ZOOM PodTrak P8 for Podcasting and Live Streaming: Recorder, Mixer, Audio Interface

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ZOOM launched a new addition to its PodTrak line of recorders, the new PodTrak P8. This all-in-on mixing board, recorder, and USB audio interface features six XLR inputs, 9 sound pads (with 4 switchable banks), and an input for mobile devices to add remote guests. Its automatic mix minus feature also makes it easy to add remote guests. Let’s take a closer look and compare the PodTrak P8 to the RODECaster Pro - it’s most obvious competitor. We also talk a bit about how the P8 compares to the ZOOM LiveTrak L8.
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. Our latest course is Sound for Live Streaming with the ATEM Mini.
Support my work creating videos by donating at www.buymeacoffee.com/curtisjudd or become a patron at www.patreon.com/user?u=342927...
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 P8 Podcast Recorder, Mixer, & USB Audio Interface - B&H geni.us/W8EU
- RODECaster Pro Podcast Recorder, Mixer, & USB Audio Interface - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon geni.us/N21CF
- SHURE SM7B dynamic broadcast microphone - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon geni.us/GYU7dHy
- SHURE MV7 dynamic podcast/livestream microphone - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon geni.us/bTlN3S
- Electrovoice RE20 dynamic broadcast microphone - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon geni.us/kP1lo
- Canon C200 cinema camera used for talking head shots - B&H geni.us/9Zi4m4a
- Canon EF 24-105 f/4L Lens - B&H, Amazon geni.us/kZyU7e
- Canon C70 cinema camera used for BTS shots - B&H geni.us/ABYB
- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L IS Lens - B&H, Amazon geni.us/qwsEs
- Panasonic GH5S camera overhead B-roll shots - B&H, Amazon geni.us/WFo5U
- Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens - B&H, Amazon geni.us/6cvOQ
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 2021, Curtis Judd
#ZOOM #PodTrak #P8
Index:
00:00 Start
00:12 Summary
00:22 Inputs
01:30 Sound Pads
02:24 Touch Screen
02:42 Mute and On Air Buttons
03:04 Noise Reduction & Isolated Channels Recording
03:53 Podcast Sample
05:33 Outputs
06:19 USB Interface & File Transfer
07:00 Power Options
07:41 Effects - Limiter, Low Cut, Tone, Compressor, De-esser
08:00 Limiter Test
10:35 Noise Reduction - Why It Is Awesome
11:11 Record Isolated Microphone Tracks
11:34 SD cards
11:45 Sample Rate - Con
13:30 Build Quality - Con
14:02 Recommendation
14:45 P8 vs RODECaster Pro
18:18 Final Thoughts
19:40 P8 vs LiveTrak-L8
20:15 Wrap-up
20:30 Please buy my courses

Опубликовано:

22 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 622

@davidaltizer 3 года назад

I loved how firm yet calm you were in telling Zoom to add 48! LOL. Great review Curtis!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Dave! I want them to succeed. They just needed a touch of tough love from one of their fans. 😀

@JIYkp 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd I agree, Zoom probably has some first-mover advantage in the prosumer space, but they'll be taken out quickly in this age of rapid prototyping.

@geraldundone 3 года назад

Terrific video, Curtis! Very thorough and helpful. 👍🤓

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Gerald! I hope you're doing well!

@YoungBlaze 3 года назад

its Gerald undone..........*HE"S CRRRRAAZZY*

@colorgradingcentral 3 года назад

That's a cool unit, man I cant believe how far some of these units have come. What I think is really special is the summary that you provided at the very beginning, viewers can quickly get a glance at the pros and cons of the unit. Seems like a really slick device for producing a podcasting show.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

They have come a long way for sure! I like to put the summary there to save viewers time.

@jonencarnacion4763 Год назад

Curtis is a true OG in this space! I remember watching his lav mic reviews 10+ years ago. Another great review!

