iPhone + Zoom H5

Managed to get my Zoom H5 talking to my phone, which is a huge get. Previously, if I wanted quality audio on a video, say for an Instagram post, I’d have to:

  • Record audio onto H5, record video on phone
  • Export both separately to my computer
  • Sync audio to video in garageband
  • Make any other edits if I wanted in iMovie
  • Export and convert to a reasonable format
  • Share back to my phone via email or Google Drive
  • Upload to Insta

Before I tried it, I didn’t find a totally clear answer online as to whether it would work. So figured I’d share my findings for anyone else wondering.

What I have:

  • iPhone 7, iOS 12 (but i’d imagine other models and OSs would work)
  • Zoom H5 (I’d imagine plenty of other interfaces don’t work)
  • Apple lightning to USB 3 adapter (the one that also gives you an extra lightning port for charging the phone while the adapter is connected. I’d imagine the USB-only one would also work). I’m pretty sure these got cheaper than they used to be; it’s only like $30 now.

I tried out all combinations/orders of plugging stuff in, just to know what works and what doesn’t. The key details:

  • The H5 must be in “iPad” USB interface mode. The bus-powered “PC/Mac” mode does not work. (didn’t try the non-bus-powered “PC/Mac” mode, but there’s no reason to)
  • The H5 must be put in USB interface mode every time before plugging it into the phone. If you unplug it, you need to exit and re-enter USB interface mode before re-plugging. I didn’t realize this at first, and it really confused my testing. (you get weird audio rate issues)
  • I only tried Stereo mode, not Multi-Track. I’d imagine Multi-Track probably wouldn’t work.

Otherwise, it just works™.

  • Doesn’t seem to matter the order of plugging H5 into the adapter, and plugging adapter into phone
  • Doesn’t seem to matter the order of plugging in the H5, and opening the desired app. (I tried the Camera app, Instagram, and Snapchat. ymmv with others)
  • The phone can actually switch from internal mike to H5 mid-video, if you plug it in while recording. There’s a stutter in the recording when it switches, but it works.
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Thanks for the info! I have these gears too - but have yet to try it out.

Ditto

I checked it with the non powered USB adapter and it works, got to have batteries in the H5 though. Sounds pristine!!! Thanks @anguslocke

exact same setup but instead of the H5 iam using the H6 and if the CCK is powered via lightning it’s even possible to use the PC/Mac setting with the Iphone.

and now, with IOS 13 it should be possible to rearrange the audio files or delete or save them.

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Been trying to work this out all day, thanks so much for the tips!

Now have access to Multi-track mode, which is great.

Think the key was enabling the direct monitoring in the USB In / Out settings and making sure it was in USB mode before connecting to the phone as you suggested.

Also, for anyone looking to save on the Apple’s extortionate Camera Connection Kit, this adapters been serving me well so far:

USB Midi foot-pedal, Zoom H5 audio streams and power from lightning port all simultaneously with no problems.

ah, nice, I’ll have to check it out again sometime.

A couple months or so after my original post, an iOS update broke compatibility with my H5; been using my mackie blackjack since. Maybe they fixed it, if it works for you now?

It still works overhere. iPad Air2 iOS 14.1 connects to the Zoom H5 in USB Audio Interface Mode perfectly. In iPad mode and PC/Mac (battery) multi track mode.

The only issue I have is that, the H5 has to take its power from the internal batteries, which can be limiting. (PC/Mac Bus Powered) mode does not work and the camera connection kit only provides power for the iOS device.

I wonder if there is a possible to connect a power adapter to the battery compartment without short circuiting the H5 and the iOS device.