Zoom H4n Quick Start Manual page 2

Some notes on the Zoom H4n Recorder v.2
Setup and recording with the Zoom H4N and BP4029 Micr (consult manual for details)
1. In the battery compartment, set the Stamina switch to OFF. When it's ON the range
of configuration options is limited and the menus are different.
2. Power on the recorder.
3. The Zoom H4n uses 2 AA batteries. Check the battery level indicator and make sure
you're starting with fresh batteries, and if not, you should have an extra pair in the kit
(make sure of this when you check out the gear).
4. In the Menu: Format the SD card
5. In the Menu: Set the recording format to WAV file format, 48KHz/16-bit
6. In the Menu: Turn Phantom Power ON, +48V mode, since the mic requires external
power
7. In the Menu: Set the Limiter to ON, the Comp 1 setting is fine. The limiter kicks in
when a peak exceeds 0dBFS to avoid distortion in your recording
8. In the Menu: Turn off the Low-Cut filter, since there's one already on the microphone
and the cut-off filter on the BP4029 is better than the one in the recorder
9. Make sure the red 1 and 2 lights are ON, indicating you're using the external mic
input as your source.
10. Connect the BP4029 Microphone using the XLR Y-cable that comes with it (and the
stereo extension cable if needed, the BP4029 requires a STEREO extension cable
with XLR5 connectors instead of the standard XLR3 connectors, so make sure you
have the right cable when checking out the microphone
11. Set the BP4029 to one of the two stereo modes (wide or narrow) and that the low-
cut filter OFF for sound effects recording (if low frequencies are an important
component of the sound) and ON for dialogue recording
12. Connect the headphones, always monitor your recordings! Adjust the headphone
levels using the VOLUME buttons (on the left side panel) to suit your taste
13. Now you're ready to record, press the RECORD button, it will blink red, this is called
Recording Standby Mode, check your levels, you're not actually recording yet
14. Adjust sound levels as needed using the REC LEVEL buttons (on the left side panel)
15. Press RECORD, now you're recording! Always check for ascending timecode
numbers to confirm you're actually recording.
16. Make a note of the file name, date, place, and other details in your sound log or
notebook. It's a good idea to SLATE your take (adding a verbal description of what
you're recording at the beginning of the recording)
17. Adjust recording levels as needed (on the right side panel), you want a healthy
signal, too low, and the signal is lost in the noise floor, too loud and the peaks will
distort. The limiter will catch errant peaks, but don't count on it constantly. Adjusting
levels is crucial and takes some practice, set high enough so you have a healthy
signal and only in rare occasions should you have a peak for which the limiter needs
to kick in and deal with for you.
18. Press the stop button to stop recording.
19. Review your recording by pressing the File button and then selecting the file you
want then press play and any of the other transport controls as needed.
Note: This document is released to the public domain, however, this excludes the recorder diagrams which
belong to the manufacturer.
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