ZOOM PodTrak P4 Podcast Recorder Review

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In today’s episode, we have a look at and a listen to the new ZOOM PodTrak P4 audio recorder for podcasters. This recorder has 4 XLR microphone inputs, 4 headphone jacks, and records very good quality audio to SD card or feeds the audio to your computer, mobile, or tablet via USB-C. On the P4, you can record your pocast as a single mix of all microphone inputs, and at the same time each microphone input to a separate file for more in-depth mixing in post. Either way, you can publish your podcast right away, or do a super detailed mix.
If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses at school.learnlightandsound.com including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders.
Gear used or mentioned in this episode. The links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, Pictureline or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:
- ZOOM PodTrak P4 - B&H geni.us/BbGtUP
- ZOOM PodTrack P4 with Mic Pack - B&H geni.us/piOX
- ZOOM BTA-2 Bluetooth Adapter - B&H, Sweetwater geni.us/diTk
- Shure SM7B dynamic microphone - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon geni.us/GYU7dHy
- Electro-Voice RE20 dynamic microphone - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon geni.us/kP1lo
- Panasonic GH5 camera - B&H, Pictureline, Amazon geni.us/InspOl
- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 OIS II Lens - B&H, Pictureline, Amazon geni.us/gr47
- Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K - B&H, Pictureline geni.us/uK8UqB
- Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS ART Lens - B&H, Pictureline, Amazon geni.us/bhOWVlW
Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself: geni.us/G7by
Copyright 2020, Curtis Judd
#ZOOM #PodTrak #P4
Index:
00:00 Intro
00:22 Recorded with P4
00:35 Podcast Sample
01:30 Remote Call Sample
02:21 Pros
03:18 Power options
03:38 USB Audio Interface
04:02 Mix Minus
04:35 Recording with phone
04:55 Simple Controls
05:20 Lo-cut and Limiters
05:38 Limiter sample
06:24 Self Noise - Clean Preamps
07:17 Price
07:29 Cons
07:32 Build Quality
08:12 Sample Rate and Bit Depth
08:53 Hiss in Headphone Amps
09:09 AA Ni-MH Battery Life
10:20 Who is the P4 for?
11:31 Please Take My Courses

Опубликовано:

22 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 579

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

**This is a new version of my original P4 review, this time with a shipping production copy. Impressive little podcast recorder for $199 USD.

@CapsizedBanana 3 года назад

I was wondering where the old review went! Scoured your channel looking for it a couple of weeks back thinking that I had gone mad. Thanks Curtis for your great insights.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@CapsizedBanana Yes, I borrowed the original from ZOOM but assumed it was a production copy. 😕 Turns out it was not and had some rough edges still.

@sagehudson2408 2 года назад

i guess im asking the wrong place but does any of you know of a way to log back into an instagram account..? I stupidly forgot my login password. I would love any assistance you can offer me!

@MOHAMMADAHMADRAZA_QADRI 2 года назад

Hi! I just want to know. Can I use this as a recorder and run it from my mixer via XLR left and right into the zoom? And do the 4 headphone outputs monitor an individual XLR or the whole mix entirely. Cause I want to hook it up to my mixer and I have four guest on my podcast so I want them to have their own headphones but must be able to monitor the entire main mix. Is that possible with the p4?

@shanreacts 2 года назад

I use soundtrap due to sotware picks up too much I am ordering another service after I find working capitol

@aaronpk 3 года назад

Excellent review! Mine just arrived on Saturday and this is exactly the overview I wanted to see! Can’t wait to try it out on my streams now!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Congrats, Aaron! I hope it works well for you. Can't wait to hear it on your next stream!

@MyOtheHedgeFox 3 года назад

Amazing as always, Curtis: concise, detailed, well-filmed and well-described. Thank you so much. Glad Zoom finally got a no-frills device like that out to the market. Much more simple than L8, and with plenty of features to give it an edge over the H-series for podcasting.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks MyO. Yes, the P4 is a nice option for straight-ahead self-funded podcasters.

@Onpex Год назад

I was going to write something quite similar,...but you beat me to it!

@AegisComicsAlaska 3 года назад

The best review of this recorder hands down. Thank you. We will be using this for our PopShopLive streaming.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks and happy streaming!

@LeonardoVarasGuerrero 2 года назад

I started to develope an addiction to your reviews of audio recorders :) Great videos always!

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

👍

@TheAwesomeSam 3 года назад

thank you for this review. I just purchased this today from my local Best Buy because of your review. This one unit will replace my Sound Blaster K3+ mixer and my Olympus LS-100 recorder. I won't need to carry so many items with me for my portable PodCast system. The sound pad is a big plus too!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Congrats! I hope it works well for you!

