Using a Zoom H1n 'handy recorder' with Reason 13

[StartledLemon]

Hello,

I'm investigating how to connect my Zoom H1n 'handy recorder' to my Windows 11 PC which is running Reason 13. My audio interface is a Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD which has a couple of 'Midas mic preamps' which can accept XLR and 6.35mm connectors. Ultimately, I'd like to be able to use the H1n as an input into Reason's Mimic sampler and BV-X Vocoder, and maybe record vocals/guitar with the Zoom H1n directly to an audio track in Reason.

There seems to be at least a couple of ways to connect the H1n to the PC:

(1) PC <-- USB cable --> USB micro port on H1n, select H1n to function as an audio interface

(2) H1n Line Out jack <-- 3.5mm stereo to twin mono 6.35mm jacks --> inputs 1 and 2 on UMC204HD

I've tried (1) but couldn't find any reference to the H1n audio interface in Reason. I haven't yet tried (2).

Does anyone have experience of this? Should it be possible to connect the H1n so it is seen, and can be used by Reason? What would be the best approach to achieve this?

Thanks!

/Neil

[selig]

To use it as an audio interface on Windows, you'll need to DL the driver for Windows machines from the Zoom website.

That would be my choice as it is the simpler audio path, but may not be the ideal situation since when you make Zoom the audio interface it also means all monitoring will now have to happen on the Zoom. Headphones are probably the best option here, unless you have a monitor control unit with a spare pair of audio inputs (from Zoom). If you're using it to record yourself playing an acoustic instrument, headphones would be used anyway, so the workflow there would be to switch drivers to Zoom, mute the speakers and grab your phones and record. Then back on the main interface/speakers after you're done recording. If you have a monitor controller/input selector you could use speakers or phones, and would still have to switch the audio interface AND the monitor controller when recording. Not a terrible workflow at all, you just have to get comfortable with the concept!

Your other option involves using that adaptor cable, setting levels in TWO rather than ONE place (easy after you calibrate the system), and involves another D/A and A/D conversion. Read: more possible points of failure.

[StartledLemon]

Thanks Selig for a great answer! I've installed the 'stereo ASIO driver' but still couldn't find any reference to the H1n within Reason. I'll keep searching. I've now located a 3.5mm stereo to twin mono 6.35mm cable so will try the 2nd option and report back.

Thanks again for your reply.

/Neil

[selig]

Thanks Selig for a great answer! I've installed the 'stereo ASIO driver' but still couldn't find any reference to the H1n within Reason. I'll keep searching. I've now located a 3.5mm stereo to twin mono 6.35mm cable so will try the 2nd option and report back.

Thanks again for your reply.

/Neil

Is that the driver from Zoom?
Do you have any other applications you can check to see if the interface is recognized?
I'm not a Windows user so hopefully someone else knows something helpful that I don't.

[WarStar]

I have one and didn't like the software it came with to decode front and back channels of the h1..I just use it like a mic from the 3.5 output to the 1/4 in the interface.. I don't use it much but I used to

[StartledLemon]

Hello,

Just thought I'd give a quick update on this. In the end I kind of gave up trying to get the H1n to be recognised by Reason. So I bought a cheap microphone and plugged it into one of the XLR inputs on my Behringer UMC204HD. It works fine for my needs (i.e., sampling directly in Mimic) so I'm almost happy...

However, when I playback something I've sampled using the microphone in Mimic, the sample plays back through only one speaker. How would I configure Reason to play the mono sample through both speakers?

Thanks again for the replies - I really appreciate it.

/Neil

[selig]

Hello,

Just thought I'd give a quick update on this. In the end I kind of gave up trying to get the H1n to be recognised by Reason. So I bought a cheap microphone and plugged it into one of the XLR inputs on my Behringer UMC204HD. It works fine for my needs (i.e., sampling directly in Mimic) so I'm almost happy...

However, when I playback something I've sampled using the microphone in Mimic, the sample plays back through only one speaker. How would I configure Reason to play the mono sample through both speakers?

Thanks again for the replies - I really appreciate it.

/Neil

Yes, If Reason can't see it that likely means nothing else can as well. But to answer your question, Reason defaults to stereo sampling, and is auto-routed to input 1 = LEFT and 2 = RIGHT. So if you only have one input, or one mic plugged in with two inputs, only one channel gets recorded. Since that one channel is considered the left channel (assuming input #1, would be the right channel if only input #2 was connected), you'll only hear audio from one side of the stereo image.
Note the waveform display in Mimic shows mono, so it won't give you a clue something is sampled in only one side of the stereo image.
The easiest way to resolve this is to disconnect the right cable going into the Sampling Input on the back of the Master Section (you may need to click on the Audio I/O tab to show the sampling input). Then you'll record the same thing into both inputs automatically (sampling is always stereo in Mimic IIRC), which means it will come equally out of both speakers. Make sense?

[StartledLemon]

Hi Selig,

Thanks for that - it worked a treat! Samples recorded via the microphone in Mimic are now played back through both speakers.

Thanks very much for your help!

/Neil