Rodecaster Pro vs the Zoom PodTrak P4

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Despite being quite a bit cheaper and quite a bit smaller than the RodeCaster Pro, the Zoom PodTrak P4 has a robust set of features. In fact, it shares many of the same features as the very popular RodeCaster Pro. Does that mean the Zoom PodTrak P4 is the better device? That depends.
Here we take a look at what each device does great, what the PodTrak P4 does better than the RodeCaster Pro andwhat the RodeCaster Pro does better than the PodTrak P4. We also look at a few scenarios where each device is the better choice.
Both the Zoom PodTrak P4 and the RodeCaster Pro are excellent devices that will help you create a professional podcast. This video will help you decide which one is best for you.
Zoom PodTrak P4 at B&H Photo: bhpho.to/30opVHy
Zoom PodTrak P4 at Amazon: amzn.to/36ZgVwW
RodeCaster Pro at B&H Photo: bhpho.to/3job2fU
RodeCaster Pro at Amazon: amzn.to/36oIwXT
==============================================
0:00 Intro
1:42 What both do well
5:00 What the P4 does better
13:45 What the Rodecaster Pro does better
22:04 Scenarios where each device is the better option

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Опубликовано:

22 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 116

@annalefler7086 3 года назад

Thank you so much for this thoughtful, comprehensive comparison. All of my questions about both devices answered in detail...in one place!

@Dr-T 3 года назад

One for the best comparisons I've heard. Very clear and well produced. Excellent

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

Wow, thanks!

@gregaudio 3 года назад

Excellent unbiased and informative comparison. These are hard to come by these days, so thank you for a refreshing perspective.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

Glad it was helpful!

@fasttwitchmedia149 2 года назад

Really well done comparison. I have both devices and needed to understand the differences for when I go into field recording situations.

@maisquenuvem 3 года назад

The best comparison I've found of those devices. Great job! Thanks.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

Thank you!

@MurphyKargesBass 3 года назад

The micro SD card alone could sway me to the P4. And the price is nice too. Plus I plan on being a portable podcast so the size is cool too..

@joelbergan6783 Год назад

Thank YOU! Your video was so thorough but one dealbreaker for me that I couldn't confirm elsewhere is that the P4 will only do stereo/2track out to a computer. Thanks for the video, hope you're well!

@Mindset4Excellence 3 года назад

I wish/hope Rode comes out with a downsized version of the Rodecaster Pro with the same look and feel (i.e. a Rodecaster Mini).

@Kynetguy 2 года назад

I’ve been hoping for a 6-8 channel variant.

@FATBS Год назад

Thank you so much for this video, you helped me to choose what i really need!!!

@RobertDrlicka 2 года назад

Excellent precise comparison! Thank you.

@BrotherLeon302 3 года назад

Hey thanks I really appreciate you doing this video.

@CarbCutter75 3 года назад

The Rodecaster Pro does show SD card recording time remaining on the home screen. It’s directly below the card symbol. You can even see it in your video. Also, if you touch the card symbol, you can go directly to the card page without having to navigate all the menus.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

Thanks, Brian. That's crazy that I missed that detail on the remaining recording time. And I had no idea I could touch the card symbol to bring up a menu. Thanks for teaching me!

@mane2166 3 года назад

This video it's really clear. Thanks!!! Last question! What's your choice in case of livestream broadcast?

@kalealee3675 3 года назад

Thanks, very detail sharing about this two device. How I wish they have a knob to delay the audio. And and a dedicated output, so I can send the audio to my Black Magic Atem mini pro.

@BrianDaly Год назад

I have both units and I use the Zoom P4 about 80% of the time but a feature the Rodecaster Pro has which is extremely useful which you didn't mention was the audio monitoring option on each channel before going live. This is so important on critical live streaming events and you should have mentioned it in your review. Yes you have given a great review of each product which highlighted the unique qualities of each product but the monitoring option on the Rodecaster Pro would have been of great help to those who needed this information to assist them in making their critical decision on which product to purchase and in my opinion should have been included in your video.

@gadgetb0y 3 года назад

Thanks for the deep dive. I've been thinking that I could get by with the P4 but I want to reduce my post-production time. Having the effects built-in to the Rodecaster Pro will make a big difference. Yes, I'll have some unused XLR inputs, and the Rodecaster costs quite a bit more, but it's worth the trade-offs.

