[Ken Fujimoto's Digital Audio Laboratory] 4K / PCM recording allows you to replace the microphone capsule! ZOOM "Q8n-4K"-AV Watch

Q2n-4K's big brother who became more like a video camera

The Q8n-4K is a video camera equipped with an XY type electret condenser microphone and equipped with two XLR microphone input terminals, enabling simultaneous recording of up to 4 channels. Although each camera manufacturer is focusing on image quality and video recording functions, many of them have a rough sound. A video camera that can record sound with linear PCM is valuable now that Sony's "HDR-MV" has been discontinued.

I've used the Q2n-4K before, and it's been very good, so I personally use it as a handheld camera on the YouTube / Nico Nico Live program DTM Station Plus !, which I run. The Q8n-4K that appeared this time seems to be the big brother of the Q2n-4K. 4K, 1080, 720 resolutions can be selected in terms of specifications, and 96kHz / 24bit, 96kHz / 16bit, 48kHz / 24bit, 48kHz / 16bit, 44.1kHz / 24bit, 44.1kHz / 16bit modes can be selected for audio. It is almost the same as Q2n-4K in that it can be done (Q2n-4K has 3 modes of 96kHz / 24bit, 48kHz / 24bit, 44.1kHz / 16bit).

When these Q8n-4K and Q2n-4K are arranged side by side, the size and shape are quite different, and the shape is more like a video camera.

The microphone part is movable, so you can tilt it straight when you carry it, and raise it when recording or shooting.

By raising this microphone, a liquid crystal display appears, where you can monitor the screen and make various settings.

The display is also operational, and when you open it, the power button appears, where you can turn it on and off.

There is also a microSD card slot here, and you need to insert media here when recording.

Also, when the display is opened, the screen can be seen from the direction of the lens, so it can also be used with SELPHY.

On the other hand, looking at the right side, two XLR terminals are lined up. You can connect an external microphone here and adjust its input gain with the knob above. Not only can you connect a dynamic microphone here, but you can also connect a condenser microphone that uses phantom power, and you can turn the phantom power on and off next to the power switch on the main unit.

Normally, the built-in XY type microphone is used, but this can also be switched to the XLR input with a switch, and if it is only audio, it is a unique specification that simultaneous multi-track recording of 4 channels is possible.

The XY type built-in microphone is removable, and the microphone capsule can be replaced by removing it.

I didn't have any other mic capsules at hand, so I haven't tried it this time, but I can attach shotgun mics, XY / AB mics, MS mics, etc. that are on sale for ZOOM's linear PCM recorders. The VRH-8, an AMBISONIC-compatible microphone capsule, will be released soon.

Below the microphone jack is a USB-C jack, a micro HDMI jack, and a headphone output for your monitor. USB-C can be used to charge the built-in lithium-ion battery, and can also be used as a webcam or USB microphone by changing the USB mode (13).

If you select Webcam and connect it to Windows or Mac via USB, it can be recognized as a Web camera, and you can use it immediately without the need for a driver. Therefore, it can be used for online meetings and as a distribution camera. However, when using it as a Web camera, it does not support 4K and is fixed at 1080p / 48kHz / 16bit.

You may like or dislike the fact that the Q2n-4K is powered by two AA batteries, while the Q8n-4K is a lithium-ion battery. Certainly, lithium-ion batteries have stamina, but it is also difficult to replace them when the battery runs out. Also, the Q2n-4K has an optional battery box, which makes it a little bigger, but there was also an option to use it for a long time. However, since it is possible to use it while supplying power with USB-C, there is no problem if there is a power supply, and you can also use a mobile battery etc., so it seems that there will be no particular problem if you equip it appropriately.

Now, when you turn on the power of the main unit, you can set it with the liquid crystal display and the eight buttons on the left and right. Basically, there is no hierarchy and it is a very simple setting, so you can operate it without a manual. Briefly, first set the operation mode with the button on the upper left. Select one of the items: MOV that records only video, MOV + WAV that records video and audio, WAV (STEREO) that is used as a stereo linear PCM recorder, and WAV (MULTI) that is a 4ch multi-recorder.