@curtisjudd Год назад

🙏

@byronholman9228 3 года назад

That’s so dope that your family helps you with your content so much. Love it.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Byron!

@CalmingAnxiety 7 месяцев назад

I bought the L8 on the strength of your reviews 2 years back and use is for my daily podcast and RU-vid channel. Ive now bought the P8 for my camper van so I can head out for days at a time and still record shows. Thanks for another great video (even if It is 2 years ago :) )

@curtisjudd 7 месяцев назад

👍

@MichaelSavidgeStoryteller 3 года назад

When you had first mentioned "Tone", I got really excited because I thought that it would be similar to the "Sound Mark" feature on the H1n. I really wish there were more portable audio recorders that allow you to easily sync audio recordings to the line out sent to your cameras, it's a true lifesaver! Oh well, one can dream... Thank you so much for this very thorough review, Curtis! Best of luck in 2021!!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Michael!

@PawFromTheBroons 3 года назад

I love all the color coding on the hardware, and the matching in the UI. That's thoughtful and very user centric.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Agreed - on both the P8 and RODECaster.

@moeashkar8916 3 года назад

As always.. Great review! I always make my purchase decisions based on your reviews and it never fails me and saves me days of research. Thank you for being the go to channel

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Moe!

@JustinOpinionChannel 3 года назад

Recently discovered you channel while shopping for audio gear to *try* and improve my own channel. :) Very good reviews - excellent delivery of information. Not afraid to have an opinion, but very balanced approach. Thanks for helping me on my quest - I have ordered the P8, even though I work alone - I think its features will be valuable.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Congrats, Justin. I hope it serves you well!

@trevyn421 2 года назад

You gotta know, this is amazing content. I just got thrown into a project and have to work on one of these, I come up with a new question every day and just come to this video. So damn good man

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thanks Trevyn!

@twistedsoul6164 2 года назад

i needed this i just found the P8 and was going to use it for live streaming so ineeded something that could give me a lot of audio control and quality, thank you :)

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

You're welcome and happy streaming!

@TimothyDowd 3 года назад

I looked at both of these and in the end went for the L-8 with the TRRS in/out to Streamyard, tactile EQ, line input for an iPad mini for hits and show running using the GoButton app, effects for voice “pigs in space” :) USB to REAPER all tracks plus mix I found it a lot more versatile... BUT as a dedicated plug and play Podcast setup the P8 did tempt me. Great review as always. Tim.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Tim, for sharing the details of your setup.

@JustinOpinionChannel 3 года назад

FYI - The PodTrak P8 also allows you to export each individual channel, along with the full mix. They are located separate from the main mix in a subfolder called "P8_Multitrack". Took me a few minutes to find this, but it's there.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Yes, indeed, it does record the iso tracks on its own SD card.

@HomesickMac 3 года назад

Fantastic depth in the review, definitelly the Roadcaster Pro... the ease of adjusting each individual channel is the dealbreaker here.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Homesick Mac.

@audiovid. 2 года назад

19:40 - Thanks for including that part.. I was wondering here what whould be better for podcasting, voice recording, voiceover works and was thinking lot of LiveTrack instead.. You have helped me to make the final decision easy :) Many thanks for that and of course - for the whole video content about P8 :) Excelent work! 👏👏👏

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thanks and happy recording!

@stewartastley2610 3 года назад

Great and informative review. You speak so clearly listening to you is a pleasure. I have the P8 and just bought the Atem mini pro video controller which I'm enjoying using. Well done !!!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Stewart. I hope the P8 works well for you!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

A few other things: 1) Mix minus is automatically applied to connected phones (via cable or bluetooth) and 2) the On-air feature also makes it so that when a channel is off air, that person can be heard by the other headphone outputs, but is not recorded. That's pretty cool.

@onocoffee 3 года назад

And there's nothing like the On-Air feature with the Rodecaster, correct?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@onocoffee Oh, is there an on-air feature in the RODECaster?