@dr.donath 2 года назад

It is an illusion to think that post-production time can be saved with RCP. Mixing and mastering are essential, so all the sound files are fed into a DAW, where they can be polished to perfection with the right plugins.

@DyslexicLemonz 3 года назад

Very thorough!!!! Thanks for the help

@jameselden 3 года назад

Thanks for comparing these. This was quite helpful. I'm curious, however, if you find a cloudfilter necessary still while using either of these devises? I've seen that there are certainly benefits, but do you still recommend one?

@JodyMaberry 3 года назад

Thank you for the breakdown. Just bought the P4 after watching.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

Glad to hear that I was able to assist the legendary Jody Maberry! :D

@buzrash 3 года назад

How is the p4? I’m on the fence

@marditoon1128 2 года назад

Great Video. Will a cloud lifter or signal booster stop the hissing sound or is there anything else that can minimise this type of disruption? Also is the new zoom P5 better than this? Thanks in advance.

@Dentalphotographyschool 3 года назад

m glad i came across this video. p 4 was never on my list but now i think it might be the right fit for me ?

@iron2717 3 года назад

Great review! Thanks.

@andreaswellme8351 3 года назад

Thank's for this. I'm definetly going to by a p4. Best reards from Sweden.

@Javiertorres-k10 3 года назад

What mad u go with that one

@xairoantonio Год назад

thx for the video, if i record my podcast with my iphone, using the zoom podtrack, i will have problems to sync the video with the audio?

@alamaguitars5693 3 года назад

Hei im wondering if i can livestream the podtrak p4 using a mobile android device??

@rallynor 2 года назад

Question; When ever the SD card is full, and you got to formate to clear it, will the four pre installed sound files get deleted too? I found that it's not enough to delete files om my SD card in my Zoom H5 to get it ready for new recordings, I need to formate.

@f00bert24 3 года назад

Could you get an xlr splitter and 3.5 mm splitter to make up for those lost inputs to the Bluetooth/usb?

@bluelavatv3323 3 года назад

I just bought the Rodecaster pro and the procaster mic any advice on building a podcast audience I wanna do two different podcast one straight comedy and another for music

@kaloukeraannou8227 2 года назад

Hello. i want to knowi f the p4 is good for simple web radio ? or not ? thx

@PastorJoshuaPutnam 3 года назад

This is a great review. I wish I would have had a good review like this before I made my purchase. I was eyeing up the Rodecaster but couldn't justify the extra $400. I purchased the Zoom and am very happy with it. However, the day I received it in the mail, Zoom announced the P8... looking forward to your review on that.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

The P8 announcement came out of nowhere for me too. I got a tip the day before they announced it that a "PodTrak" product was being announced the next morning. I'm very much looking forward to testing it. Where it was clear to show where the P4 and RodeCaster are different, thus better for specific situations, I think the line between the P8 and RodeCaster will be much more blurry.

@PastorJoshuaPutnam 3 года назад

Pro Podcast Solutions I agree. At first I considered keeping my P4 until I could get a P8. Then I would sell it possibly. However I’m now thinking I will probably keep it because I like the portability of it.

@PastorJoshuaPutnam 3 года назад

Also… Thanks for the tip on the user manual. I did not even think of looking there. I already have it downloaded and printed!

@realestate_life 3 года назад

Great video. I love the way you broke it down and compared both devices. I do have one question, I will be primarily using this for live streaming and recording to obs streamlabs for gaming through twitch and broadcasting to RU-vid. Do you see it being a good application using the P4?

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

I think the P4 is excellent for streaming. The only drawback is that it only records/streams at 44.1 sample rate at 16 bit depth. However, if you're streaming with it, I don't actually see that as a problem. That's CD quality sound and is totally fine for streaming and spoken voice podcasting. For those who do professional video, they may want something that records at a higher sample/bit rate.

@MartinKoss Год назад

Great explanation about these two devices. Thank you. Can I ask what microphone you used to record this? Lovely sound.

@GoldenSpiralMedia Год назад

I use the Electro Voice RE320

@PstGabbsElect 3 года назад

hmm, it's really been hard for me to make a good decision in getting a podcast device but i may just move with the ZOOM

@cassidyraebarrera 2 года назад

Suuuper helpful

@funkylad 2 года назад

This is quite fascinating review. Thanks!