@andrewade7017 3 года назад

Great review Chris! I picked up the P4 a couple of weeks ago at Best Buy and it falls into my "Best Bang for the Buck" in the Podcast category along with the Zoom Zm1 Kit for $99 in a bundle deal. Just an fyi for your subscribers...Zoom has a universal case (SCU-20) for $22 at B&H that fits the unit well and a must for anyone looking to transport this unit given its plastic construction. Cheers!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Andre!

@agambhasin 3 года назад

I think i am gonna buy it, bcz all i do is podcast, and its very good for recording to an SD Card and then post processing it on a computer, i m really impressed, and again such a great video Curtis!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Agam and I hope it works well for you!

@richardmonk9845 2 года назад

Just caught your video Curtis. Great review, thanks. I've just purchased the P4 for podcasting and I'll be using it for audio backup for video. Not overly concerned about 44.1@16, but would prefer 48@24. I think it suits my needs. Thanks.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Congrats and happy recording!

@TransplantHelper 3 года назад

I’m so happy I bought this. I was just randomly in Best Buy and grabbed it before I even knew what it was. It’s so much easier that the traditional mixer I’ve been using for mix minus interviews

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍 Great to hear it is working well for you! Keep making great recordings!

@Khaledhasan_12 2 месяца назад

كيف ابدأ التسجيل عليه لو سمحت

@mattwruff 3 года назад

Got the battery cable and a case for my Rodecaster. But it much more expensive and much bigger for sure. If your just starting out and you never know where your Podcast is going to be recorded it probably a great fit. Great review as always Curtis!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Matt.

@tombuck 3 года назад

I’m really impressed with the preamps on this thing! I just wish Zoom made their products more durable.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Me too on both counts!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@Any RD Agreed. The P4 is clearly aimed at enthusiasts, not pros.

@caseyonlocation8257 3 года назад

I'm convinced my PodTrak P4 will self destruct into tiny smithereens upon impact to a concrete surface!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@caseyonlocation8257 Good news: I dropped mine on concrete and it survived though it did scratch up pretty readily. And to be fair, it only fell about 12 inches to the concrete. This thing is likely to be pretty gnarly looking after a little location mileage. And if it falls on one of the knobs, I agree, pretty sure that knob will crack.

@caseyonlocation8257 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd Wow, serious? I hope you remembered to press the REC button on your video camera when that happened ! :-)

@paanongaba5867 3 года назад

can’t wait to get my hands on this one, it will simplify my workflow. Thanks for the great review 👍👍👍

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks!

@jacobchristianglover3655 2 года назад

Hello from Tampa Florida Curtis! Great review... thank you!!!

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thanks Jacob!

@drd5540 3 года назад

Most useful and trustworthy reviews on the internet.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Dr!

@remotelytim 3 года назад

Great review. I already own a Rodecaster Pro, it's amazing of course. They do make the Rode to be fully 'portable' by using a robust power bank but it's not portable in the sense you toss it in a computer backpack. Portability here should be understood that you can 'go remote' with it. Now, the Zoom Podtrak 4 captures true portability and you can include it in travel plans much easier. And who can hate that price point, right? I'm considering getting the PodTrak 4 for those times when I want some features and true portability, not just remote capability.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Makes sense.

@Wulf_Hogan_Entertainment 3 года назад

I just picked mine up today. I am very pleased with the PTP4. Super easy to use.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍 Happy recording!

@Wulf_Hogan_Entertainment 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd thank you!

@a.matusiak2202 9 месяцев назад

After 2 years still worth the price, thanks for review. One note as audio interface it works as two mono output. you can't pan mics, so both signals are the same, mix of all inputs

@curtisjudd 9 месяцев назад

👍

@drewcigna8197 3 года назад

great review! one of the best i’ve ever watched! I’m stuck between this and the rodecaster pro

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Tough decision if you need as small a recorder as possible. Easy decision if you don’t (for me) 😉

@honestnerd 3 года назад

Was waiting for this review, thanks Curtis! 70db of gain and pretty clean pre-amps...can't beat that for the price! Too bad it still hasn't arrived to any store here in Spain :(

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

You're welcome and I hope it arrives soon. Mine has been on pre-order for over two months and finally just arrived.

@Onpex Год назад

As always, a GREAT thorough review!

@curtisjudd Год назад

Thanks, Onpex.

@MikiYork 3 года назад

Thanks for the tips and advice, I just bought one of these for my podcast

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Happy recording!

@TheParrottBros 3 года назад

Brilliant video as always, bang for buck that’s a great little unit with bundles on uses. Might have to get one for the kit box

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks The Parrott Bro's. Agreed, impressive for its price.

@mightymojnir 11 месяцев назад

Absolutely fantastic review

@curtisjudd 11 месяцев назад

👍

@crowlsyong 3 года назад

Gosh your videos are so well done thank you for stellar organization and content

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Joey.

