H8 Handy Recorder Quick Guide You must read the Usage and Safety Precautions before use. The Operation Manual can be downloaded from the ZOOM website (www.zoom.jp/docs/h8). This page has files in PDF and ePub formats. The PDF file format is suitable for printing on paper and reading on a computer. The ePub format can be read with electronic document readers and is designed for reading on smartphones and tablets.
Names of parts Top Bottom Mic connector cap attachment points Mic input volume L/R XY mic Mic track button Track buttons/ indicators 1/2/3/4/A/B PAD switch 1 PAD switch 2 Input volume 1/3/A Input volume 2/4/B Hi-Z switch A Hi-Z switch B Tripod mounting threads Battery compartment cover PAD switches 3/4 Touchscreen STOP/HOME button PLAY/PAUSE button REC button Left side Right side Front Power/Hold switch MIC/LINE IN jack (supports plug-in power) Input 1 Input A Input 3 REMOTE jac
Connection examples Field recording Wireless lavalier mics Gun mic Ambient mic Lavalier receivers Lavalier receivers Ambient mic Music creation Vocal mic Drum mic Electric bass Electric guitar Keyboard Podcasting Audio device, etc.
Preparations Installing batteries and an SD card Installing batteries 1. After turning the power off, open the battery compartment cover and install batteries. Open while pressing up Installing an SD card 1. After turning the power off, open the SD card slot cover and insert an SD card. To remove an SD card, push it further into the slot and then pull it out. Left side of bottom section SD card slot NOTE • Use alkaline batteries, rechargeable NiMH batteries or lithium batteries.
HINT • Sliding to toward HOLD will disable button and touchscreen operations. Setting the language (first time starting up) The first time you turn the power on after purchase, set the touchscreen display language when the language setting screen opens. 1. Tap the language you want to set. HINT The display language can be changed later using Home Screen > LANGUAGE.
Screen appearance On the H8, tap, swipe and slide on the screen to make settings and select functions to adjust. Home Screen The Home Screen appears when the H8 starts up. From the Home Screen, three recording applications, various setting screens and other functions can be launched. Swipe to change • Tap an icon to launch that app. • Press to return to the Home Screen. FIELD app Use this when field recording with the XY mic.
H8 folder and file structure When recording with the H8, folders and files are created on SD cards in the following manner. All three apps (FIELD, MUSIC and PODCASTS) can be used with projects that have been made. (Recording and playback of 96 kHz/16-bit and 96 kHz/24-bit WAV files is only supported by the FIELD app.) The H8 manages recording and playback data in units called projects. Project folders are created with names like“[date]_001” and“[date]_002”. (The date format is YYYYMMDD.
Input and output settings Setting input sources Set according to the devices connected to Inputs 1–4/A/B. Connecting a mixer or other device with a +4 dBu standard output level (Inputs 1–4) 1. Set the corresponding PAD switches ( ) to –20dB. Connecting guitars and other devices with high output impedance (Inputs A/B) 1. Set the corresponding Hi-Z switches ( to Hi-Z. ) PAD switches (1/2) Hi-Z switches PAD switches (3/4) HINT When connecting an ordinary mic, set the PAD switch to 0dB.
Enabling tracks (and stereo linking) Select which tracks to record from MIC IN, 1–4 and A/B. The MIC IN, 1–4 and A/B tracks correspond to the MIC IN, 1–4 and A/B inputs. 1. Launch the recording app, and press the track buttons ( ) for the tracks to record so that the corresponding LED indicators light red. HINT While pressing a track button, pressing the adjacent button (1 and 2, 3 and 4, or A and B) will stereo link those tracks, making a stereo track and creating stereo files on the SD card.
Using the FIELD app Time display Remaining battery charge Progress bar Recording/playback project name (Red) Empty Full Headphone/speaker volume button Status icon Level meters Track numbers Clipping indicators REW/FF buttons Settings button Track settings button Recording format button Recording 1. Press on the FIELD app screen. Operations during recording Function Control operation Pause/resume recording (add mark) Press Stop Press . or .
Playing recordings 1. Press on the FIELD app screen. Operations during playback Function Touchscreen/control operation Select playback project/move to mark Tap Search forward/backward Press and hold . Slide Pause/resume playback Press Stop Press . left/right. . . Other functions Function name Details Automatic recording Recording can be started and stopped automatically in response to the input level. Pre-recording This function enables recording for up to 6 seconds before pressed.
Using the MUSIC app Time display Progress bar Remaining battery charge Recording/playback project name (Red) Empty Full Headphone/speaker volume button Status icon Clipping indicators Level meters Faders Track display switching button Track buttons Settings button Tap to change screens Track settings button Low/Mid/High equalization Effect settings button Effect sends Pan Creating new projects In the MUSIC app, a project must be created before starting recording. 1.
HINT • The recording formats that can be set are 44.1 kHz/16-bit WAV, 44.1 kHz/24-bit WAV, 48 kHz/16-bit WAV, and 48 kHz/24-Bit WAV. • Effects can only be used when the recording format is 44.1 kHz/16-bit WAV or 44.1 kHz/24-bit WAV. • To open an existing project, select it from > Projects. Adjusting the input signal monitoring mix 1. On the MUSIC app screen, slide faders ( ) up and down. Recording 1. Press on the MUSIC app screen. This starts recording standby. 2. Press .
Using the PODCAST app Time display Remaining battery charge Progress bar Recording/playback project name (Red) Empty Full Headphone/speaker volume button Status icon Clipping indicators Pad level Sound pads Level meters Track settings button Settings button Recording 1. Press on the PODCAST app screen. Operations during recording Function Control operation Pause/resume recording (add mark) Press Stop Press . or .
Playing recordings 1. Press on the PODCAST app screen. Operations during playback Function Touchscreen/control operation Select playback project/move to mark Tap Search forward/backward Press and hold / . Tap Pause/resume Press Stop Press . left/right. Slide Skip 15 seconds / / . . . Other functions Function name Sound pads Details Audio files (WAV format) can be assigned to buttons on the touchscreen that play them back.
Main Specifications Number of input channels Number of output channels Connectors MIC IN INPUT 1-4 INPUT A/B USB REMOTE LINE OUT PHONE OUT Phantom power Recorder Recording media Formats 8 (XY mic capsule, 1-4, A, B) 1 (combined stereo headphone/line) ZOOM mic connector XLR jacks (2: HOT) XLR/TRS combo jacks (XLR: 2 hot, TRS: TIP hot) USB Micro-B (audio interface, mass storage and Guitar Lab connection functions) Note: Use a USB cable that supports data transfer.
