Zoom H5 Handy Recorder

Compact Portable Digital Recorder with Interchangeable Microphone Capsules

The Zoom H5 Handy Recorder is a versatile handheld digital audio recorder designed for four-track simultaneous recording. It features a modular microphone system with interchangeable capsules, allowing users to select the optimal microphone for various recording scenarios. The recorder includes the XYH-5 X/Y stereo microphone capsule, which consists of two matched unidirectional condenser microphones set at a 90-degree angle with a built-in shockmount to reduce handling noise and a maximum sound pressure level (SPL) of 140 dB.

Included Accessories

• XYH-5 X/Y microphone capsule
• 2GB SD card
• Two AA batteries (alkaline)
• USB cable
• Foam windscreen
• Hard plastic carrying case
• Operation manual
• Steinberg WaveLab LE and Cubase LE software (download)

Microphone Capsules Compatibility

The H5 supports all Zoom interchangeable input capsules, including:

• XYH-5 X/Y capsule (included)
• MSH-6 Mid-Side capsule for adjustable stereo imaging
• XYH-6 X/Y capsule with high-quality unidirectional microphones
• SGH-6 Shotgun capsule for highly directional audio capture
• EXH-6 Dual XLR/TRS combo input capsule for two additional inputs

Inputs and Outputs

• Two XLR/TRS combo inputs with selectable phantom power (+12V, +24V, +48V) and -20 dB pad
• One 3.5 mm stereo mini jack input for the XY capsule or external stereo mic/line input
• Dedicated line output with adjustable volume for connection to video cameras or other devices
• Headphone output with dedicated volume control
• Built-in mono speaker (400 mW, 8 Ω)
• USB 2.0 port for audio interface functionality and file transfer

Recording and Audio Quality

• Four-track simultaneous recording (two tracks from XY capsule plus two external inputs)
• Recording formats: BWF-compliant WAV (16/24-bit, 44.1/48/96 kHz) and MP3 (various bit rates up to 320 kbps)
• Maximum recording time depends on SD card size and format (e.g., 2GB card holds ~14 hours of stereo 320 kbps MP3)
• Supports SD cards from 16 MB up to 2 GB and SDHC cards up to 32 GB

Controls and Display

• Large backlit LCD screen (128 x 64 pixels) for menu navigation and status display
• Side-mounted toggle control and physical transport buttons for fast access to recording functions
• Analog-style gain knobs for each input with protective roll-bar covers to prevent accidental adjustment
• Dedicated record arm buttons for each track, which also function as mute switches during playback
• Hold switch to disable front panel buttons during recording

Built-in Effects and Features

• Low-cut filter to reduce wind noise and low-frequency rumble
• Compression and limiting to manage input level fluctuations
• Chromatic tuner and metronome for musical applications
• Auto-record, pre-record (captures 2 seconds before recording starts), and backup-record (records duplicate tracks at -12 dB) functions
• MS decoding for Mid-Side capsule recordings
• Multitrack to stereo internal mixdown
• Editing functions: normalize, divide, and trim
• Voice memos and up to 99 marks per recording
• A/B loop playback
• Variable playback speed and pitch control without affecting speed

Power and Operation

• Powered by two standard AA alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries
• Over 15 hours of continuous operation with alkaline batteries
• Optional AD-17 AC adapter (5 V/1 A USB type) or USB bus power
• Mountable to DSLR or camcorder with optional HS-01 Hot Shoe Mount adapter

USB Audio Interface

• Multichannel and stereo USB audio interface compatible with PC, Mac, and iPad (iPad requires Apple Camera Connection Kit)
• Loop back function for adding narration to music playback
• Supports 16/24-bit audio at 44.1 or 48 kHz sampling rates

Technical Specifications

• Microphone sensitivity: -45 dB at 1 kHz, 1 Pa
• Input gain range: -∞ to 52 dB (mic/line input), -∞ to 55 dB (XLR/TRS inputs with pad off)
• Maximum input level: +22 dBu (pad on)
• Input impedance: 1.8 kΩ or more (XLR/TRS), 2 kΩ or more (mini jack)
• Equivalent Input Noise (EIN): -120 dBu or less
• Output level: -10 dBm (line out), 20 mW + 20 mW into 32 Ω (headphones)
• Built-in speaker output: 400 mW mono
• Display: Backlit LCD, 128 x 64 pixels
• Recording media: SD cards 16 MB to 2 GB, SDHC cards 4 GB to 32 GB