The ugly black arachnid that is the Zoom H8 is on the way.
Why always Zoom? Just like Domke bags, Zoom products just seem to fit my way of doing things. There are better made, nicer to use and cleaner sounding products out there, but I like the tactile nature of Zoom controls, value, clever ideas, inter-system compatibility (depth of options and backups) and with one exception (stupid broken battery door cover on the F1 as have so many apparently), they seem well enough made.
At the end of the day, the ability to run all 8 of my mics, to gain an extra capsule (superior X/Y with two coverage patterns) and a slight improvement in noise control was too much to resist for $500au and the EOFY sale bargains look to be mostly over, so I may have grabbed the last for a while.
Even without legs, it is still imposing. That nice X/Y capsule will upgrade the H5 and the EXH-6 will replace it.
My priority was cleaner and stronger output with dynamics, which is really the only area the H8 beats out its lesser brethren. It is feature packed, but that jack of all trades vibe is strong. I really only want the good stuff, could care less about the fluff, but there is enough fluff to help when needed.
The EXH-6 will let the H8 take my total capacity of 8 XLR mics, which may not ever be needed, but three or more condensers could be (buying condensers up to now has been based on the 2 mic limit) and better support for the dynamics is probably a must. The EXH-6 is very good, but does not match the H5’s inputs.
This will be carried in the mic case because I will not be using it as a “handy” recorder. The AC-17 adapter will also be packed with this as I would expect to usually only use it in controlled environments.
Not really interested in most of the other features, but I am sure there will be things I will use that I do not even know it has yet. The reality is, this is the only practical way I can connect 8 specialist mics to a standard camera without either enormous expense and/or over complication.
The H5?
This will be matched to the SSH-6 and the XYH-6 capsule above for a better than average on-the-go answer and the two Lewitt 040 or 240 condensers can make a “scorpions tail” of front capsule and “wing” mics that will do plenty. Otherwise it makes a decent backup with a capsule and excellent portable mic micro-placement tool, so the H8 can be bedded down and left.
This is the high tide mark of the “B” team and will likely get most things done, but all the mics I bought would never reach their potential with just it.
The F1 will also get the SSH-6 or shock resistant XYH-5, depending on what I need (they all travel together in the same case). This is the only practical on-camera solution, capable of taking any capsule and works well as an under the nose panel mic.
The F6 was the holy grail, but costs almost double and after better than expected results from the H5 with dynamic mics, and some handling and feature short comings being revealed it actually dropped away.
The AMS-44 was also an option, and at half the price, but being new I could not get many answers for the tougher questions like line out quality to an H series etc. The whole thing just felt a little too much like a compromise and for only twice as much, I got so much more.
Glad it is over.
*
Not half an hour after the H8 was bought (and despatched!), the last dynamic, the second MTP 440 Lewitt was cancelled. The supplier had one more in the system than reality and backorders would be a month or more.
Turns out that was probably ideal.
I have both of my new Lewitt mics in hand and what strikes me is the MTP 440 is a solid mid-bass end specialist, the LCT 240 more of a mid range generalist. The role the 440 fills is needed, handling the bass and grunt of amps, but which is an area I have several mics for (sE V7, TT1) and it is possible I may need something even deeper (DTP 340). The 240, a medium-large diaphragm condenser, it is not bothered by much.
The same supplier had the LCT 240 in the same sale ($165au base kit-no shock mount) with free freight. That is a good price, $200+ being the norm. I will use it for vocals, but one shock mount will do, the second when used will either be used for an instrument, in a pair for area coverage or in a controlled situation.
The second LCT was not on my radar before because the limitation of 2 condensers at a time made even owning three a little frustrating. Limiting myself to dynamics mostly forced a compromise, one that ironically the H8 fixed, but also allowed the condenser road to be explored more. Go you big ugly problem solver you.
The 240 is to me a better all-rounder. The power thing sorted, a pair of 240’s is a powerful matched option. I now have (from Lewitt) more of a 2 high /2 mid /1 low combination rather than a 2 high/1 mid/2 low with one of the top three unusable at once.
I can now also run two 240’s through the H5 if I want for a perfect portable podcast system.
Sometimes things just work out ok.
Think my map is out of date now.