Mp3 Players and Ipod Reviews

The latest to show up is Samson’s Zoom H2 handy recorder, which claims to be the “world’s only portable recorder with 3 mic capsules on board for mid-side recording,” and moreover, the device purportedly decodes the audio instantly to bring together a probably unnecessary level of “superb stereo imaging.” Interestingly enough, the device even allows for users to record at various angles and frequencies in case you’re trying to assemble a 5.1 track (saywha?) without all the proper equipment, and it even touts gain controls right on the side for on-the-fly tweaking.

It’s a simple idea: provide brilliant stereo recording in an easy-to-use, ultra-portable device. The H2 is the only portable recorder with 3 mic capsules onboard for mid-side recording. A directional mic is in the center (mid) and two directional mics (side) are positioned left and right. The audio is decoded instantly, bringing these three signals together for unparalleled stereo imaging. One button recording, gain controls on the side and an intuitive user interface mean you can always capture the moment. Set your levels, push record and go. The H2 records on Secure Digital (SD) media and a 512MB SD card is included. With a 4GB SD memory card, the H2 provides up to 2 hours recording at 96kHz, 6 hours at 44.1kHz, or up to a staggering 138 hours in MP3. Play your recordings on your home audio system with its 1/8″ stereo output or listen to your masterpiece with headphones. Or, use the H2’s USB interface to move your recordings to your Mac or PC to listen, edit and share.

Features
W-XY mic patterns with 4 mic capsules and signal processing allows Front 90 cardioid, Rear 120 cardioid and 360 polar patterns^Finally record 360 sound as 2ch data or 4ch data simultaneously^Built-in USB 2.0 port for data storage^Records in WAV 96kHz/48kHz/44.1kHz at 16-bit or 24-bit, MP3 to 320kbps and Variable Bit Rate (VBR) data formats^Time Stamp and Track Marker functions in Broadcast WAV Format (BWF)

Zoom H2 Reviews from Productwiki
Pro :
•4 mics built-in
•Create 5.1 surround mixes
•Can be used as a USB mic for computer recording and podcasting
•Decent sound quality
•Compact size
•Inexpensive recording solution
•Many recording format options (sample rate, bit resolution, mp3/wav)

Zoom H2 Reviews from Shopping
cons:
Plastic - would break easily. Buttons feel a bit cheap.
It’s a bit hard to understand because it has SO many features. I would have prefered it to be a little simpler to operate and play back.
The view screen is kind of small, but it is readable. I tried to come up with a weakness.
External microphone input produces very low volume regardless of settings.

Zoom H2 Reviews from cnet

The good: The Zoom H2 handheld audio recorder offers an exceptional array of features and resolution support at nearly half the price of its competitors. Its small size makes it one of the least obtrusive pro-audio recorders available.

The bad: The Zoom H2’s plastic construction feels more like a children’s toy than a high-end audio recorder; several practical features are difficult to access; the recording performance of the built-in microphones could be better; and the start-up time is unforgivably long.

The bottom line: The Zoom H2 is a fun, practical, and affordable tool for capturing interviews, lectures, and music rehearsals. Cheap construction and lackluster recording performance, however, make the H2 less than ideal for demanding professional recording applications.