Zoom PodTrak P4 Podcast Recorder with 4 XLR Mic Inputs, 4 Headphone Outputs, Phone & USB Input for Remote Interviews, Sound Pads, 2-In/2-Out USB Audio Interface, Battery Powered

We have been Podcasting for a couple of years now. We started with some of the worst equipment and tried different setups over the years. Using a soundboard is the best way to record a Podcast. XLR microphones are almost a must for quality. I have been looking at the podtrak now for 6 months and I finally bit the bullet. I am pleased that I had. For one the ease of use as well as the portability leaves us with options. I use it strictly as a soundboard. The amazing quality of the sound stands out. The fact that you have 4 XLR inputs as well as 4 separate headphone outputs at this price range is truly earth-shattering. The ability to independently adjust the microphones as well as the headphone's volume is truly a godsend. Add in 4 programmable sound pads, I don't think you can do any better at this price. Now should we want to go on location or record outside our studio, this piece of equipment naturally is made for just that. It's portable and fits right in the palm of your hand comfortably. It's lightweight, this may or may not be an issue as far as durability but handle it with care. Provide an SD card and record away. The knobs are small however are still tactile and have a very precise feel to them so adjustments can be made on the fly with precision. Is this a top-tier device that costs a few grand and produces the greatest-sounding recordings? No, it's specific as to what it does, however, it does it perfectly and the features are truly worth a lot more. The only review I can not give is battery life. We have it connected to a computer at all times for power. If you are not getting long battery life, this is the 21st century. Get a power bank for like 15-20 dollars and I would guess depending on how big a power bank you have you can get over 8 hours or more. If you are using the batteries lower the contrast of the screen to absorb less power.

Been using this for a podcast and its awesome. Noticeably shorter setup time using this over my previous setup which was a combination of a 2 input mixer, and a usb mic. Now I plug all xlr into the PodTrak and everyone can have headphones to hear the sfx from the PodTrak and sounds from the computer as well. It's well worth the small cost and has probably everything you need to start your podcast and possibly you'd never need another mixer. There may be things a Rodecaster can do, but I can't think of anything I need more at the moment. I looked for a while for a 4 mic input mixer for a podcast and this is kind of the only thing I could find that was so cheap, simple, and full featured specifically for podcasts from a reputable brand. It has internal recording but I send the mix to OBS, but I believe I could internal record as a backup so that's awesome if I wanted that safety. It's very small too so takes up little space on the table. And it has a peaking prevention (whatever it's called) which is very useful since some of us on our podcast make lots of noise lol. I'm honestly not sure what they could do to improve it if they made a version 2... although I plan on having more people on my podcast so maybe 6 inputs? Usb C inputs for USB mics? Additional sfx buttons? That could be cool and maybe a larger screen so you could see what the buttons are programmed as easier. But really, the simplicity and basic functionality of it is great. Especially for the price.

Obtained to see how much this could improve a friends podcast who started out with just usb $30 microphones recording directly into Anchor.FM. Wow, I picked up three different microphones SM57, Q2U, and had a Sennheiser MD42. The pod track handles easily all 3 microphones gain requirements. And I was actually very impressed with the Q2U. We did our first Zoom remote podcast, and it was amazing sounding. Now using the USB Mix Minus doesn't allow you to record directly into the computer, you will have to record to SD and bring that file in, cause your computer will not be passed the zoom audio. Not a big deal, just know this up front. Also note the files recorded are .wav and may need to be covered to fit size requirements before editing, again not a huge problem. I think the sound pads are easy to manage you can load what you need for that particular podcast before hitting record. 4 gives you into and outdo, and maybe advertisement and a sound effect.. Just enough, unless your wanting to utilize for pre-canned calls or questions, or audio clips. The limiters work well. audio feels balanced well. powered by USB from computers and blacklight stays on while recording so you can monitor your levels. Headphone amplifiers work great we paired them up with the AT-M20X and sound great and they have a plenty long cord, what's nice with the Q2U microphones if you can to lend one to do a Skype or zoom for your show, they can just plug in the USB and you will improve there audio for your show as well. it nice to to have dual functionality just for the purposes. Colored corded XLR mic cords help know which mic levels may need adjustment on, if you plan to podcast at a large table or such, I think 3-5 ft XLR cables is plenty long. One tip on podcasting, keep all your people so they are looking at each other the best so there always talking into the mic, Samson desk mics work just good, always encourage the shock mount for the mic to avoid tables sounds, or use towels under the mic stand. Good thick foam on the Q2U for plosives. Lastly Have FUN, this unit will provide you A+ sounding podcasts.

