Open Box Zoom H5 Handy Recorder Level 1

I use this at band practice and it is way better than just using a cell phone! Sound clarity and presence is much better. The entire band loves using this tool. Strongly recommend for anyone wanting better sound quality than a cell phone microphone. Great for capturing live shows!!!!!

Been a few devices I've bought over the years that were so much better than expected I'd gladly pay double the original price if I had to replace them. Original Canon 5D and the Bose L1 w/ToneMatch come to mind, and I'd add the Zoom H5 for sure. Crazy good sound and versatility for the money. Solid build. Standard XY mic is clean and very versatile, surprisingly good for vocals. Echo the people who recommend the windscreen though, can't even run a ceiling fan without it. H6 would be great but 2 line inputs was enough for us. We LOVE this thing.

I am an audiobook narrator and have been using this device as a standalone recorder. The preamps are great and the sound quality is excellent. However, there is a noticeable degradation in the sound quality when using this device in interface mode. I contacted Zoom support and they confirmed there is a hardware issue that creates a warble effect when using the device in interface mode that effects the recording wuality. I was told this is only an issue with the H5 model. If you are using this as a standalone recorder it sounds amazing but if you are a professional trying to use this device in interface mode you will be disappointed.

So far, I have used the Zoom H5 for nature recording. The clarity is amazing. I'm waiting on mics to arrive, but I was astounded by the XY mics it came with. I was very impressed. One thing to note using the mics, it picks up handling noise from just holding the Zoom. It is very sensitive! While I wait for my mini boom stick, I attacked the unit to a mini tabletop tripod for use while holding it in the field. Problem solved and no handling noise! I'm also an amateur musician. I have not yet tried any multiteack recording, but I'm sure this does just great and can surely work for ambient room recordings as well. Overall, I'm extremely satisfied and love this thing!

Incredible upgrade from Tascam DR40. Since I needed an audio interface feature now that most of my work is through video chat.

I needed a very portable second recorder to supplement my Roland R-05, for live choir performances. For such events, I don't need bulky equipment, nor do I need more than four channels--I normally use only two, the internal mics--and I do all of my audio mixing on my computer, so in-unit mixing abilities are not a decision factor for me. This unit's reviews, across several vendors, topped those of the upgraded Roland models R-07 and R-26, as well as the Zoom H6. So, I took the risk with the H5. Out of the box, it was difficult to figure out, because it was not intuitive to have to press the rocker switch in, in order to select from a menu (for example, to choose my default recordings specs). It took me several minutes of searching through the manual to get it, as even the manual doesn't bring out that fact at once. Once I could finally set it up the way I prefer, I did some initial testing. I set the unit on my bed covers, thinking that would sufficiently dampen any vibration for my testing. When I copied the test audio files onto my PC, I noticed a great deal of noise during silent parts, so I began to doubt. I then took it to a live concert situation and set it up so the unit was sitting on a folded towel, with the internal mics hanging over the edge. When I got home and checked those files, I was pleasantly surprised, as the silent parts were quiet and the music parts were crisp. I suspect that during my first tests, the internal mics were actually touching the bed covers, causing the noise. It seems that as long as the mics are hanging in open air, the shock mounts do their job extremely well. So, I give this unit a 5 for sound quality, but a 3 in intuitive initial usability. (Once you get it figured out, it is easy to use.) In addition, the batteries seem to last a shorter time than I expected (compared to the R-05), but the sound quality makes up for that.