ZOOM products are constantly evolving to meet the needs of the creators who use them. With the H5 Handy Recorder, the tradition continues. The H5 provides four tracks of simultaneous recording and, like our flagship H6, it can use all Zoom interchangeable input capsules, allowing you to choose the best microphone for every recording situation. The flexible and powerful H5 provides everything you need to create multitrack recordings, audio for video, and state-of-the-art podcasting, broadcasting and electronic news-gathering.
Louder. Closer. Cleaner.
X/Y recording allows you to cover a wide area yet still capture sound sources in the center with clarity and definition, making it ideal for all types of live stereo recording. The XYH-5 X/Y microphone capsule included with the H5 provides two matched unidirectional condenser microphones set at a 90 degree angle. These are housed within an advanced shockmount that employs rugged external mic wires and rubberised material to isolate the unit from the H5 body and thus minimise vibration and handling noise. The design of the XYH-5 also allows the H5 to handle louder sounds than any other Handy Recorder model: 140 dB SPL, to be precise—equivalent to the sound of a jet aircraft from less than 200 feet away—enabling you to capture sounds louder, closer, and cleaner than you ever could before.
The Hardware - Ins & Outs
In addition to standard transport controls (stop, play/pause, record, rewind, and fast-forward), the front panel of the H5 offers dedicated record arming buttons for each track, which double as mute switches during playback. A Hold switch disables all front panel buttons to prevent accidental operation during recording. The H5 can be attached to a camera strap or, with the use of our optional Hot Shoe mount, mounted directly to a DSLR or camcorder.
The H5 also provides everything you need to connect with the outside world. Dual combo XLR/TRS inputs that can handle both mic- and line-level signals allow you to connect external microphones and line-level devices like mixers, portable music players, effects processors, and electronic keyboards—even electric guitars or basses equipped with active electronics. Each H5 input has its own dedicated gain control knob, located beneath a protective bar that prevents accidental movement during handling. The supplied XYH-5 X/Y capsule also provides a secondary input for connecting stereo mic- or line-level signal via a ⅛" mini phone jack. The H5 supports a +4 dB (professional) input level and utilises the same high-quality preamps as our flagship H6, ensuring great-sounding recordings in all sonic environments.
There are lots of output options as well. A dedicated Line Out with adjustable volume allows you to send a stereo audio output from the H5 to the mic input of a video camera or other device without the need for an attenuator cable. In addition, there's a separate headphone output with a dedicated volume control. You can use both outputs simultaneously to route audio to your DSLR while monitoring over headphones. There's also a built-in speaker for fast access playback, and a USB port which allows the H5 to be used as an audio interface for your computer or iPad.
Power and Storage
Just 2 AA batteries—either alkaline or rechargeable NiMH—are required for power. When using alkaline batteries, the H5 will operate for more than 15 hours, even while recording continuously. You can also use an optional AC adapter to power the H5 without batteries. The H5 records directly to SD and SDHC cards up to 32 gigabytes. Maximum recording time is dependent upon the card size and file type; for example, the supplied 2GB SD card can hold approximately fourteen hours of stereo 320kbps MP3 files, three hours of stereo 16-bit / 44.1 kHz WAV files, or an hour of stereo 24-bit / 96kHz WAV files.
Here's what comes included with the H5.
- Operation manual
- XYH-5 X/Y mic capsule
- SD card (2GB)
- AA size (LR6) battery x 2
- USB cable
- Foam windscreen
- Case
- Steinberg WaveLab LE software download
- Steinberg Cubase LE software download
Optional Accessories
- SGH-6 Shotgun Mic Capsule
- EXH-6 Dual XLR/TRS Combo Capsule
- XYH-6 X/Y Mic Capsule
- MSH-6 Mid-Side Mic Capsule
- HS-01 Hot Shoe Mount Adapter
- WSU-1 Universal Windscreen
- PCH-5 Protective Case
- APH-5 Accessory Pack includes RCH-5 wired Remote Controller,
AD-17 USB-type AC adapter, and Hairy Windscreen
|
GENERAL |
|
|
Recording media: |
SD card: 16MB to 2GB , SDHC card: 4GB to 32GB |
|
Display: |
Backlit LCD (128 x 64 pixels) |
|
INPUTS |
|
|
INPUTS L/R [XYH-5 X/Y mic]: |
Mic type: Unidirectional |
|
MIC/LINE IN : |
Connector: 1/8" stereo mini jack |
|
INPUTS 1/2: |
Connectors: XLR / TRS combo jacks |
|
OUTPUTS |
|
|
LINE OUT : |
Connector: 1/8" stereo mini jack |
|
PHONE OUT : |
Connector: 1/8" stereo mini jack |
|
Built-in speaker: |
400mw 8 Ω mono |
|
RECORDING FORMATS |
|
|
STEREO MODE: |
WAV (BWF-compliant) MP3 |
|
MULTITRACK MODE: |
WAV (BWF-compliant) |
|
USB |
|
|
Mass Storage Class operation: |
Class: USB 2.0 High Speed |
|
Audio Interface operation: Multitrack mode: |
Class: USB 2.0 High Speed |
|
Audio Interface operation: Stereo mode: |
Class: USB 2.0 Full Speed USB bus powered operation possible |
|
POWER REQUIREMENTS |
|
|
|
AA size (LR6) battery x 2 |