I've owned and used the Zoom P4 for over 6 months at the time of this review. It has held up nicely with no issues. I'm quite gentle with it, so I can't speak to it's durability. Pros: The audio quality is crystal clear. There is plenty of clean gain available. Each of the 4 mic inputs has +48 phantom power & mute option independently from one another (options that many interfaces and mixers do not have). Though I have not taken the P4 anywhere, it's very lightweight and portable. It has options to use either batteries or 5V usb to power it. And when using batteries, it does power up for quite a while. Much longer than any recording session I've ever done. This option gives the ability to have battery backup for recordings. I like the ability to connect phone and computer to it and send and receive audio from both devices. The P4 is a great option to use as a phone audio interface. I've used it quite a bit just to record high quality audio to my phone. And it's great to use for clean audio on phone calls as well. The mix- function works flawlessly. Making it super easy to use the P4 for call in conversations without feedback echo to the caller. It will record hours and hours of audio with even a small 8gb micro SD card installed. The P4 allows for dual (or triple) recording simultaneously. Recording on an installed SD card and a computer and/or phone (or any other USB or trs/trrs device). This makes this interface very versatile. It's super easy to record or load pre-recorded sound to the sound pad. The sound pad has a volume control, just like the 4 mic gains and 4 headsets. Cons: 16-bit/44.1 khz max recording/transmission resolution. Most USB interfaces & mixers have a minimum of 16-bit/48 khz resolution. I will say that in practice I cannot distinguish the difference in sound between the 2, however. Because of ultra compact size of this unit, there is no XLR or line output. Though you can use one of the headphone outputs if necessary, the sound quality will suffer a bit, as noise (hiss) will be introduced. The higher the volume, the more the noise. The P4's all plastic exterior doesn't instill confidence that it will withstand accidental abuse.

I bought a Rodecaster Duo and returned it after two months. It's a beautiful mixer, but the software was just too buggy for me. I've liked Zoom's products in the past. I was a big fan of the H4N Pro, so I rolled the dice on the PodTrak P4. I'm very glad I did. While it does have some crude digital UI, the recorder is largely largely hardware-driven (as many of Zoom's products are). I've never had one crash on me. 4 XLR inputs (each with separate headphone jacks and individual volume control). Four channels. Channels 3 & 4 can alternate between being XLR inputs or being inputs for phone calls and computers/tabeles (respectively). So, I suppose technically you get six channels if you count those. Everything records on separate tracks, and you also get a separate stereo mixed with everything bounced down. The battery life is not the best. You're only going to get a few hours' use. It's not a big deal for me as I usually just have this thing plugged in, but it's worthy bearing in mind if you're planning to travel with this or use it for field recording. The audio is only 16-bit, which is also a drawback. That's not really going to be an issue for podcasters like myself. Just be aware that content creators looking to stream or make films may want a device that produces higher bit-rate files to avoid syncing issues. All that said, the sound quality is incredible. It's so nice to have a little mixer that can handle everything I need for producing my show without the price tag of the Rodecaster Pro II. I tend to do a lot of post-production, and this gives me all the flexibility I need. The value for the money just can't be beat. I do hope Zoom puts out an upgraded version of this model before too long. I would absolutely shell out the lean, mean, green machines for an upgrade that steps up the game. But for $150, you can't sneeze at the P4. It does the trick.

