How to Connect a Zoom H1 to a Mixer

Connect A Zoom H1 To A Mixer

If you’re recording a live concert, your band’s rehearsals, capturing audio for video and your audio signals are going up to the maximum levels on the meters, then the audio recorded into the Zoom H1 will most likely distort and clip.
In this article, I will show you how to best connect a Zoom H1 to a Mixer WITHOUT clipping the audio.

Audio clipping or Distortion on the Zoom H1

[su_heading style=”flat-dark” size=”30″ margin=”0″]TESTIMONIALS USING THIS METHOD[/su_heading]

Your videos are great, straight to the point and clear to understand, this was exactly what I was looking for!

Julian Voigt Wedding Films

Thanks for the video!I need to record from a mixer to my Zoom H1n next month.This attenuation cable should do the trick!

Michael Scrip

I’ve been trying to figure this out for quite some time. Thank you for the easy to follow guide. straight to the point

Jello Mosquera

[su_heading style=”flat-dark” size=”30″ margin=”0″]AUDIO CLIPPING AND WHAT CAUSES IT[/su_heading]

If you’ve ever tried to connect a Zoom H1 to a Mixer and after checking the recorded audio it sounded like utter garbage, it might be because your audio has distorted or clipped in the process. 

Audio Clipping occurs when the output signal of an audio device is pushed beyond it’s maximum decibel range resulting in the
audio being overdriven.
This can be seen on digital or analog meters of your audio device. Essentially the signal “cuts” or “clips” when the audio signal hits it’s maximum capacity. See Waveform images below.

Zoom H1 Levels Too High

 

Zoom H1 Levels Too Low

[su_heading style=”flat-dark” size=”30″ margin=”0″]HOW TO FIX THIS[/su_heading]

[su_highlight background=”#a5190b” color=”#ffffff”]ANSWER[/su_highlight] With an Attenuation cable

Attenuation, or Audio Attenuation, is essentially the lowering of volume of sound and is defined in a number in decibels, This reduction in the wave amplitude really helps if you’ve connected a Line Level output to a Mic input as seen on the image above. I’m constantly reading questions on forums from people confused about recording a music band, like this thread. The process is fairly straightforward after reading this article.

Below you will see what the waveform amplitude looks like when an Attenuation cable is connected.

Best Levels on Zoom H1

 

 

[su_heading style=”flat-dark” size=”24″ margin=”0″]STEPS FOR CONNECTING THE ZOOM H1 TO A MIXER[/su_heading]
Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-tape-out

Connect RCA cable to Mixer

Connect it to the Tape Out

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-RCA-cable-tape-out

Connect RCA cable to Mixer

Connect it to the Tape Out

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-y-splitter-cable

Connect the other ends of the RCA cable to a Y-Splitter  / RCA Adapter cable

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-y-splitter-cable-zoom-h1

Insert this into the Line / Mic In of the Zoom H1

Get ready to test this and be prepared for disappointment!

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-y-splitter-cable-zoom-h1-connected-to-mixer

The Input levels on the Zoom H1 are ready to clip

The Microphone Input is connected to the Mixer’s Line Output. This will always result in clipped / distorted audio. See section above on Audio Clipping

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-y-splitter-cable-zoom-h1-clipping-audio-connected-to-mixer

The Input levels on the Zoom H1 are now clipping

Note the flashing red light. See section above on Audio Clipping

1. Audio-clipping-on-Zoom-H1

Clipped Audio

This will always happen when a Microphone Input is connected to a Mixer’s Line Output.

To read about how to Connect a Zoom H4n to a Mixer click here OR click on the image below

Connect-zoom-h4n-to-mixer-link
Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-attenuation-cable

An Attenuation Cable

Lowers clipping / distorted audio by a set number of decibels

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-RCA-adapter-cable

Y-Splitter  / RCA Adapter cable

This connects to the 3.5mm plug on the Attenuation cable

8. Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-RCA-cable-attenuation-cable

Connect this up

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-RCA-cable-attenuation-cable

Connect it up exactly as shown

Get ready to connect it all up to the Zom H1 and Mixer

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-RCA-cable-tape-out

Connect RCA cable to Mixer

Connect it to the Tape Out

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-attenuation-cable-zoom-h1

Insert this into the Line / Mic In of the Zoom H1

Get ready to test this and be prepared for happiness!

Connect-zoom-h1-to-mixer-attenuation-cable-zoom-h1-connected-to-mixer

The Input levels on the Zoom H1 are at a good level!

The Microphone Input is connected to the Mixer’s Line Output as it was in the clipped example before. Its just now an Attenuation cable has been added to lower that audio going into the Zoom H1. See section above on Audio Clipping

Attenuated-level-on-Zoom-H1

Good Level Audio

This happens when an Attenuation cable is added between a Microphone Input and a Mixer’s Line Output.

 

[su_heading style=”flat-dark” size=”30″ margin=”0″]WATCH VIDEO BELOW[/su_heading]

[su_heading style=”flat-dark” size=”30″ margin=”0″]EQUIPMENT NEEDED[/su_heading]

[su_heading style=”flat-dark” size=”30″ margin=”0″] EQUIPMENT NEEDED[/su_heading]

Zoom H1n

Movo MV-RC100 Attenuator Cable

Stereo Jack Socket to 2 Phono RCA Socket Adapter Cable

RCA Male to 2 x RCA Male Stereo Audio Cable

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