@blacknoteentertainmenttv2604 Год назад

Can the zoom p4 be used by a dj who is life streaming

@starkcd 3 года назад

Another consideration is the end user. We are in a school setting and most students have no experience in the audio world but some want to do podcasts or just record interviews. The Rodecaster is dead simple and non-intimidating to new users. We can take them in there and give them a quick intro and they are on their way. If they had to dig through menus, most would just suffer with a recording they were not completely pleased with instead of going off into unfamiliar territory. Our Rodecaster setup gets a TON of use--mostly by people with little to no experience.

@Lightylight 2 года назад

I absolutely love my P4. I can’t see the Roadcaster working for me, personally.

@creativespinpodcast 3 года назад

Great video! You did an amazing job comparing these two devices. I used an H6 to record my podcast and then got the Rodecaster. But this PodTrack looks really good. Price, size and functions are very good. I do have to say the Rodecaster has been an amazing device and I have only good things to say about it. For someone starting though, the Zoom might be a better choice.

@Javiertorres-k10 3 года назад

Update ? Can u use them in conjunction ?

@Phones2Freedom 2 года назад

When are we going to get a Rodecaster mini? Smaller podcast's that want the ability to have audio processing during live stream. If we could get a Rodecaster mini with 2 xlr, phone, and bluetooth, all of the sound pads, banks, and audio processing. I would buy that right now.

@davros77 3 года назад

Please also do a comparison between the Rodecaster Pro vs the Podtrak P8 (and P8 vs Podtrak P4)

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

I currently have the P8 on my desk for review and will have a P8 v RodeCaster comparison video out soon!

@zunigainc666 3 года назад

Great review and comparison, can you do one between the Podcaster Pro and the PodTrak P8? I think that the P8 is in the same arena as the podcaster pro than the P4. Thank you for the great content.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

Yes! I have a P8 review unit in my studio now and will have several videos coming out soon that will compare it with the P4 and Rodecaster Pro.

@PastorJoshuaPutnam 3 года назад

I am looking forward to that!!! I live my p4 but would like one of the other units. Haven’t decided between the two. (Leaning towards the P8 but I’m getting impatient waiting for release. 😩)

@barak_ahtha 3 года назад

What unit were you using to do this podcast? Is there a way to use either of these units with an older mac, say a 2014 MBP, via a USB C to TB 2 adapter?

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

Both of these will work with a simple USB-C to USB-A cable.

@abellodenonna1 3 года назад

Hi! Neither has the 3.5/6.3mm input for Lavalier mic? Not even the Zoom P8 Podtrack? :)

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

You MIGHT be able to get a lav mic to work via the 3.5mm smartphone input jack. My P4 is loaned out right now so I can't check that. But the P4 and P8 are devices specifically made for podcasting. Using a lav mic for podcasting is pretty rare. Zoom makes other devices that work with lav mics, including the F1-LP and the F2 which are dedicated lav mics with recorders.

@simonwilkinson2294 3 года назад

Nice comparison, thanks. Do you think the lack of 48 khz sample rate is something that might change in a firmware update, or is there some kind of hardware limitation? I do mixed video and audio work so I prefer to just set all recording gear on 48 and forget about it.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

I'm not sure if it's a hardware limitation. I know they've built it so that it can be improved via firmware updates, but I don't know the extent of what kind of updates are possible via firmware.

@simonwilkinson2294 3 года назад

@@GoldenSpiralMedia Thank you

@bjoernschumacher5852 3 года назад

The P4 is a mobile studio, the Pro is for a stationary studio.

@andrewr4792 3 года назад

The Rhodcaster is incredible but complete overkill for my use. I love my P4. I will likely upgrade to the Zoom P8 by EOY.

@randykendrick2351 2 года назад

If the Rodecaster Pro is overkill, the P8 will also be.

@HRotce 3 года назад

I need to record live with public sessions, what will you recommend because I need to be connected to speakers at the same time.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

The Rodecaster Pro has 1/4" connections for speakers. The P4 does not have connections for speakers. So if you need to be able to connect to speakers, The Rodecaster is the better choice.

