Zoom H5 Handy Recorder

The All-New Zoom H5
The New Standard in Portable Recording

Our 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 uses a system of interchangeable input capsules, allowing you to choose the best microphone for every recording situation. In addition to being fully compatible with all Zoom input capsules, the H5 comes with a new X/Y stereo capsule, featuring extended signal capacity and shockmounted microphones for reduced handling noise..

Whether you're new to portable recording or a long-time user of Zoom Handy Recorders, the flexible and powerful H5 provides everything you need to create professional-quality multitrack recordings, add pristine audio to your videos, and do state-of-the-art podcasting, broadcasting and electronic newsgathering.

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 rubberized material to isolate the unit from the H5 body and thus minimize 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.

Use the Optimal Mic Every Time

The H5's modular design means that you can always use the best microphone for every recording environment.

For example, the Zoom XYH-6 large diaphragm X/Y mic capsule allows you to alter the angle of its microphones (choose 90 degrees for a more focused sound or 120 degrees for a wider stereo image), making it a good choice for recording classical music and for capturing sound effects in the field.
Our MSH-6 mid-side mic capsule is the perfect accessory for film and video work. In conjunction with the H5's built-in MS decoder, it enables you to alter the width of the stereo soundstage during recording or in postproduction, while still maintaining perfect mono compatibility.

Create audio that's as compelling as the story you're telling by plugging in an SGH-6 Shotgun capsule—a highly directional microphone designed for capturing sound at a distance, ideal for electronic newsgathering and for recording theatrical performances.

Or connect an EXH-6 Dual XLR/TRS Combo capsule to give your H5 four discrete mic/line inputs, each with its own dedicated gain knob, allowing you to record the sound of four separate microphones simultaneously—great for everything from rehearsals to full-fledged music production.

You can also use dynamic, condenser or ribbon microphones with the H5. Phantom power of +12, +24 or +48 volts can be applied to each of the main inputs, as well as a 20dB pad for signal attenuation. Small condenser microphones requiring 2.5 volts of Plug-In Power can be connected to the XYH-5's 1/8" Mic/Line In jack.

The Hardware

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 utilizes 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.

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, a 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.

The Software

The H5 can operate in two different modes—choose stereo for two-track stereo recording, or multitrack for four-track recording (in either stereo pairs or individual mono tracks)—and it captures audio in the two most commonly used file formats: WAV and MP3.
The WAV files recorded by the H5 can be 16- or 24-bit, with sampling rates of 44.1, 48, or 96kHz*. They are automatically time-stamped and thus Broadcast Wave Format (BWF) compliant, allowing for precise synchronization in video post-production.
MP3 files, while slightly lower in fidelity, are much smaller than WAV files and are thus easier to email and post on social networking sites—allowing you to quickly and easily share your creations around the world.

* 96kHz sampling rate available in stereo mode only

The H5's onboard effects allow you to add polish to your recordings. Compression and limiting compensate for fluctuations in input level, while a low-cut filter helps eliminate wind noise, blowing, and other kinds of low frequency rumble. There's even an onboard metronome and chromatic/guitar/bass tuner.

But the list of H5 features doesn't end there. There's playback looping, pitch change and variable playback speed (without pitch change) to help with phrase training. A pre-record function that keeps the H5 continuously recording in the background, keeping the previous two seconds before you hit RECORD.
There’s an Auto-Record function that allows recording to begin automatically when a certain level of sound is detected and an equivalent Auto-Stop function that ends recording when the sound drops below a user-designated level, either immediately or up to 5 seconds later. And then there's Backup-Record—the ultimate safety net.* It enables the H5 to automatically record a duplicate set of stereo tracks with 12dB less input gain. Even if your original track is distorted, chances are the Backup version will be fine!

You can even use your H5 as an audio interface, complete with a Loop Back function that makes it easy to add narration to music playback. Simply connect the H5 to your computer or iPad** via USB, launch your favorite DAW and start creating a masterpiece.

* 44.1 and 48kHz WAV files only.
** Apple Camera Connection Kit required.

H5 Features at a glance

Main Features

• Uses a system of interchangeable input capsules that can be swapped out as easily as the lens of a camera
• Includes detachable X/Y capsule (XYH-5) with extended signal capacity and shockmounted mics for reduced handling noise
• Compatible with all Zoom input capsules
• Four-track simultaneous recording
• Large backlit LCD display
• Records directly to SD and SDHC cards up to 32GB
• Up to 24-bit/96kHz audio in BWF-compliant WAV or a variety of MP3 formats
• Two mic/line inputs with XLR/TRS combo connectors
• Analog-style gain controls for each input
• Protective "roll-bar" type covers prevent accidental movement of gain controls
• Hold switch disables front panel buttons to prevent accidental operation during recording
• Selectable phantom power for either or both main inputs: +12/+24/+48V
• Plug-in power (2.5 volts)
• Built-in effects, including low-cut filtering, compression and limiting
• Chromatic tuner and metronome
• Auto-record, Pre-record and Backup-record functions mean that you'll never miss that perfect take
• MS decoding
• 20dB pads for either or both main inputs
• Multitrack to stereo internal mixdown
• Unique mono mix function to eliminate shifts in perspective during live recording
• Normalize, Divide and Trim editing
• Voice memo and up to 99 marks per recording
• A/B loop playback
• Variable playback speed, from 50% to 150%
• Variable pitch without affecting playback speed
• Multichannel and stereo USB audio interface for PC/Mac/iPad
• Loop Back operation for combining live audio input with computer playback
• USB port for SD card reader function and data exchange to and from computer
• Mountable directly to DSLR or camcorder with optional HS-01 Hot Shoe Mount adapter
• Uses two standard AA alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries
• Over 15 hours of operation with alkaline batteries
• Optional AC adapter, wired remote control and hairy windscreen

Accessories

Here's what comes included with the H5.

• Operation manual
• XYH-5 X/Y mic capsule
• USB cable
• Foam windscreen
• Case

Optional H5 accessories.

• HS-01 Hot Shoe Mount adapter
• APH-5 Accessory Pack includes wired
• Remote Control (RCH-5), AC adapter (AD-17) and Hairy Windscreen
• XYH-6 X/Y capsule
• MSH-6 MS capsule
• SGH-6 Shotgun capsule
• EXH-6 Dual XLR/TRS Combo capsule