@chriswilko18 3 года назад

Stumbled on this purely by chance whilst looking up H6 videos. The samples were top-notch and have me sold. Plus, the savings made on the P4 instead of the H6 I can invest in a Shure SM7B. Oct 31st... Curtis Judd Appreciation Day! 🤣

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Hahaha! Happy recording!

@hisnameisrentoo 3 года назад

Awesome review! Still as tempted now as when the first video came out. Thanks, Boss!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍 Thanks Ren!

@hisnameisrentoo 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd I just did a re-watch, and the thing is literally in my Sweetwater cart. A quick question though: would it make sense to get this for our podcast if I already have a Zoom h5, or should I just get the dual XLR EXH-6 capsule? :s

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@hisnameisrentoo If the H5 is doing the job for you, then that seems like a fine option. I believe that the EXH-6 does NOT supply phantom power so that's a no-go if your microphones need phantom power.

@hisnameisrentoo 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd You're right... The h5 is working fine, I guess I just got blinded by the idea of a new device. The current setup is a little janky, involving a stereo breakout cable, lav mics and dynamic mics (you'd likely cringe). I guess I'll split the difference and get the EXH and 2 more dynamics, to streamline a bit. Thanks very much for the advice! Happy New year, and lots of love from the Philippines!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@hisnameisrentoo 👍 Janky can be a problem, too. If there's risk of something getting messed up, then a simpler setup is a worthwhile investment. 😀

@tbreit 3 года назад

It's really a shame Zoom doesn't provide a stylized plastic mini-box/sleeve that would flip open (clamshell?) or slide over the unit to protect it from moisture/dirt in storage/travel. Also, the 1-hour use time on batteries was an awful oversight - that footprint would have nicely accommodated 4-AA's with minimal stretch. Informative review as always Curtis!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Thomas. Maybe the DeckSaver company will provide something like that.

@RVKevin 3 года назад

Great review Curtis !

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks The RV Addict!

@buddhaletina 3 года назад

Fantastic review. I'm thinking of buying this one.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks. I hope it works well for you!

@coolcasti 3 года назад

Great review, concise and full of valuable information. Thanks a lot for this video. I'm starting in the podcast world and saw this device, I think it offers great value for money and could be a great tool for the beginning. Would you recommend another device for podcasting?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

The PodTrak P4 seems like a great device for podcasting!

@fuglbird 3 года назад

Another great review. Thanks!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Kajak Kajak!

@essentiallyprudentwithmadz583 3 года назад

Great comprehensive review :)

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Madz!

@JP11 3 года назад

Curtis, amazing review as usual. Do you recommend the P4 or the H8 for the lowest self-noise and overall quality?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

The P4 if you're podcasting. The H8 if you need to record other types of things - music, video, etc.

@AntonioPetitDesign Месяц назад

Great review!, i bought my Podtrak p4 a few days ago and a SM58 mic for podcasting with a simple microphone stand on top of my desk. I am really new in this podcast world. The thing is that the mic catch a lot of noises ( shoes, chair moving, grabbing the mic )…do i am missing something to get a better quality trying to prevent those kind of noises?

@johnnytrayes4734 3 года назад

Great review thanks Curtis 😃👍

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Johnny! 🎙

@ConradCarriker Год назад

Great in depth review!

@curtisjudd Год назад

👍

@joelalonsopr8 3 года назад

hi, great review! from an overall stand point, would I be better off maybe looking into an H6? possibly maybe even an H8? I will be doing primarly podcasting but also plan to use to record interview with shotgun mics and jobs of that sort.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

If it will be for video interviews, I'd probably go with the H6 or H8 but keep in mind neither of those will work well with dynamic microphones like the SHURE SM7B very well - they just do not provide enough clean gain not their own.

@joelalonsopr8 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd yeah, that's a very good point. If I were too have a cloud lifter then that should probably do the trick, right?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@joelalonsopr8 Yes, should do a nice job.

@GoodhitsTV 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd sorry - I’m confused, why would the podcast having a video component mean the h6 or h8 is preferable?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@GoodhitsTV For video, the standard sample rate is 48kHz. Probably not an issue for RU-vid which will take 44.1kHz encoded audio, but could be a problem if joining another show.