If you're a podcaster who wants a recorder for location work, then this is your gadget. Just get it. The Zoom PodTrak P4 crams an incredible amount of functionality into a small, lightweight, and inexpensive device. I did some quick testing with several mics - an EV RE320, a Rode PodMic, and a Shure MVL lav mic. I tested the EV and Rode mics with (and without) a Cloudlifter to determine if there was a noticeable difference in noise. I've just given the files a quick listen, and my initial impression is that the files were just as noise-free without an activator. I'll examine the files more closely using RX8 and update here if I discover something different. Some people have commented about the build quality, and I'd have to agree with their concerns. The device is light and feels a bit fragile, so it will need to be babied. My H6, on the other hand, feels like it can take a beating. The H6 is quite a bit heavier and much more expensive, though. Out of the box, my PodTrak had firmware version v1.1 installed. This firmware appears to have a bug where output files are timestamped incorrectly. This seems to have been corrected with version v1.2. The PodTrak ships with 2 AA alkaline batteries. I burned through those in less than an hour or testing. I would recommend that you use a powerbank or wall outlet when using this device for anything important. You'll need to do some careful weighing of pros and cons if you're trying to decide between a Zoom H5 or H6 and the PodTrak P4. You can get by with an H6 as a podcasting device, as it handles the most critical task well: simultaneous recording from multiple XLR mics. They both can function as computer audio interfaces. Some of the advantages of an "H" series device are: * Available interchangeable high-quality mic capsules designed specifically for field recording with the "H" series (e.g., SSH-6 shotgun mic) * Ships with an excellent X/Y mic * More file format choices - 44.1/48/96 kHz, 16 or 24-bit * Tripod mount * More robust build * Better display (larger, higher resolution, color) * Doesn't create audio files for unused mic ports * 5 or 6 mic inputs available * Available remote control Some advantages of the PodTrak are: * Lots of preamp gain (apr 70dB); no need for Coudlifter or Fethead * Smartphone input with mix-minus (for recording phone interviews) * Four separate headphone outputs, each with a volume control * Phantom power selection via physical switches * 4-button soundpad with pre-loaded effects; output to a separate track * USB-C ports for file charging and file transfers * Automatically generates a stereo mix file * Lightweight

I absolutely love this unit. I am no longer worrying about recording through my computer, the P4 recorders all four channels to an SD card so I can record everything without worrying about a software interface. Also, it goes anywhere I am recording since it can be powered either through your outlet or via battery. Basically, it is an easy setup with all the features (such as mobility, connection to phone/zoom/teams with an cheap adapter for call-in guests, 4 independent channels, SD card for episode storage and provides a studio sound recording level). I don’t usually say this about products I buy, but I love this piece of equipment!

We love this recorder! It has absolutely changed the game when it comes to recording our interviews for our podcast. It is super portable, easy to use, and the sound quality of the recordings is a million times better than when we were using before. Its nice because you can dial in everyone's gain levels before recording and hear what you are going to sound like. What you hear in the headphones is more or less how it will sound on the recording. The ability to connect it to your phone and take interviews from guests over the phone is a game changer for us. The materials could be higher quality and the battery life from just the AA batteries is dismal but you can just use a power brick to avoid that. Overall love this recorder and if you want something portable and easy to use this is it. I wish we would have started with this rather than the first approach we went with.

Una muy buena opción para transmitir en vivo, para grabar videovlog o podcast, precio muy razonable, pero su practicidad es lo mejor! Ideal si estas iniciando y tu presupuesto no es mucho! Ha sido una gran inversión!

Me surpreendi com a qualidade do produto, excelente, poderia ser de metal, traria mais durabilidade, mas creio que afetaria o preço, então está perfeito como está. Menu simples e direto, conexões seguras e um uso quase intuitivo, mas com pouca pesquisa vc tira todas as dúvidas.

There are quite a few recorders that can also work as a USB interface, but you are usually have to pay quite a bit to find a unit that will do both at once. Most will record OR work as a USB interface, but not both. The Zoom P4 is an exception. Not only can it simultaneously record and interface, but it will handle up to four microphones simultaneously, recording each source to a separate track on its SD card (not included). It can also handle inputs from an iPhone (useful for phone interviews) or iPad (useful for adding external sound effects). It is generous with its physical controls, too. There are dials to adjust input on each of the four channels, and also separate dials for the four headphone jacks. It will run for a few hours on batteries, meaning you can use this for street interviews or other location recordings. Of course, at this price, there are some limitations. The big one is that it only goes up to 16-bit recording. If you want 24-bit or 32-bit, you'll have to look elsewhere. However, that's still CD-quality, and the sound recorded is very clean, with no obvious hiss. The device also includes digital limiters, meaning you turn the gain up a bit without worrying that the audio will clip. The P4 has LEDs on its buttons. These are really bright and annoying. If a sound effect is added to one of the four programmable "pad" buttons, that light shines with a light bright enough to read by. I ended up covering all the buttons with black electrical tape, which brings the brightness into an acceptable range. But this is a minor quibble. At present, there is no other device in this price range that comes close to the features and quality the P4 offers.

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Good piece of gear. Best part is the mobility. Fairly easy to use and set up. Would recommend you research it as I did to ensure it suits. It may not be the right decision for everyone, but for me it works really well.