Zoom H8 Handy Recorder

Mic-ins in audio recording has been a common struggle to artists and sound engineers while laying-in their music tracks. Whether it’s an on the spot live gig or studio tracking, every sound should be on its proper effect and set to the right mix. With the Zoom H8 Handy Recorder, all of these are made possible with the next generation Podcast/Music/Field Recording Modes that features a grotesque setting of audio controls where you can connect via USB to your PC, Mac, iPad or tablet up to 12 channels of simultaneous recording. The supplied XYH-6 X/Y capsule which is swappable provides secondary input via a stereo ⅛” Mic/Line In mini phone jack.

Built-in effects, including low-cut filtering, compression, and limiting can be set using 4 x XLR Mic Inputs with Pads and +48V and 2 x XLR-1/4" Mic/Line/Hi-Z Inputs totaling to loads of instruments and audio inputs to be recorded. Multichannel and Stereo USB Audio Interface can be used to save 24-bit /96kHz Audio in BWF-Compliant WAV via PC/Mac/iPad. A large color LCD touchscreen display will show the manipulation of your controls while you gain the control through the knobs and -20dB Pads. Zoom H8 supports SD, SDHC and SDXC cards up to 512GB.

Product Features in Detail

There’s An App For Your Workflow
Whether you’re capturing audio on location, recording music, or producing a podcast, the H8 color touchscreen adapts to your project's needs with three App-driven interface options. All with the touch of your finger.

The Podcast App
The PODCAST App makes producing your podcast simple. With dedicated Sound Pads, use the touch screen to trigger sound effects, music beds and more. Choose from 13 high quality sounds or load your own via an SD card.
The Podcast App accommodates up to 4 mics and two Sound Pad channels.

The Music App
The MUSIC App puts all the important controls at your fingertips: audio levels, faders, metering and more. With 10 inputs and 12 tracks, capturing a large group is easy. Mix, overdub, and enhance your recordings with EQ and compression. Connect to Zoom’s Guitar Lab via USB to access an endless assortment of amps and effects.

The Field App
The FIELD App is ideal for location sound, sound design, conferences, and more. It gives you instant access to large meters for every track, so you can make sure your recordings never clip. Adjust input type, lo-cut, compression, limiter, noise gate, and other key settings.

The Mic Capsule
The H8 comes with the Zoom XYH-6 microphone. This capsule provides two matched high-quality unidirectional mics, for capturing signal directly in front of the recorder. With the Zoom mic capsule system you can easily swap capsules to ensure you’re always using the right mic for the job.

XYH-6 X/Y Capsule
Live Recording Personified
The X/Y capsule employs two angled high-quality unidirectional mics which are sensitive to signals coming from the front but less to signals coming from the sides and rear. X/Y recording is optimum when you want to cover a wide area yet still capture a strong center image, making it the perfect choice for all types of live stereo recording.

MSH-6 MS Capsule
The Ultimate In Image Control
Welcome to “Mid-Side” recording, a whole new level of precision in your ability to shape sound. The MS Capsule contains dual mic elements – a forward-facing, unidirectional mic (the “Mid”) and a side-facing, bi-directional mic (the “Side”). Together they capture a fully mono-compatible stereo image that can actually be adjusted after recording – ideal for film, video, and television projects.

XYH-5 X/Y Capsule
Louder. Closer. Cleaner.
The XYH-5 X/Y microphone capsule provides two matched unidirectional condenser microphones set at a 90 degree angle. These mics are housed within an advanced shockmount that employs rugged external mic wires and rubberized material to minimize vibration and handling noise, making the XYH-5 ideal for location videography and live broadcast/podcast applications. The design of the XYH-5 also allows it to handle extremely loud sounds—140 dB SPL, to be precise (equivalent to the sound of a jet aircraft from less than 200 feet away)—making it perfect for capturing the sound of live rock concerts and for electronic news gathering.

