I've owned the Zoom H4 for nearly a year and I use it almost every day. I recommend it highly.
It has excellent built-in stereo mics, XLR connectors, phantom power for your good condensor mics, and it makes really good recordings. It is a 4-channel multi-tracker, 2 at a time.
It even has mic modeling for the two built-in mics: Shure SM57, Senn. MD421, Neumann U87, or AKG C414. The models work very well.
I've used it to record gigs in large rooms and smaller rooms, to record
practice and rehearsals, and even to lay down album-quality tracks. I do
all the mixing/editing/mastering on my computer using Adobe Audition. When
you connect via USB the H4 mounts as a drive, so there is no intermediate
step to export or import files. You just drag and drop.
Plan on spending some money for a larger SD memory card. A 2 Gig card works
best.
I spent $299 for mine the first week they came out, and I still feel that
was a bargain. I understand they have come down in price a bit, making them
a no-brainer.
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