@caseyonlocation8257 3 года назад

Thank you for your excellent comparison video, plus all the expert help you gave me recently! I like both my Rodecaster and P4 for different reasons, mostly related to size and portability. By the way, the optional $20 Rode DC-USB-1 charging cable has been available for the past couple weeks, I got mine from Sweetwater audio. But as you mentioned, I need to use my much larger 40k mAh external battery pack designed to power laptops in order for the Rodecaster to be powered by an external battery. For the PodTrak P4, my much smaller 20k mAh Anker battery pack (or even smaller Mophie 10k mAh battery) can power the P4 just fine. I also got the optional $30 Rode SC9 TRRS cable that works both for the Rodecaster and the PodTrak P4 for smartphone calls. Did you have a chance to use the optional $49 Zoom BTA-2 Bluetooth adapter for making wireless calls on the PodTrak P4? If so, did it work well without any latency/lag issues? I'm considering getting the Bluetooth adapter, but it's still not available anywhere yet.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

I've not been able to test Zoom's bluetooth adapter. It was not yet available when they sent me the P4. Not sure if it will be available when I review the P8.

@caseyonlocation8257 3 года назад

@@GoldenSpiralMedia Aah, got it, thank you! Hope you get the BT adapter soon! The way I think of it, it's just another adapter/dongle that can get lost and misplaced, LOL!

@Dentalphotographyschool 3 года назад

What is a better choice for me ? 1 i will have max 4 ppl on my show at any point 2 i might need portability 3 m not much of a sound nerd & i don't know what's a noise gate etc but if it helps me i would like to use it 4 i might not be in a sound treated room always 5 i'm a beginner in podcast world 6 i wana make the process simpler 7 i wana do and i do a lot of live streams 8 can i add applause in live stream using P4? as k talk live ?

@monologlelaki6876 3 года назад

If u r on a budget, the P4 will be good enough but if u have the budget, RCP is far better and superior device.. if you are on a budget, u can get RCP / P4 + 4 Behringer XM8500.

@MusabTahaTarik 8 месяцев назад

For an enthusiast P4 is a beast i think

@innerlijkekrijger Год назад

Does the p4 NEED an SD card? Or if it is connected with your computer its recording into your software WITHOUT needing the SD card?

@GoldenSpiralMedia Год назад

You can record into software without an SD card inserted in the P4.

@madedigital Год назад

I have the p4... Its small and nice sound....

@GrillWarrior 3 года назад

I am thinking about getting one, which one would you get if you had to choose again? Both have some awesome options. I was going to go with the Zoom, but thinking twice about the Rode.. hum..

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

For me, I prefer to do all my audio processing in software while I edit, not on the device while I record. So the P4 is my personal favorite.

@GrillWarrior 3 года назад

@@GoldenSpiralMedia Okay, thank you. What do you think about the Zoom PodTrak P8? If you had a choice between the P8 and the Roadcaster Pro, which one would you go for?

@hamzaa9396 2 года назад

Can you record directly on to the camera for the P4?

@GoldenSpiralMedia 2 года назад

The P4 does not have a line out. You could use one of the headphone ports to carry the audio signal to your camera if you wanted to.

@AJxBishop 2 года назад

Let's hear about the P8!

@BrotherLeon302 3 года назад

Hey are they sending you the P8? I hope so? I’m looking that as well.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

Yes, I should have it later this week. It will probably be a couple of weeks from now before my first video is ready for the P8.

@bradl2636 3 года назад

@@GoldenSpiralMedia have you had opportunity to review PodTrak P8 yet?

@esco42 Год назад

So no audio output? I can't connect this to another mixing board like a maono or hyper seek?

@GoldenSpiralMedia Год назад

I'm assuming you're referring to the P4? While not an actual line out output, you could possibly use one of the headphone outputs to bring audio from the P4 into another device.

@esco42 Год назад

@Pro Podcast Solutions sorry should be been more specific lol. But yeah out if the p4 to the maono so you can use the maono in a podcast all together. I'm thinking about buying this p4

@RobertoRaymon 2 года назад

I have 3.5 to xlr adapters and I can't get any of my 3.5mm mics (rode or any other brand) to work on any channel OR EVEN the auxillary channel of my zoom podtrak p4, yet hooking in my phone or any other audio device in any channel works...

@GoldenSpiralMedia 2 года назад

Are you talking about a lavalier mic? If so, those often require plug-in power, which is different than phantom power. It's not something I'm very familiar with, so I'm not sure on the difference. But a lavalier mic like the Rode Smartlav gets plug-in power from the phone in order to work. The P4 does not have a plug-in power option.