@streamiumlive 2 года назад

I love the great audio of your recording. Had to say that first. Also I think you've summed this product and its audience really well. On that note and with your final remark about this not being great for output, I'm wondering if it's the right product for me. I shoot multi-camera live mixes and have recently downsized to mirrorless cameras, losing XLR inputs of the bulkier cameras. So I'm looking for something to enable me to capture XLR again, and feed it into a vision mixer (e.g. Atem Mini Pro). As the Atem Mini has no XLR connectors, I'd be stuck with using a line-in/mic-in via a 3.5mm plug. The main mix would be via the XLR device (e.g. the P4) and fed into the Atem via a single channel. I know you didn't cover this use-case specifically but would you know if there's any noticeable latency? You said the audio monitoring wasn't up to much, but is there a decent audio output I can use to connect to a 3.5mm stereo input? Despite doing mostly live broadcast and recording, I like to capture recordings on each of the cameras as well as the final video mix. I was pleased to hear this captures inputs plus the mix, because it give flexibility to rehash the audio if I'm feeling the need to tweak the mix after the event. Sorry for the long question - hope you or one of your other viewers can help. Take care

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

If you're looking to feed audio to the ATEM, I'd look at other options. The P4 just isn't made for that. If you're ok feeding audio to a computer via USB, then its an ok option.

@thatfootballfitnessguy 8 месяцев назад

Great video thanks mate. If you were to record the video as well as the audio, is this something that would be best doing in post edit as opposed to trying to connect the camera recording to the audio?

@curtisjudd 8 месяцев назад

Yes, that's my thinking.

@NatheChocolate Месяц назад

Hi Curtis, If you had to choose between the Zoom Podtrack P4 and the Zoom H6, which one would you choose and why? Again, thank you very much for your time and excellent video reviews as always, very detailed in every aspect…

@curtisjudd Месяц назад

Depends on which mics you plan to use and whether you need more than one headphone output. If you’ll be using dynamic mics and need several people to have headphones at the same time, PodTrak.

@TriniTrent 2 года назад

Great video! Which budget TRRS to TRRS cable do you recommend for connecting a phone to P4?

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

I’ve had good results with monoprice cables.

@markanderson6639 3 года назад

Good review Curtis.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Mark.

@theot3625 3 года назад

Thanks Chris great review as usual. Is it just me or is there a hiss coming through the preamps? Nevermind, i see you did mention the hiss...

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Let YOUR ears decide whether this is good enough for your purposes. 👍

@benjhaisch 3 года назад

Can you do a mix minus for iOS calls on the H4N? I know it’s a bit off topic, but you mentioned that as another option at the end, but I’m not sure how to get that to work in particular.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Not without additional hardware

@enthuesd 3 года назад

Superb review thorough thank you

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks.

@jonathanpinfield5195 2 года назад

Hi Curtis. Is it possible to live stream from the P4 to the Mixlr Creators app on an iPhone via the USB-C connector and Apple camera adapter into the lightning socket in the iPhone? I'm not sure Mixlr Creators/the iPhone recognises the signal as an input? After a quick test with my friends kit, it sounded like the iPhone's in-built mic was picking up the sound, as opposed to the inputs from the P4 via the USB-C connector/Apple camera adapter. We're looking at using P4s for live audio streaming sports matches, alongside iPhones with the Mixlr Creators app.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

It should work. In my experience, when iPhone or iPad detects an audio interface connected, it turns all audio input and output to the external audio interface. But if it isn’t working in your case, you should probably contact ZOOM support. Best wishes!

@TomQsTechTips 7 месяцев назад

Great video as always Curtis. I have the PodTrak P4 and I love it for its portable size. However it is missing one feature I am looking for, which is the ability to mute tracks while LIVE but record the entirety of 4 tracks even if they were muted. Pretty much in exactly the same way an ATEM ISO records all of the video tracks even if they are not LIVE. I record conferences where there is heavy audience participation so I have mics around the room, but I don't want the LIVE broadcast to hear those mics most of the time. But occasionally I forget to unmute... and don't capture the question or comment when it was LIVE and I'd like to go back after the fact and recover that. Will any of the recorders you have tested do that?

@curtisjudd 7 месяцев назад

Yes, RODECaster Pro II and Mackie DLZ and Sound Devices MixPre and ZOOM F6 and F8

@sasaha8389 3 года назад

hey curtis, nice review! I was wondering....would you recommend this over the zoom H5? it looks like the preamps from the p4 are better than the one in the zoom h5. Did you reviewed the zoom H5?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

For podcasts, I would, yes. But for general purpose, the H5 has the edge.

@pattherien7323 3 года назад

My research led me to realize the the UHURU XLR mic looks like the best option for purchasing multiple microphones at a great price. If I'm understanding correctly the only thing I would need is this P4 device in between, serving as an amp and recorder at the same time.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

The P4 inputs are pre-amplifiers, yes. And the P4 is also a recorder.

@LikeThisReview 3 года назад

@Curtis Judd. 11:09 and also in answer to comments - it’s not a good idea to use headphones out to connect to a camera (or AMP) for example. A headphone output is typically lower than a Line Out (specs?) or is mainly the noise floor / ratio?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

In this case, the biggest issue is the quality of the headphone output - plenty of self-noise that doesn't exist in the recording.

