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For professionals who are recording anything from concerts to interviews, they will need to make sure they have a microphone that is going to pick up the right sounds with great clarity. The sound can make or break your journalistic piece. Zoom has two perfect solutions and today we will compare them; the Zoom H5 Vs H6.
There are some things that the two portable recorders have in common, but when you get down to the nitty-gritty, they are actually quite different. We are going to look at what they have in common, and how they differ. We will put all of the specific details in a side-by-side chart so that you can quickly compare the two. Then at the end we will cover some additional pros and cons and then offer our final verdict.
Let’s kick off with what the Zoom H5 and the Zoom H6 have in common.
Zoom H5 Vs H6 – Similarities
Quick glance
X/Y Microphones
On the top of each portable recorder, there are two unidirectional condenser microphones set at a 90º angle. These have high-quality, low-noise preamps so they are suitable for all sonic environments. They are ideal for recording live concerts, interviews, audio vlogging, videography, and more.
Display
Both the Zoom H5 and the Zoom H6 have LCD displays to help you adjust your controls and manage your recordings
Software
You will be able to access Steinberg’s Cubase LE music production software and WaveLab LE audio editing.
Video Review
There are quite a few, more significant differences, so let’s cover them now.
Differences Between Zoom H5 and Zoom H6
Appearance
Aside from the X/Y microphones and the fact they are both black, they look very different.
Zoom H5
The LCD display is at the top of the unit and the controls are all touch buttons. The portable recorder is 12 x 5.9 x 10.9 inches and weighs 2.8 pounds.
Zoom H6
Here, the LCD display is at the base of the unit. There are some touch buttons but there are also 4 turn knob controls. It is 12.3 x 10.3 x 7.9 inches and weighs 5.15 pounds.
The Winner IS- The Zoom H5
Recording Options
Nowadays, we don’t have time with technical issues and recordings not being compatible with different software. We want to make sure the recordings can be moved easily and quickly.
Zoom H5
You can record in BWF compliant Wav and a variety of MP3 formats. You can record to an SD card from 16MB to 2GB and onto an SDHC card from 4GB to 32GB. There is also the option to use a 2.0 High-Speed USB. You can track 4 recordings simultaneously.
Zoom H6
For recording with the Zoom H6, you have the same options as the Zoom H5 but with one additional option. There is an SDXC card slot for up to 128GB too. This also has the advantage of recording 6 tracks simultaneously.
The Winner Is- The Zoom H6
Battery Life
It is crucial that you will have enough battery life to be able to complete all of your recordings in any situation.
Zoom H5
You have the option to charge the portable recorder with an adapter, which comes in the box. The Zoom H5 requires 2 AA batteries. With 2 batteries, you will be able to continuously record for 15 hours.
Zoom H6
This will only run on batteries. You will need 4 AA batteries. It comes with 4 rechargeable batteries and the charging dock. With this recorder, you will have 20 hours of continuous recording.
The Winner Is- The Zoom H6
Accessory Pack
It is quite nice that both the Zoom H5 and the Zoom H6 come with an accessory pack, although what’s included is different.
Zoom H5
You will receive an SD card, a windscreen, a power cord, a USB cable, and remote control.
Zoom H6
It’s quite an impressive pack with an SD card, studio headphones, 4 AA rechargeable batteries, a battery charging dock, an aux cable, a foam windscreen, a table tripod, and a hard case.
The Winner Is- The Zoom H6
Extra Features
There are some aspects that can’t be compared, so we have included them in extra features.
Zoom H5
The Zoom is made out of an advanced shock mount rubberized material. This provides a minimal amount of vibrations and therefore a clearer recording sounding.
Zoom H6
There is an additional mid-side microphone. On top go this, the X/Y microphones can be moved between 90º and 120º angles. There is a playback speed ranging from 50% to 150%.
The Winner Is- The Zoom H6
Pros and Cons
Here are some of the pros and cons of the two Zoom portable recorders.
Zoom H5
Pros:
- Great recorder for beginners as it’s easy to use
- Excellent sound quality, it will pick up far more than you can hear
- Ideal for recording live music, especially instruments
Cons:
- The microphones aren’t the best quality
- 2 microphone limit
Zoom H6
- The microphones are better quality than the H5
- accommodates
- Very powerful capture environmental sounds adding to the atmosphere
- You will probably get a longer battery life than the 20 hours
Cons:
- The hard case and the tripod aren’t the best quality
The Final Verdict
Surprisingly, the price of the Zoom H5 and the Zoom H6 are very similar, so with this in mind, we chose the Zoom H6. It was great having the additional microphone options and the quality of the sound was absolutely crystal clear.
It is slightly heavier than the Zoom H5 but we felt this wasn’t enough to put us off. On the contrary, we were more attracted by being able to record 6 tracks simultaneously. Although the Zoom H5 supports a higher maximum decibel, really the difference of 4dB at this level is nothing to complain about. It was fun to use and we found it easy to format and edit our recordings. With the accessory pack, this is a great buy.
Last update on 2023-11-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