Set the image quality resolution with the button below it. There are three options: 4K, 1080, and 720. In addition, below that, the frame / S settings can be selected from 30, 25, and 24. And the bottom on the left is the mode setting of 96kHz / 24bit-44.1kHz / 16bit mentioned above.

Next, the button on the upper right is the digital zoom setting. Similar to Q2n-4K, there are 5 levels from wide-angle WIDE to the narrowest TELE. The second button on the right is the scene setting. Normally, AUTO is fine, but you can select from INDOOR, OUTDOOR, CONCERT LIGHT, and NIGHT as needed. And the third on the right is the screen brightness setting. This has three stages: HIGH, NORMAL, and LOW.

Then press the button at the bottom right to switch the screen to the mixer screen. Here, the balance of the 4ch microphone input is adjusted. Of course, each input gain is adjusted with the gain adjustment knob near the microphone, but here it is an internal mixer in the subsequent stage, and in addition to LEVEL adjustment, PAN adjustment is possible and effects are also equipped.

Specifically, the initial setting is off, but you can now select one of the five types of Comp (compressor), Limiter (limiter), Leveler (leveler), DeEss (de-esser), and Gate (gate) for each channel. It seems that there are no particular parameters. In addition, low cutoff can be set separately, and you can also select from off, 80Hz, 120Hz, 160Hz, 200Hz, 240Hz for each channel.

So how can you actually record with this? I charged it, inserted a microSD card, and took it outdoors. It's subtle, but the wind was blowing, so I put the included windscreen over the microphone and used it.

Here, simply select MOV mode and set the audio to 96kHz / 24bit. As with Q2n-4K, if you record with this, it will be firmly recorded as 96kHz / 24bit linear PCM in the MOV file. Even if you check it with the video editing software Vegas, you can see that it is 96kHz linear PCM. By the way, if it is MOV + WAV, it does not correspond to 96kHz, and it stops at 48kHz / 24bit at the maximum. It may be limited due to problems such as file transfer speed to microSD.

And the angle of view is set to the second from the widest angle. After that, I went to a nearby park with the default settings, that is, 4K, 30fps, AUTO, NOMAL with no effects or low cuts. Here is one of the various shots taken here.

I wish the ducks would make more noises, but the sound of the starlings flying to the right and the occasional black-and-white ducks (tufted ducks) swimming quietly in the water were also included in the video. You can see that it is firmly grasped.

Here is the sound of the train taken with this camera along the railroad tracks.

At this time, the input gain of the microphone is narrowed down, but the movement of the left and right sounds is also realistically captured.

Furthermore, to check the recording performance, switch from MOV mode to WAV (STEREO) mode and record the sound of the CD. From the background of comparison with the experiments so far, once recorded at 96kHz / 24bit, it was normalized so that the maximum value was 0dB so that it could be easily compared with others, and then converted to 44.1kHz / 16bit.

[Recording sample] Playback sound from a CD player (44.1kHz / 16bit) ZOOM_Q8n-4K_music1644.wav (6.92MB) Music data provided by: TINGARA * Editor's note: Files recorded at 96kHz / 24bit are converted and posted. ..The editorial department cannot guarantee file playback.

Also, after converting from 96kHz / 24bit to 48kHz / 24bit, here is the analysis with the freeware WeveSpectra developed by Mr. efu. If you compare it with the one of Q2n-4K, you can see that it looks a little different, the atmosphere of the sound you listened to is also a little different, and the Q8n-4K feels more different from the original sound. As for the other linear PCM recorders I have tried so far, the sounds and waveforms of the ZOOM H2n XY type microphone and the H6 XY type microphone are similar to the sound and waveform of the same ZOOM XY, although they are not the same microphone capsule. Since it is a type microphone, it may be natural.

So far, how was the Q8n-4K? I think it's very cheap that the actual selling price is about 46,000 yen while having such performance. However, considering that Q2n-4K is currently around 25,000 yen, it is a little difficult to decide which one to choose. If the sound quality is absolute, Q8n-4K is the choice, and if there is a request to replace the microphone capsule such as a gun microphone, the Q8n-4K is the choice. However, if it is compact and has a reasonable sound quality and 4K, Q2n-4K is sufficient, so it is up to the user to choose.