@ChaseTheSummit 3 года назад

I've currently got my hands on the Rodecaster and the P4. I've found in side by side testing with the Rode Podmic that the Rodecaster seems to have cleaner Pre-amps even though they don't provide as much gain. At +55db they sound similar to the P4 at +35db. There's also "steps" in the gain of the P4. Like at "4" the hissing drops and ramps up again to "6" where it drops again. Almost like different circuits being used for different ranges of gain. Have you found this to be the case with your P4? Ultimately, if money wasn't a consideration do you consider the Rodecaster to be a huge step up in terms of audio quality or simply just features? How about the Zoom P8? Great video as always Curtis!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Sounds like you've dug into more detail than I have - good work. I do consider the RODECaster Pro to be a step up if you are live-streaming or need to reduce the amount of post work with the in-built compressor, noise gate, de-esser, etc.

@ChaseTheSummit 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd Thanks Curtis! Ha, yeah I tend to obsess over the minutia. I'm interested to see how the "noise reduction" feature works on the new Zoom P8. Hopefully you can test that in your upcoming review? 😬 It would be cool to see a side-by-side with the rodecaster and an SM7B or something.

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions 3 года назад

@@ChaseTheSummit I hope to have a look at that once the P8 arrives. Thanks!

@cli23 3 года назад

Awesome stuff as always! 70db of clean gain is pretty sweet!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Casey!

@tschuschenaquarium-wien-po5759 3 года назад

Hi Curtis, thanks for this clear review. I would add another group of users: For radio reporters it may be a very useful device, mainly for using it „on the road“. At home, I am very happy with my Rodecaster Pro, BUT in order to taking it with me, it´s too big. That´s why I ordered the Podtrak P4. Let me add here another CON:Zoom cannot deliver until 2021 to Germany/Austria...Bad planning? Overwhelmed by success? Pandemic?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Hi Stephan, thanks. Good point re: radio reporters. I suspect the pandemic has slowed production - seems to have affected quite a few companies.

@Joey-yj5ry Год назад

Great informative video. Hate to mention it but there seems to be some light white noise the cuts in and out as you speak. What is happening there?

@curtisjudd Год назад

badly applied de-breath plugin.

@ScottJWaldron 3 года назад

Wow, that looks really good! A ton of useful features for a decent price. That 44khz is super weird. Nice job on the video. :)

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Scott.

@HersheyBar 2 года назад

@@curtisjudd having the 16 beat versus 32-bit recording how much of an impact is that? I meant to say 24-bit versus 16

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

@@HersheyBar Not much if you're not going to do any post processing of the audio.

@lawdawgproductions 3 года назад

Chris, great review. If the choice is between this and the P8, what is your recommendation? I guess the real question is whether the price differential in the products is justified for podcasting.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

My personal preference is for the P8, but there are a lot of considerations which may make the P4 a better choice. If mobility is at the top of your list and you don't need more than 4 inputs, the P4 is probably preferable. I really like the "Noise Reduction" feature so I'd choose the P8.

@yourmother91 2 года назад

really excellent review video. bravo

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thanks Joey.

@TechBaffle 10 месяцев назад

I was wondering if this had enough clean gain to record a Shure MV7X. I have a Tascam DR-60MKII and it records VERY quietly, and if you increase the gain it's very noisy. I was thinking of using my audio interface but this looks good at being able to control each source, plus recording mic to a separate source is a great idea incase you need to adjust things in post.

@curtisjudd 10 месяцев назад

Yes, should do the job.

@myfordnoel6891 3 года назад

Hey Curtis, another awesome video as always. Quick question, how would you rank the following recorders for one-man production Podcasting and RU-vid videos with 2 to 4 people in the studio and one to two participants on the phone or on video calls; ZOOM PodTrak P4, Zoom F6 Audio Recorder, and Rodecaster Pro. I am using 4 Shure SM7Bs with cloud lifters on each mic. I am also looking for a fast to medium turnaround with the highest sound quality. It would be great to see a comparison video with these three products Thank you.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

I'd choose the F6 and use its auto mix feature. That'll be a big time saver.

@myfordnoel6891 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd Thank you, for the feedback. I will move forward with using the Zoom F6.

@unioncreativeREmedia 3 года назад

Quick question, can I use this to record for video work? I do podcast but also want to use it for recording audio with a shotgun mic in the field for commercial video work.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

I wouldn't. I'd probably go for something more like the ZOOM H5 or H6 at least.