@onocoffee 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd Actually meant that as a question - asking if there was anything like the on air feature on the Rodecaster that allows you to talk back and forth without it going to the recording?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@onocoffee Sorry, I misunderstood. Not that I can see on the RODECaster. It seems like a bit of a corner case from my perspective, but some people seem to want that feature.

@gregd6022 3 года назад

Since you really seem to key on the "auto mix / noise reduction" feature, would have been good to show an A / B head to head with the Rode Caster, noise gate is essentially the same thing so would be great to hear the difference which seems to be the decision maker here. Good vid in general.

@energybrown Год назад

Great review! I just bought a PodTrak P8 and am really happy with it. It actually does capture all individual mic tracks - as well as a stereo mix - although I have to transfer the file to my laptop to access them (guess this could be due to an update).

@curtisjudd Год назад

👍

@user-dr4bl9lw6o 2 года назад

I really appreciate this information on the Podtrak P8. You are a true professional. Thanks, Tony Indy

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thanks Tony.

@whyMDO 3 года назад

Thanks you for great review. I adore your modest, neutral and unbiased approach.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks so much!

@remoteworkinternational 3 года назад

I love the look of this interface. I want to have it for my podcast. First time coming to your channel.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

It is pretty cool. Thanks for coming by, Nikki!

@kenmecone8010 3 года назад

Excellent information! I am a truck driver, and I do a ton of recording in my truck. I have the P4, and I love it. I really hope Zoom does a firmware upgrade to make 48K an option, along with multitrack recording to a PC/Laptop via USB.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍

@BenGKaiser 3 года назад

So helpful. Thanks for the straightforward review. Definitely helped make a good selection between the Rodecaster and the P8. Probably going towards the P8. 😃

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍 Happy recording!

@stefantrisic-produktivnost2963 8 месяцев назад

Which one did you get?

@lindasson 3 года назад

Great tutorial sir, but to be honest I had no plans on watching the entire video, but the professional clear voice hypnotized me, and I couldn't stop watching lol!🙏🏾✊🏾

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Well thanks for sticking around!

@lindasson 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd no problem, great presentation!

@miguelumanzor8372 2 года назад

Thank you for this review. You provided the information I needed to make my decision.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

👍

@OgDj2024 Год назад

Very good review, and I loved that intro and outro music! 👍🏾

@curtisjudd Год назад

🙏

@kognitiveability 3 года назад

Excellent review. The main differences between P8 and Rodecaster Pro is price point and build quality. Whichever product you buy will be a win based on individual needs and cost/benefits. I have a Rodecaster Pro and love it. The extra cost is justify as I love the premium feel and ease of use. A simple feature that is taking for granted is the screw in power cord. It guarantees you don't lose power if you are clumsy, like me!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Good point on the locking power connector.

@paultryba7228 2 года назад

Thanks for all the great work you do. Love your reviews.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thanks Paul.

@SrNitShft357 3 года назад

This a great video definitely got my mind up the price point and the quality is where I need it to be, thank you

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍

@JaimeVillacis 3 года назад

I've been waiting for this. Great as always!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Jaime.

@moladeorioye 3 года назад

Been waiting for this review for the longest. I really want to make a decision between the P8 and Rodecaster. I already have the H8 so I’m not sure 48khz is a big deal for me. I’m far away in Nigeria, where this is definitely unavailable for testing but, thanks Curtis

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍

@AntonioMeres 2 года назад

I love your reviews. One thing I can't ignore: A lot a lot of hiss noise on the P8! Not good at all. Thanks for such a great content Curtis!

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thanks Antonio.

@tothetop-omaid Год назад

This is hands down the most helpful tutorial on this device.

@curtisjudd Год назад

Thanks.

