Zoom H4N Troubleshooting Manual
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Also See for H4N:
- Operation manual (156 pages) ,
- Instructions manual (12 pages) ,
- User manual (7 pages)
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Table of Contents
Problem: The H4N is only picking up audio in one channel when I plug in an XLR.
● Solution: Ensure that mono mix is turned on. This feature is located under the
input tab in the menu.
Problem: I don't hear any audio through my headphones.
● Solution 1: You will only hear audio when the H4N is tracking. This means that
you must hit record once first to hear the audio and then a second time to
actually begin recording.
● Solution 2: Make sure you are on the right input. Mic must be selected for
standard recordings and the 1 and 2 buttons must be selected for XLR input.
● Solution 3: Make sure that either the microphone has an internal battery and it is
powered on or that phantom power (+48V), located under input within the menu,
is selected. It is always recommended to avoid phantom power on the H4N if
possible.
Problem: I am experiencing a high pitch buzzing noise through my headphones. Is this
noise actually being recorded?
● Solution 1: Yes this noise will still be there when you listen to the recording later.
This problem stems from the use of phantom power when the H4N internal
battery is not at full charge. The noise will become more extreme as the battery
drains, which is very fast on H4N's. If possible, turn phantom power off and
simply power the microphone through an internal battery of its own. However,
some external microphones do not have their own battery. In this case, turn
Zoom H4N Troubleshooting Guide
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Summary of Contents for Zoom H4N
- Page 1 Zoom H4N Troubleshooting Guide Problem: The H4N is only picking up audio in one channel when I plug in an XLR. ● Solution: Ensure that mono mix is turned on. This feature is located under the input tab in the menu. Problem: I don’t hear any audio through my headphones. ● Solution 1: You will only hear audio when the H4N is tracking. This means that you must hit record once first to hear the audio and then a second time to actually begin recording. ● Solution 2: Make sure you are on the right input. Mic must be selected for standard recordings and the 1 and 2 buttons must be selected for XLR input. ● Solution 3: Make sure that either the microphone has an internal battery and it is powered on or that phantom power (+48V), located under input within the menu, is selected. It is always recommended to avoid phantom power on the H4N if possible. Problem: I am experiencing a high pitch buzzing noise through my headphones. Is this noise actually being recorded? ● Solution 1: Yes this noise will still be there when you listen to the recording later. This problem stems from the use of phantom power when the H4N internal battery is not at full charge. The noise will become more extreme as the battery drains, which is very fast on H4N’s. If possible, turn phantom power off and simply power the microphone through an internal battery of its own. However, some external microphones do not have their own battery. In this case, turn ...
- Page 2 ● Solution 2: If you realize this in post and it is too late for a reshoot, apply a low pass filter to the audio recording. Low pass filters will filter out high pitch noises but can also distort the audio so you would have to find an acceptable balance. Problem: I am picking up too much wind but I need to record this outdoor scene right now. ● Solution 1: Go to menu, input and then turn on the low cut filter. This will filter out low frequency noises (most commonly wind). There are different amounts so test each one out and see how much noise you want to filter. You can also try to block the wind with your body. ● Solution 2: If you realize in post that your recording is too windy, apply a high pass filter. High pass filters will filter out low pitch noises but can distort the audio so you would have to find an acceptable balance. Problem: My H4N is eating through batteries like crazy. How do I prolong the battery life? ● Solution 1: The first solution is to turn phantom power off. Phantom power will drain the battery extremely fast. ● Solution 2: Power the H4N through DC power (you would need to be close to an outlet). ● Solution 3: Turn on stamina mode. This will save battery power but will also take away some other functions and may require you to record at a slightly lower audio quality. Stamina mode is located above the batteries (you need to slide the protective battery case off to locate it). Final notes: ● In almost all cases, you will want to ensure that the H4N is recording in stereo mode. ● Don’t confuse the Volume knob (left) with the Record Level knob (right). The volume knob only affects how loud you are hearing the recording whereas the Record Level knob will change the actual audio levels. ● Don’t trust the battery level indicator on the lcd screen. It will lie to you so you should always make sure there are at least four extra double A batteries with you on every shoot. ...
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