@DavidBrackett385 2 года назад

Hey Curtis I have purchased this unit and it’s great for my needs but I notice a audible pop or ‘noise’ when turning the gain dial for example turning it from 5 to 6 I hear a little pop. I’m new to all this so is that normal for a gain knob without physical clicks? If that makes sense.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Hmm, I don't remember my copy doing that. (I gave it to a friend so I cannot test, unfortunately.) You might want to contact ZOOM support to see what they say about that.

@ourhomeourgarden.1372 2 года назад

Hi. Thanks for a great review. What would you say the P4's preamps like compared the the Zoom H6? Better, worser or the same?

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

More gain on the P4 for sure. Slightly less noisy. Better if you're going to use dynamic microphones.

@simborar 3 года назад

Hello Curtis! Nice video again! Do you think 44.1k could be a problem thinking about sync when recording video?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

No, it seems like sync usually results from less expensive recorders with poor quality clocks.

@CreedPodcast Год назад

Does 2 input 2 output mean that you can only connect 2 mics and to headphones if I were to live stream from my MacBook air? Or can I use 4 mics and 4 headphones? I don't fully understand because you have 4 spots to plug in mics but it says only 2 input interface. I Dont know what all the means.

@curtisjudd Год назад

That refers to how many channels via USB. You can certainly attach and record 4 mics and monitor with 4 sets of headphones.

@thousandyearsofoppression7760 2 года назад

Great review mate, 2 questions - could you plug a usb mic (ie Rode NT Mini with a USB-A to C adapter) into the USB port ? If so, could the guest on the other end of the phone call connected via 3.5 still hear you ? Just trying to use the gear I've got rather than go an buy a XLR mic. Cheers

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Unfortunately, no, the USB port is only for computers or mobile.

@franciscoaguilar9323 3 года назад

Hello Curtis, are you planning to review the new Shure MV7? That would be great!!!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Yes, I am. In my livestream tomorrow on my Curtis Judd Audio channel, I'll be using the MV7 and SM7B to compare the sound of the two microphones. I'll follow up with a full review on this channel in a couple of weeks.

@crooker2 3 года назад

Just got my new P4. Would have rather gotten the P8, but it's not out yet sadly. Can't wait to play more with the P4. Seems durable, but I would have preferred more soft-touch buttons. I guess that would have been harder to make them illuminatable. Now I need 4 Shure MV7's. :)

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

You're on your way, pal! Happy recording! 🎙

@harariye 2 года назад

Thank you very much. Great review. When I connect the P4 to my computer it appears that he finds and record only one mic. Can he record on the computer 2 mics? thanks

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Yes, it is possible. You’ll need to see the documentation for your recording app to set that up.

@salehhassan5170 Год назад

I was able to use the 3.5mm jack on the right side as output to record directly into a mobile phone, in a similar scenario would recording out of P4 into a zoom F1 to secure a 48 kHz 24 Bit wave file backup file a valid idea if I’m intending to sync audio / video in post, or is a 44.1 to 48 kHz a more valid option ?

@curtisjudd Год назад

I don’t know the pathway the audio takes through the P4. It may already have been through a conversion from analog to 44.1kHz digital and then back to analogue for the outputs. I would just leave the audio at 44.1 if you’re uploading to RU-vid.

@rumial-afghani4589 Год назад

Hi @curtis Great review!! May i ask, im considering investing in this, however i heard hiss in the background and it stop and go while youre speaking, are you applying noise gate or something? Or it just the podtrak? Cant thank you enough for all your content, i learn a lot :)

@curtisjudd Год назад

That was bad use of a de-breath plugin in post processing. That's not the PodTrak P4's fault. That was me.

@rumial-afghani4589 Год назад

@@curtisjudd Ohh I see, many thanks!

@TheBerkAlaraShow 2 года назад

We are having a few issues with our audio in our videos due to the setup we are using and are trying to decide which field recorder would do best in our situation. We currently have two Rode videomics one Pro+ and one NTG which are recording into different cameras. We want to change Dad's microphone to a dynamic so we get less echo from his microphone picking our voices up. We were thinking we could use a Zoom H4n PRO and plug the VideoMic NTG into the stereo input along with a dynamic microphone (most likely Rode PodMic due to price and quality) into an XLR, but you mentioned that the preamps are not as good in there. We prefer a field recorder that can also connect to the computer and iphone, so we can live stream and Dad can record the shorts using the same microphone (which he uses an iphone to record shorts). Could you revisit all the field recorders again to help us determine which is the best fit? There seems to be many new devices available and we are trying to stick in the $200-$300 range and not have to buy new microphones. Technically a P4 might actually work if we can source the P4 and a shotgun microphone in the same price range. NOTE: We are not planning to feed the cameras with the microphones, we will use the built in microphones to be able to sync in post.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

A Zoom H4n with a cloud lifter or Fethead should work fine for the dynamic microphone.

