This week I decided to review my Zoom h2n. This is one of the most powerful and cheapest ways to get into podcasting, and have great sound quality at the same time. This thing runs $160 for just the recorder, or $200 for the recorder and the accessories pack (which I HIGHLY recommend). I guess I should tell you why I think it's a great podcasting device.
First, it is one of the easiest devices I have ever used. I took it out of the box. Put in the batteries. Put in the SD card. Turned it on and hit record and I was going. That's a huge benefit if you're podcasting, you want to be able to record quickly so you don't miss any amazing conversations. It also want to point out that this thing is portable. With the accessory pack, they provide a nice case that you can just throw in your bag and be good to go just about anywhere.
Second, this thing is versatile. It has 5 mic capsules inside that allow you to capture a lot of stuff in the exact way you want to. Let me explain. It has a a 90-degree XY microphone on one side and a Midside microphone on the other side. The 90-degree XY set up is fairly self explanatory and you can't alter it at all. The Midside is the cool one. It has a mic that points forward, and a mic point 90 degrees on either side. So it's depth of field is about 150-degrees. Now the cool part. As a podcaster, you may not want to pick up all the room noise. You are able to change the depth of field of the mid side microphone all the way down to the point where it's a Mono mic, which is perfect for podcasting.
Third, Surround Sound! Both mics sound great by themselves, and they each serve their own purpose, but you can actually join them together and get an omni-directional (almost 360-degree) microphone! This is perfect for podcasters who don't have the budget to buy a bunch of microphones or an interface that supports lots of microphones! It allows you to put the mic in the middle of the table, have a conversation with your guest and you're good to go!
Another purpose that I think this setting is great for is backing up your podcasts. If you record lots of guests, or record on your laptop, or anything, I know you've run into an issue with recording where you realized that you had not been recording. This is a great solution. Put on the surround sound mode, set it in the middle of the table, and hit record. This means if your primary recording device fails, you will still have a record of your podcast!
There are a few other features and tests that I discuss in the video that you should check out. But I highly recommend this to podcasters who are looking for a great primary rig, or a backup rig!
Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1FxyECc
