Live Recording with the Zoom H2

See also Part 2

For the casual (low budget) recorder (previously know as "tapers"), if you wanted top quality and the ability to record concerts lasting many hours, the iRiver H120 was a great way to go. I like to think I was on the forefront of the iRiver-for-tapers movement, and helped promote using these great devices for recording concerts. You see them a lot these days.

For the uninitiated, the iRiver was a brickish iPod-like device with a little hard drive and great DSP stuff. It even had digital ins and outs. The Rockbox project adopted it and created some great software for it. I started using mine for shows in January 2006. I later bought an H320 too and Dale has been using that one. 

I hate to come out and publicize it. It may impact the resale value of the iRivers. But here goes: the Zoom H2 can be had for about the same money as good second-hand iRivers (iRivers in questionable condition are fairly cheap, though). The H2 can do a lot more. Most significantly, the H2 has built in mics that aren't bad and it is 24 bit.

I have done only one concert with the H2, so if you were expecting the definitive guide to recording with this device, come back in a few months. What I have found so far, though, is that the thing sounds good. The mic capsules inside the H2 are pretty good (there are four of them, read about it here).  The electronics do a good job of capturing that decent sound and digitizing it,  and the user interface beats Rockbox.

The H2 has two cool mounting options - a regular camera tripod thread, or a mic-holder/mic stand adapter (which I used with a regular boom. It has a volume control range that worked well for a very loud live venue. Functionally, it gets high marks for out-in-the-open taping. For less overt recording, it may have it's drawbacks, but the H120 with Rockbox also leaves much to be desired for clandestine taping.

As for the show I chose as my first with the H2 (I didn't really choose it, the H2 I ordered arrived two days before the show, so I took it), to be kind, it was memorable. It was the third or fourth time I went to the Jigsaw Saloon and Stage's Thanksgiving eve show. The place is always packed, and that always makes it fun. The sound in there is always WAY too loud. The bass bins on their main stacks are way too big for the venue - a lot like the Beachland Ballroom used to be. 

Since I didn't have my 16GB memory card that I'd ordered (I only had a 2GB card) I could only get 59 minutes at 96 kHz 24 bit, so I decided I would only record the Lords of the Highway. It turns out they got stuck all the way at the end of the bill, so I had to listen to the other 5 or 6 bands they put on first. I didn't like any of them, except for Uncle Scratch (always fun) and the Whiskey Daredevils. I had seen them before, but not with their new guitar player, Gary Popcorn (Siperko?). That guy could really play and it made the entire evening worthwhile. I just wish that I had recorded their set. I stopped him (Gary) and told him how much I enjoyed his playing at least three times.

The Lords got on stage about 1:30 and started playing about 1:32 after the crappiest two minute sound check I ever heard. It was their first Cleveland show with new bassist, Jimbo, so of course all of us fans (those who were left) were enthusiastic. Overall, though, it was too short. Insultingly, the sound guys shut off the PA in the middle of a song at 2 AM. Need I say more?