@joetotheflow 3 года назад

Hi Curtis! I got myself a podtrack p4 and its been working fine, but lately I've gotten issues with the memory card saying "writting error" then it sort of lags out for a minute and then starts recording again. Don't know if this is a memory card issue or zoom p4 issue, anthing you're familiar with?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Yes, sounds like a card issue. Worth doing an SD card test in the SD Card menu.

@desmondnicholson5531 3 года назад

Hi Curtis, thanks for your review of the Zoom P4 Podcast Recorder... I also love your Intro/outro music. Is the music proprietary to you...if not any information when I could go to get a sample of the music track? Thanks Desmond

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Yes, that is a track by Utah available at musicbed. Link can be found in the description.

@desmondnicholson5531 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd Thanks Curtis..

@MikeG-js1jt 3 года назад

You definitely have an advanced talent for Feathering the rough edges of a product verbally hahaha

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Ha! It was the preamps and limiters on this thing which won my heart so I couldn't be too terribly rough on it also given its $200 price tag.

@pepelsbey 3 года назад

Thank you for the review! It would be good to see a comparison between Zoom H6, Zoom PodTrak P4, MixPre-6 and maybe some other 4 XLR input recorder. I believe P4 is the cheapest one, but what else is different?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Vadim. We'll talk about them in my next recorder meta-review.

@mribi 3 года назад

I’m keen for that too! I’d love it to be “dumbed down” enough for somebody who has just been using in camera audio so far

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@mribi 👍

@callen10 3 года назад

Maybe a dumb question, but can I have 3 XLR mics connected and have all three mix together and bring into Zoom, Skype, WebEx, etc. using the USB interface? OR is it limited to two XLR mics when using the USB interface.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Yes, you can mix all of them together for any of the communication/meeting/conferencing apps.

@markjozsa 3 года назад

Hey everyone! I know it's designed for podcasting, but what if I want to use it for recording my drumset's 4 toms? Will it work well? Please help me!

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

It’s work but not the best option for that.

@BhaskarNatarajan8055 3 года назад

Hi thanks for your detailed review. Just a query: How do I stop recording multiple/separate audio files/tracks, even when no Mic is connected to that channel?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

I'd set the gain to 0 and press the mute button for the channels not in use.

@BhaskarNatarajan8055 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd - Thanks

@kurokid2441 3 года назад

Hi there! Thanks a lot for great review as usual. I just bought an H8 to finish my audio-for-video work. But I've got a little confused about the Audio Interface and Podcast Recorder (such as P4). If there's a scenario for me to say or sing something on my own, whether it'll be good to have the Audio Interface or Podcast Recorder? For example, if I'm trying to purchase the Sontronics 3X, what should I choose between those two kinds of devices? Sincerely.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

I would think the H8 is better suited for audio-for-video work because it has a line output. The P4 only has headphone outputs.

@kurokid2441 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd Thx. That's the point for me right now. Then I don't have to pay more on the devices to finish my work. If there's any need for me to record my voice or singing, I'd rather use an audio interface such as Zoom UAC-2 to roll it.

@michaelhotten752 3 года назад

Chris - great review. does the P4 accept line level inputs?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

No, unfortunately. Not made to take line level signals. You'd probably want to look at the LiveTrak line instead.

@creeksiderockmusic Год назад

Can you please tell my why I couldn't record two lines of music in the input from my tascam 2488. All Im trying to do is make a wav file on a SD card. Wouldn't this accomplish that? I would really appreciate your specific input. Thank You!

@curtisjudd Год назад

It has been a while, but my recollection was that the inputs were mic level only. You’d need line level inputs.

@StephSeroussi 3 года назад

Hey Curtis, thanks and congrats for the review. I just recorded my first podcast with it.. pretty good so far, I was on the mic and my guests on Session Link Pro, everything went good except I couldn't manage to record on Ableton at the same time I was recording on the SD. I just can't figure out why nothing came in, though the card was recognized. Any Idea ?

@StephSeroussi 3 года назад

Found it ! It's because of the USB Mix Minus.. when it's ON, nothing comes in Ableton except the Microphones, Good to know

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

You got it! Nice job sorting that out.

@sanqingtemple6404 3 года назад

Does this unit autoduck your voice while you playing music off the A,B,C,D program buttons?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Great question - it does not.

@CodyConley 3 года назад

I was really surprised by the preamps! especially on a dynamic

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Me too

@EzzenzDK 3 года назад

Thanks Curtis. Are you going to test the new Shure MV7?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Yes, will have my first audio samples on the livestream on my second channel tomorrow.

@thpill66 3 года назад

Curtis, would this device work to mic a group of people in a large room (social distancing)? For a study/meeting and include those on an online meeting app, such as Zoom or Google Meet?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Yes, definitely. You'll need some extension cabling for the headphones, but should work well.

