Zoom H2essential - Multi-Mic Handy Recorder

The Most Flexible Recorder for Creators

So Many Ways to Record

The H2essential is the only Handy Recorder with three internal microphones. With the ability to select different mic patterns, it gives creators more options than ever before.

Features

Mid-Side stereo pickup from the front and rear

Pickup pattern selection: 120 , 90 , and MONO

32-bit float recording requires no gain adjustment

3.5mm stereo mini external mic/line input

3.5mm stereo mini line/headphone output

Built-in speaker for quick preview

Built-in Mixer for volume adjustments

Color 1.3-inch LCD display

Low-cut filter

Accessibility for the visually impaired

32-bit float USB mic functionality for Win/Mac/iOS/Android

Remote control from iOS app via BTA-1 Bluetooth connection

Micro SDHC / micro SDXC cards up to 2TB supported

Powered by 2 AA batteries, AC adapter, or USB mobile battery

11 hours of operation with 2 AA alkaline batteries

Specs

Inputs

MID mic (FRONT/REAR) Pickup pattern Unidirectional

Sensitivity -37 dB/Pa at 1 kHz

Maximum sound pressure input 120 dB SPL

SIDE mic Pickup pattern Bidirectional

Sensitivity -39 dB/Pa at 1 kHz

Maximum sound pressure 122 dB SPL

MIC/LINE IN jack Connector Stereo mini jack

Input impedance 2 k

Maximum input level 7 dBu

Plug-in power 3.3 V

Outputs

PHONE/LINE OUT jack Connector Stereo mini jack

Maximum output level 20 mW + 20 mW (when 32 load)

Output impedance 10 or less

Built-in speaker Type 20 mm × 30 mm elliptical dynamic speaker

E ective maximum output 250 mW

Recorder

Recording format WAV

44.1, 48 or 96 kHz / 32-bit oat

Stereo / mono

BWF and iXML formats supported

Recording media microSDHC memory cards

microSDXC memory cards

Display

1.3" full-color LCD 240 × 240

USB

Connector USB Type-C

Use a USB cable that supports data transfer.

Audio interface USB2.0 High Speed

Input and output channels 4 in / 2 out (Multi)

2 in / 2 out (Stereo)

Sampling frequencies 44.1/48/96 kHz (audio interface only)

44.1/48 kHz (audio interface + onboard recording)

Bit depths 24-bit, 32-bit float

File transfer USB2.0 High Speed

Power

2 AA batteries Alkaline, Lithium, or Rechargeable NiMH

AC adapter ZOOM AD-17: DC 5 V/1 A

USB bus power is supported.

ESTIMATED CONTINUOUS OPERATION TIME USING BATTERIES (FRONT stereo recording)

Alkaline batteries About 11 hours

NiMH batteries (1900 mAh) About 9 hours

Lithium batteries About 20.5 hours

FRONT stereo recording at 48 kHz/32-bit float, no headphones or remote, Power Saving time set to 1 minute

These values are approximate.

Continuous battery operation times were determined using in-house testing methods.

They will vary greatly according to use conditions.

ESTIMATED CONTINUOUS OPERATION TIME USING BATTERIES (FRONT+REAR stereo recording)

Alkaline batteries About 8 hours

NiMH batteries (1900 mAh) About 8 hours

Lithium batteries About 17.5 hours

FRONT+REAR stereo recording at 48 kHz/32-bit float, no headphones or remote, Power Saving time set to 1 minute

These values are approximate.

Continuous battery operation times were determined using in-house testing methods.

They will vary greatly according to use conditions.

ESTIMATED CONTINUOUS OPERATION TIME USING BATTERIES (FRONT stereo + external mic recording)

Alkaline batteries About 4 hours

NiMH batteries (1900 mAh) About 4.5 hours

Lithium batteries About 9.5 hours

FRONTstereo + external mic recording at 96kHz/32-bit float with headphones (33 load) and remote, Power Saving time set to 1 minute

These values are approximate.

Continuous battery operation times were determined using in-house testing methods.

They will vary greatly according to use conditions.

Power consumption 3 W maximum

Under the Hood

With two cardioid mics facing front and rear and a bi-directional mic facing side to side, the H2essential allows you to choose the perfect pick-up pattern for every recording.

3 Mics 9 Ways to Record

Set your pickup pattern to 90 or 120 stereo, or choose mono for a hyper directional pickup, reducing background noise. Then choose to record from the front, rear, or select both sides for surround sound pickup.

Solo Musician

90 Stereo / Rear Mic

Record in 90 stereo with the rear microphones to capture a natural stereo image .

Ensembles

120 Stereo / Front & Rear

Using the front and rear-facing stereo 120 microphones, capture a wide, immersive sound field of the entire ensemble.

Podcasts

Mono / Front & Rear Mics

Mono pickup reduces environmental noise for better isolation. Using the front and rear microphones, you can capture two discrete tracks.

Streaming & Video Calls

90 or Mono / Rear Mics

Use the H2essential as a mono or stereo USB microphone for streaming and video calls.

Powered by 32-Bit Float

Record in 32-bit float up to 96kHz ensuring high-quality audio
without ever having to set gain.

32-Bit Float USB Mic

When connected to a PC, Mac, iOS, or Android device using the USB-C port, the H2essential can be used as a USB microphone while simultaneously recording to the SD card.

Recording Audio-for-Video with Your Phone

Connect the H2essential to your mobile device via USB and record professional audio directly onto your phone's video. Perfect for video podcasts and live streams.

New Firmware Update

We're excited to announce a new firmware update for the Zoom Essential Series recorders, designed to bring even more flexibility and performance to your recordings.

Gain Adjustment

Adjust levels during recording to significantly reduce the need for audio editing in post-production.

H2e_AINR_en

AI Noise Reduction

Enable AI Noise Reduction to eliminate steady background noise, lowering the noise floor for clear, studio-quality sound anywhere.

MP3 Recording

Enables recording in a compressed format that minimizes file size, making sharing recorded files even more convenient.

Mid-Side Recording

Record in MS Raw and adjust the width of the stereo image in post production. This is helpful when you want to control ambient noise.

Features You'll Love

The H2essential has advanced features such as a low cut filter, pre-record, auto record, and playback speed adjustment.

Accessibility

The H2essential is designed with Accessibility for the blind and visually impaired. Navigate the menu with audible descriptions through the built-in speaker or headphones. Creators can choose English, Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Italian or Chinese.

3.5mm Input

The 3.5mm input can accommodate lav mics, audio players, keyboards and more. You can record with the front mic and the 3.5mm input simultaneously.

Built-in Mixer

Use the mixer to easily adjust each track's audio level.

Color LCD Waveform display

The high-contrast 1.3 inch LCD screen makes it easy to navigate through the H2essential's simple interface.The real-time waveform display lets you see your audio as it records.

Headphone Output

Use the 3.5mm headphone output for headphones or to connect directly to a camera.

Onboard speaker

Use the onboard speaker to listen to your recordings for quick reference as well as to utilize the accessibility functions.

High Capacity Storage

The H2essential supports SDXC cards up to 2TB to record days of audio.

Set Markers

The H2essential has a dedicated Marker button to instantly set reference points while recording.

Power Optionsk

The H2essential can be powered by two AA batteries or via the USB-C port.

Please Note: Batteries and SD Card not included

What's in the box
1 x Zoom H2essential Multi-Mic 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder