<html><head></head><body style="font-family: Monospace;"><div>ahoy all,</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>i have been testing out a <a href="https://www.zoom-na.com/products/field-video-recording/field-recording/zoom-h5-handy-recorder">Zoom H5</a> which (along w/ the <a href="https://www.zoom-na.com/products/field-video-recording/field-recording/h6-handy-recorder">H6</a> for that matter) is advertised as NOT supporting
passive instrument connections on the TRS inputs. to quote the manual: "Direct input of passive guitars and basses is not supported." thus i assumed that i would need a DI box/effect box/etc. to record well any directly connected passive electric guitar or bass.</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>however, when i connect my electric guitar (Lace Sensors and Alumitone
pickups) and electric bass, both passive, to the TRS connections on
inputs 1 & 2 of the H5 with gain only at 5 of 10, i get a good sound
and strong signal, <i>seemingly</i> the same as when they are connected to an interface (in this case a <a href="https://www.zoom-na.com/products/production-recording/audio-interfaces/zoom-u-44-handy-audio-interface">Zoom U-44</a>) that supports Hi-Z connections.</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>i first contacted Zoom support and they replied:</div><div> <br>
"There is no issue connecting a passive guitar to the 1/4" input on the H5.<br>
There may only be an issue with level or noise, but if you are satisfied with the audio quality then there is no problem."<br> <br><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>now while i do not yet have a good understanding of Lo vs. Hi-Z, i have read <a href="https://www.gearslutz.com/board/newbie-audio-engineering-production-question-zone/951585-instrument-level-line-level.html" target="_blank">various</a> <a href="https://www.gearslutz.com/board/low-end-theory/833242-direct-guitar-recording-problem.html" target="_blank">posts</a>
about it. they seem to indicate that the passive guitar signal would
lose some frequencies with this kind of connection and thus this setup
is undesirable.<br> <br>but again as it "sounds the same", i had some questions before investing in a DI box or getting a different interface:</div><ul><li>would
the fact that the pickups are Lace Sensors and Alumintones have
anything to do with the passive signal being picked up fairly well by
the non Hi-Z input?</li></ul><div><ul> <li>is there a way to check (preferably in software) if frequencies
are actually missing or if the signal quality is indeed reduced when
compared to one from a Hi-Z input?<br></li> <li>is it possible that the H5 has good enough preamps/whatever that the gain on the inputs is enough to make the passive signal OK?</li> </ul><br><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>so to summarize: is this an acceptable solution for recording a directly connected passive instrument (in this case an electric guitar and bass) even though the H5 does not officially support it?</div><div><br></div><div>
thanks, w</div><div><br></div><div>PS: for those wondering the H5 works great w/ GNU+Linux as an audio interface</div></body></html>