@bluemistydragon38 Год назад

Hello So we can use directly this one with a smartphone? I mean I plug my xlr microphone then I plug with the jack on my smartphone and it's ok???

@curtisjudd Год назад

Yes.

@tammanaq 2 года назад

Some critique points about the Podtrak P4 after using it for several phone interviews: The display should be tilted - it can be quite hard to read it, if you're not at an 90 degree angle to it. And it's not practical to tilt it since the headphones jacks are at the bottom. The headphone jacks should have been on the top or sides - not at the bottom. They should also had put a screw mount on the bottom so you would be able to mount it to a stand. And there really should be an build in noise gate. It's also counter intuitive that the buttons light up when NOT in use. The most annoying thing is that the recording LED is so dim that you have to look close to see if you are recording. It should have been a flashing, pertruding LED and the display should have a light in it for working in dim settings.The battery door is also in a non colored plastic that don't match the metallic paint of the rest of the product. Other than that it's a good product and does the job :)

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thanks for the insights, @tammanaq.

@VenansiusFortunatus 3 года назад

Hi I need an advice. In terms of sound quality ,Do the Zoom P4 already good for podcasting? Do I need to go to the expensive one like rode procaster? And for the mic, is the zoom zdm 1 is good enough?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

If "Good Enough" is what you're looking for, yes, the P4 and ZDM1 seem good enough to me.

@allen6867 2 года назад

Is there any reason I couldn't just leave the mix-minus on? That way it just always works?

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Probably, yes, just make sure you always monitor with headphones to make sure it’s doing what you expect.

@magezi_zi Год назад

Thank you this has been helpful

@curtisjudd Год назад

👍

@joetotheflow 3 года назад

I have a blue yeti mic which connects through usb, think it's possible to connect it to the podctrack p4?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Hi Joe, no, just phones via 3.5mm, bluetooth, or XLR microphones.

@KristianDowling 2 года назад

Curtis how did you record your main talking head audio? I can hear a strong hiss and then the noise gate kicking in. Was this from the P4?

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

The talking head audio was recorded with the Shure SM7B and the P4. In post, I applied a breath control plugin to reduce the amplitude of the breaths.

@KristianDowling 2 года назад

@@curtisjudd I see. The noise of the amps is really quite bad, well worse than I expected. Sounds like other units like the H8 would be significantly better?

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

@@KristianDowling Hi again, I don’t think the H8 is a lot better with microphones like the SM7B. My point in using it is that it is the microphone that is very popular with podcasters and which requires a TON of gain. So most preamps are going to struggle to supply enough gain. If you’re not using an SM7B, you’ll probably be fine with whichever recorder you’d prefer. If you are going to use the SM7B, then I’d consider looking instead at the ZOOM F8n or Sound Devices MixPre.

@KristianDowling 2 года назад

@@curtisjudd Thanks Curtis appreciate your time. I actually had the F6 and bought your course which helped a lot! But due to lockdowns it was overkill and I do most of my recording at home so just wanting something simple to power condenser mics in the field - so thinking either the P4 or the H6/8

@MitchShannonLAX 7 месяцев назад

I'm assuming I could plug in 4 Shure MV7's and they will work with this? Thank you!

@curtisjudd 7 месяцев назад

Yes.

@markbarbee8659 3 года назад

Great review

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Mark.

@charlesmorris620 3 года назад

I have audio on my P4 going out. But when I was using Zoom to conference call I could not hear the other party. SAm I missing something> My sound setting on my MacBook Air are all set to Zoom P4

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

If you've got both the input and output set to the P4 in the Sound Preferences on your Mac, then I'm not sure. Probably best to contact ZOOM support. Best wishes!

@larryk1290 3 года назад

Can the Zoom P4 be connected to an audio mixer through the XLR input and be used to record the mixer output ??

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Unfortunately, no. The P4 does not take line level signals. You might be able to get some sort of attenuator but probably best to look at other recorders for recording from a mixing board.

@AngloSaxon1 3 года назад

Like yourself I have a number of Audio recorders, I am looking to get the Podtrak P4 for both podcasting and field recording. Do you think the P4 would be a good field recorder? I am going to record nature and wildlife. Or would you use a different recorder for field recording?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Hmm, I don't think it would be my first choice for field recording but I suppose it could be made to work.

@superjinx 3 года назад

Great video. Does P4 allow choice to not record the muted channels? Eg: record 1 mic channel only. Sd card file only records 1 mic channel and stereo mix.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

When you mute the channel, it is not recorded. So if you mute all of the channels except the one you wish to record, you will get a file with just the one mic and another file with the stereo mix.

@superjinx 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd that's great! Thank you for the good info. Will try it out.