SGH-6 Shotgun Capsule
All the Pickup, Half the Length
The optional SGH-6 Shotgun Capsule is a highly directional ideal audio setup for film, video, live theater, and ENG (electronic newsgathering) applications. Three elements combined with digital signal processing inside the SGH-6 give you the highly directional pickup power of a conventional shotgun mic in a unit only half the size – ideal for recording dialogue and narration with no intrusive mic in the scene.

EXH-6 Dual XLR/TRS Combo Capsule
Expanded Connectivity
Plugging in the optional EXH-6 Dual XLR/TRS Combo Capsule gives you two more inputs, transforming your H8 into the world’s smallest eight-track recorder. Connect up to six discrete signals from external microphones, instruments, mixers, or portable music players to fully realize your audio vision. It’s all the power of a professional recording studio, right in the palm of your hand.

SSH-6 STEREO SHOTGUN CAPSULE
The best of both worlds.
The SSH-6 Stereo Shotgun capsule adds a super-directional mic for capturing sounds directly in front, plus a bi-directional one for capturing ambient sounds. It’s ideal for location recording, allowing videographers and content creators to capture dialogue or narration with the center microphone and mixing in the desired amount of environmental sound captured by the side microphone.

Next Generation Capsule System
Zoom’s Capsule System 2.0 allows up to 4 channels of audio to be added to the H8's capsule connection, creating new ways to expand your recording capabilities.

COMBINATION XY / AB MIC
XAH-8
The XAH-8 capsule delivers pristine stereo recordings. Easily rotate the capsules from a tight XY pattern to a wide AB pattern to enhance the stereo image of your recordings.

AMBISONIC MIC
VRH-8
The VRH-8 is an Ambisonic mic capsule that utilizes four condenser microphones to deliver immersive 360 audio recordings. A built-in accelerometer helps ensure the capsule is always perfectly aligned, while the on-board Ambisonic decoder automatically handles the necessary conversions, saving you time in post-production.

EXPANDER CAPSULE
EXH-8
The EXH-8 capsule provides 4 additional XLR inputs, giving you a total of 10. Each additional input has a dedicated gain knob and pad switch. You can even use your favorite condenser microphones—just connect a power source to the EXH-8 capsule to supply phantom power.

Remote Control
You can monitor level meters and hit REC,PLAY, and STOP in each H8 application mode. Just insert the BTA-1 to your H8 and connect to your iOS device.

Inputs & Outputs
H8 offers 4 XLR inputs with dedicated pad switches and gain control. 2 additional XLR/TRS combo jacks with Hi-Z switches allow you to capture line level signals, microphones, or directly record electric guitars and basses.
Monitor tracks using the built-in 1/8” headphone output or connect directly to your camera using the dedicated stereo line output.

Multi-Channel Audio Interface
The H8 is a powerful USB audio interface. Connect via USB to your PC, Mac, iPad or tablet for up to 12 channels of simultaneous recording.

Recording Time & File Formats
Get more than 15 hours of recording time from just 4 AA batteries. Or record forever with the optional AD-17 adapter.

State-of-the-Art Editing

The Zoom H8 comes with a free download license for Cubase LE and Steinberg’s WaveLab Cast software. WaveLab Cast helps you to finalize your project with a wide range of comprehensive editing, mixing, and refinement tools.

Podcasting
WaveLab Cast connects you directly with podcast directories, such as Spreaker or Podbean*. You can upload episodes quickly, plus directly create and publish RSS feeds.

Audio for Video
Import your video file and WaveLab Cast will automatically extract the audio. You can use the editing tools to lower unwanted noise, change levels and remove loud sibilants. Metering options allow you to build new tracks, fade-in your music, use EQ and compression. Re-attach the audio to the video file using WaveLab Cast’s export functions.

Field Recording
WaveLab Cast supports up to 96KHz audio quality and includes a high-end re-sampler. RestoreRig removes noise and unwanted sounds. You can assemble new files using the snap functions and crossfade options. Once you’re done, export your sound files in any popular audio format.