@LivingSpiritism 3 года назад

Last year in February I convinced my friend to sell his Zoom R24 on ebay and get a Livetrack L8. He would typically produce podcasts with 5 to 6 participants, but he hasn't made anything all year because of social distancing, and now the Podtrack looks like a much better option. But, Curtis, I won't tell him if you don't. 😉 I still LOVE my Sound Devices MixPre-10II with the MixAssist plugin, but it's too complicated for most average users to pick up. The Zoom is probably better for someone who wants to get setup and podcasting without fussing around with too many menu options. I'm not an audio professional, but ever since I enrolled in the courses at LearnLightAndSound people are always coming to me with questions and asking for advice when it comes to their audio. I always recommend they sign up for the courses themselves.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Living Spiritism. I promise not to tell your friend! 😀 I agree - that MixPre with MixAssist is fantastic!

@jukarnarius 3 года назад

Curtis, you are absolutely the best!!!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Juansher!

@djvphotography 3 года назад

I have to agree with you, Curtis, that the lack of 48 kHz is a real issue and one that would likely cause me to resist buying it if I was in the market for one.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Hi Daniel, yes, weird product feature choice.

@YARDMANMX 2 месяца назад

Great review LOVE IT Any recomendation i want to start a podcast how to start , how and where to market it thanks

@ronspi 3 года назад

Thank you for the great review. I'm trying to understand the difference between the noise-reduction feature of the P8 and my old Olympus hand-held recorder which has/d a feature that could set the mic to record only when a sound is heard, and lower the recording volume/gain to zero when no sound presents. When you raved about it, I checked the date of your video again, just to make sure it is not one from 10 years ago, when this feature was built into the voice recorder. Thanks again. I purchased a few devices based on your recommendations in the past.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

The noise reduction feature on the P8 doesn't stop the recording, it just reduces the input level of the channel where sound is not currently present. I think the way the auto record feature often works on voice recorders is that the recording stops when there's no sound? Also, the P8 doesn't reduce the input level entirely, just enough to make a cleaner recording. Probably 6 to 9 dB from what I can tell.

@ronspi 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd Thank you. Yes, you are correct. The hand-held recorder stops recording, while the P8 continues the recording. Thanks for the clarification.

@PianoManChuck 3 года назад

As soon as you stated it only records at 44.1 Khz sample rate, it made it a deal killer... I share the same frustrations that you voiced. This could have been an awesome product otherwise.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

And that's coming from a music expert! Thanks Chuck!

@gyulahajdu2798 3 года назад

"...a company crippling a product, that didn't need to cripple." Yessss...

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍

@tombuck 3 года назад

Wait, was Zoom purchased by canon?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@tombuck Oh Ouch.

@orelanic4178 2 года назад

Very good video with lots of good information, thank you.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thank you.

@thefullsetup Год назад

Hi Curtis hope your'e well just a quick question in regards to the noise reduction. I am looking to pick one of these up for use on a work podcast but am looking at ways to keep my editing time down and removing mic bleed is the longest part of the edit for me. Are you able to tell me if the noise reduction/automix is applied pre or post fader ideally I want to record multi track without the rest of the proccessing enabled and add comp, eq aftewards. I was originally looking at the zoom f6 but that appears to only apply the auto mix to the stereo track.

@curtisjudd Год назад

When you say noise reduction, I assume you're referring to the noise gate? It is applied in the digital realm. So the question of pre- or post- fader may not be relevant here. Everything is post fader on this and because of its wide dynamic range, that doesn't appear to introduce any issues or cost in terms of audio quality.

@tombuck 3 года назад

I’ve got to say, the amount of gain available is outstanding. Being able to use gain-hungry mics without a Cloudlifter is pretty nifty. 👍

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍 they got that very right.

@Mr_G 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd not really, noise floor is -124 dBu at full gain, so with cloud lifter or similar inline preamp you can lower noise by 5-6 dB, and that is a lot.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@Mr_G Good enough for me. But if you prefer to add a cloud lifter, that is certainly an option.

