I bought this product from a friends recommendation and reading reviews. It is the only small (hand held) digital stereo field recorder of these types with XLR external mics connections. I bought the unit so I could plug my DPA powered condenser microphones using the XLR connections. The Zoom comes with phatom power but the DPA's have there own preamp and power supply which is a higher voltage system. I am getting distortion even when the input gain is turned down. The signal coming from the mics is at line level. These powered mics don't seem compatible with the Zoom H4