Thanks for the link. I'd say your files aren't completely swamped by the auto-leveling (auto-gain or whatever you call it) but they are certainly suffering from it. Do you get the chance to turn it off, or do you have no control over it in your camera interface?
As a comparison (and to supply some sort of bona fide) this is my Zoom H4 and my 50s A Zildjians
This is an early H4 and I think we're talking maybe $120 to find one used today. It seems a worthwhile investment to go for a quality recorder, even though you haven't got video capability. There are lots of different brands out there these days. Gone are the old days of needing a $250,000 recording set up to get a decent sound. This is straight to MP3 so it isn't even the highest resolution.
Oh, and loved the Black Beauty with the calf head. What a great old snare.