@Mr_G 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd Yes, but if you need to buy six of them, then it becomes very expensive. Zoom is known to cheat with the preamps, they claim huge gain, but in reality the preamps is low gain and ater some point they boost gain digitally. I personally measured zoom h1, zoom h6 and zoom uac2 - all of them does same thing.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

@@Mr_G Ok. If you have more stringent requirements, that's perfectly legitimate. It is no surprise that ZOOM cuts corners to hit a price point. Their main market strategy is to provide lots of features at lower prices than their competitors. If I had to choose, I would not hesitate to buy a Sound Devices MixPre with MixAssist and a USB control surface for my podcast production work. But I'm old enough I can afford to do that. Not everyone can. And in that case, if this sounds good enough for them, then it isn't a horrible choice, in my estimation. Though I'd probably opt for a RODECaster Pro in that case.

@jedelixmedia Год назад

Thanks Curtis ! you made me decide to buy it !

@curtisjudd Год назад

Happy recording!

@jedelixmedia Год назад

@@curtisjudd thaaaanks.... I bought it and its really what i need. One problem solved. Now how to good lighting my film set with right lights...

@PaulSyng 3 года назад

This was super helpful. Especially the Rodecaster comparison!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Paul.

@Nicdehouwer 3 года назад

Great, thorough stuff mr Judd. Thanks!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Nic.

@donaldneumeyer4423 3 года назад

Awesome review Curtis!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Donald!

@djlworldwide2012 3 года назад

Another great review! Thank you :)

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks!

@alaneddy4575 3 года назад

Thanks Curtis, wow they very nearly nailed it! Let's hope the sample rate can be firmware updated. I can see the plastic build quality perhaps giving it less weight? It looks a little smaller than a Rodecaster too so perhaps more portable with the right tough shellacs or padded bag...if only they built it in magnesium and gave it 32 bit float recording. I would really love a device from Zoom that gave us the best of both this and the F6, kept it compact but let it be controllable by the add on control surface or iPad/smartphone control...portable, powerful, professional and capable of running Sony batteries as well as AA. I want a 'Rodecaster Go' type device that is equally talented at recording a live band as recording a podcast.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Yes, it is slightly lighter and smaller than the RODECaster. You want a do-all device. :)

@appclusiveplus 3 года назад

Thank you for that review! I have a question regarding the "noise reduction" feature: is that feature comparable to Sound Devices NoiseAssist or just like MixAssist/Dugan (or both)? Thanks for the clarification. Ronald

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

It aims to do the same thing, but it does it in a different way.

@wav_zazitiz5600 Год назад

Is there anyway to shut the monitor off on yhe p4 to get the monitor more from the usb plugin than double monitoring it?

@themanfromgoteborg 3 года назад

Thanks again for a great review. So now my question is; which one is the best for mostly live streaming with the ATEM mini and once in a while recording podcasts?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

I'd opt for the RODECaster, personally, but again, they each have their strengths and weaknesses.

@jgurtz 3 года назад

Hey Curtis, another great and interesting review! Wondering if you had any comment about the headphone amps on the P8 and how well they handle high-impedance headphones?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Like most ZOOM headphone amps, these are squarely in the consumer realm so I'd recommend sticking with headphones rated at 80 ohms or less.

@alexandersobolla9945 3 года назад

Thanks for the review. I really like the smaller formfactor of the P8 vs the Rodecaster but the 44,1 Khz restriction is just crippling in some regards. A lot of podcasters in Germany swear by Studiolink which provides a high quality peer2peer remote connection between podcasters. It relies on the Opus codec though and thus on 48 Khz as well. I therefore wouldn't be able to use the podtraks as USB interfaces. It's such an annoyance as I would otherwise really prefer it over the Rodecaster.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Great example of where that 44.1kHz sample rate is a problem. Thanks Alexander!