@RobertoRaymon 2 года назад

@@GoldenSpiralMedia aaahhhh.... Yes! It's a rode shotgun mic (videomic go). I wonder if there's some type of "plug in power" adapter... 🤔

@shahab9547 2 года назад

Hello Sir, i have questions? how to connect zoom p4 to DSLR camera?

@GoldenSpiralMedia 2 года назад

The P4 does not have a line out. It’s not designed to work with video. It’s an audio podcasting device. Having said that, you COULD use one of the headphone ports to connect the audio out to a DSLR.

@shahab9547 2 года назад

@@GoldenSpiralMedia Thank you very match

3 года назад

i feel that the right comparision would be roadcaster against the p8 from zoom, taking price and form factor on the stage

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

In several respects, yes that is a better comparison. But the P8 wasn't even a thing when I made this. There are now some great comparison videos for the P8 and RCP on RU-vid.

3 года назад

@@GoldenSpiralMedia i watched one of them just after yours... anyways, thank you for pointing all that stuff, it helped me a lot to make a wiser choice (p4 in my case)

@ajronline 3 года назад

Darrell, excellent review! Thank you. I am curious about the mic inputs on the P4. I've been told that if I use a AT headset with a dynamic mic, the P4 will introduce noise. The salesperson tried to direct me to a Tascam or Zoom H series recorder. I'm looking for a mic and mixer/recorder for voiceover work as a "side hustle" at home in a room where there is no practical (or affordable) way to acoustically treat the room. I don't need more than one or two mic inputs. Your thoughts?

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

There are two things to look at here IMO. First, I would NEVER recommend a headset mic of any kind for VO work. I own 6 pairs of the AT BPHS1 headsets. I'm not sure if that's the specific model you're referring to or not. They are great in certain situations, but VO is not one of them. Their mic capsules are simply too small to capture a voice warmly. They sound thin and would not be a good choice for VO. For that price, you can choose from many great VO mics. Check out Booth Junkie here on RU-vid. Second is the question about whether or not the P4 is good for VO. I'd say it depends, but probably not. If the VO is going to be used with or matched with video, the answer is no. Because of the limitation of the P4 to only record at 44.1 kHz/16 bit, it's not going to sync with high-end video very well. The H6 or H5 would be better options because of their abilities to record at higher sample rates.

@ajronline 3 года назад

@@GoldenSpiralMedia Wow! Great advice. It sounds like I should worry less about ambient noise (the room is quiet, but it's kind of reflective) and get a good mic. Or should I just use the mic on the H6 or H5 or the Tascam? The BPHS1 is exactly the headset I was considering. I can afford the RODE NT1 and the Rodecaster, but I'm wondering if that's just overkill for starting out.

@GoldenSpiralMedia 3 года назад

@@ajronline I would not use the mic on the H5 or H6. I'd get a dedicated mic. The room treatment is going to be important, no matter which mic you use. But Booth Junkie specializes in this sort of thing. He demos tons of mics and he has recordings in all sorts of rooms with all sorts of treatments. I'm confident he has a video that will help you figure out how to do what you need with your budget and environment.

@JamieSmith-fz2mz 2 года назад

P4 has a pause button. And it's super-dupe portable. Check and check.

@CookingwithMerlin 2 года назад

Yeah BUT hooooooooooooow do you record a caller on Skype for these devices. Like that doesn’t make sense to me. They can’t detect Skype. So what’s the trick?

@GoldenSpiralMedia 2 года назад

On both devices, Skype will be connected either by the Skype app on your mobile device or by the Skype software on your computer. If by computer, you connect to the USB port and it will record to the USB channel. If by mobile, you connect to the mobile port and it will record to the mobile channel.

@CookingwithMerlin 2 года назад

@@GoldenSpiralMedia ok that might be worth getting then. Tyvm. Just subbed!!

@westernmontanaviews7298 3 года назад

If I didn't already buy my h4n pro from zoom I'd have bought the Podtrack P4. However, I am not disappointed with the H4n Pro as long as I get to the P8 eventually. The file splitting into individual wavs per track (along with exceptional audio quality) is a big deal. I want to be lean and mean in the field and have all my toys in the studio and no worries about weight or height.

@dantezero5404 3 года назад

Rodecaster is far superior

@nike12000haha 3 года назад

The Rhodecaster is the far superior machine if you don’t think you need the features it has keep podcasting and you will son find out you do... Not understanding things like the compressor or gate are not good reasons to not get it, they are good reasons to watch some videos or do some reading and educate yourself.