 4 hours of continuous use, maybe more, on one charge. * It is a little bulky to carry around, but the positive counterpoint to its size is that it is ruggedly built for mobile use

No need to buy all those tools of course, especially just starting out, but I'm giving specs purely for reference :) For now, pick a recorder with an EIN of -120 dBu down to -130 dBu, get a windshield for it and start that journey!

It's actually starting slower than my Blackmagic 6K. As for pros, it does have somewhat clean preamps and records a decent sound, has built-in two met...

If you need inexpensive condensers, the Behringer C-2s are rather well reviewed, and will give you a lot of bang for the buck, and come as stereo pairs. When compared with expensive top-end small diaphragms, they stand up to them, even if they fall a bit short, there are several comparison videos on Youtube, and people don't usually tend to be Behringer shills, unless they actually work for Behringer.

A little above the budget of two you mentioned, but not by much, is the Zoom H5. I used the H1 & H2n in the past and upgraded to the H5 for pretty much the same reason you’re getting it for. It’s not perfect but at the price I find it a good performer.

The media could not be loaded. After having done a quick video test for the Kodak Zi8, I decided to do something which would focus more on its audio recording capabilities. I also wanted to test the Zoom H4n, a portable flash recorded I recently purchased.

I use this all the time for work when I need to record voiceovers. The mic is quite sensitive so be mindful of surroundings if you don't want ambient noise. I don't have s studio or office so I use a closet or inside my (turned off) car because this thing picks up everything. definitely get a deadbeat for this

With all this in mind, I've decided that a pair of external mics is my best bet, and the Rode M5 pair has caught my eye at only $200 USD. My first idea was to go with some LOM lav mics, but they're not available of course. So that leads to my question: has anybody used Rode M5's, and if so what are your thoughts on them? Do you think they could compare with the built-in mics on the H4n Pro?

Has anyone been able to playback through internal speaker and what did you do. Thank you.