@dwightlilly4208 3 года назад

I have the Zoom Podtrak P4 and the Rodecaster Pro. I also have a Zoom H6 recorder. I think what Zoom and Rode was thinking is that these units were designed for AUDIO not video and that's why Zoom went with the 44.1 rather than 48. I know that when the Rodecaster Pro came out, the users complained about missing features. What Rode has done is that they built their unit so it could be updated and that's what they did. They added features missing with updates. As a radio show host on an FM station as well as I host an internet radio show, I have never had more than three guests in the studio and generally one. So four mics is overkill in most cases and six same overkill. I love both my products, I have the ZOOM P4 for a portable use going remote for interviews, but I also use it at one studio workstation where I can do a podcast or the internet show if need be. Everybody has their priorities and I agree with your cheap plastic comment as far at the P4, my H6 is bullet proof, very sturdy construction. The Rode is hands down higher quality all the way around. You did I nice review.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks for the insights Dwight.

@ShengBelmonteOfficial 2 года назад

Hi, thanks for this informative video. I would like to know if you are using a cloud lifter while you're using sm7b with this zoom interface? thanks

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

No, I just plugged the microphone directly into the P8.

@Han_Byul Год назад

Hi thanks for the video. Can I record electric drum pad such as Rolland spd30 with music from the phone ?

@brianwyse5810 3 года назад

Yes, thanks again Chris, a great review. I wonder how it stands against the Zoom h8.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Burt. The preamps on the P8 supply a fair bit more gain - good for dynamic microphones. And the P8 has the noise reduction feature which is helpful.

@televizio4393 2 года назад

Very useful information, thank you.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

🙏

@SniffenJ 3 года назад

Thanks for your thorough review. I appreciate how you structure the whole video. At the end it I found it helpful to compare the P8 vs Rodecaster and even the L8. You mentioned the P4 earlier in the review, would the P4 be in a similar tier with the L8?

@dant.6364 3 года назад

P4 has no automix (noise reduction) feature.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Similar though it does not have the noise reduction feature.

@Time_and_time_again 3 года назад

Great video thanks! Does the podtrak have any built in reverb at all? I currently use the livetrak l8 as I’m a singer/musician and love the fact that it’s built in. Thanks

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Hi Al, no reverb here. Looks like they were assuming this would just be for spoken word recordings where you generally don't need reverb. The LiveTrak series is probably the better option for music.

@ziirn1 2 года назад

I find this very helpful in making my decision about which device to get. Are you planning to do a review of the new Tascam Mixcast 4? It has an auto-mix ('noise reduction') feature which I believe is what you most liked about the P8.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Would sure like to get my hands on one but I'm still waiting for the Tascam x8 to ship.

@wiillthebarbertv9415 2 года назад

Great content, this is very similar to the portable multitrack recorders like the zoom MR, Boss BR series

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Thanks, Scott.

@brianhouser1343 11 месяцев назад

Thank you for the fantastic and complete review. Even though it's a 2 year old video I see you do a great job of responding to people even as recent as this month (which earned a like and subscribe from me), and it's why I wanted to shoot you a question as I'm having a devil of a time figuring this out (I assume it's because the answer is 'no, you can't do that'). I was considering grabbing one of these for a friends & family videogame Let's Play channel I do, but there appears to be one possible missing piece of functionality for me to do so - which is I don't know that I can connect this up in a way to capture the video game sound. Here's what I currently do (and you can easily see why I am looking for something else); me and one other person will connect our headphones to my PC, OBS on that same PC records the videogame video & audio, the same PC records the audio from one microphone via Audacity, and then a separate laptop records the other microphone via audacity. So our headphones only provide the game sound and we just have to have the volumes set so we can hear our voices in the same room. I was thinking with the Podtrak P8 it would be nice to capture our vocals on the unit, and have our voices through our headsets, but while OBS would still capture the game's audio, I can't see how we could hear that audio through the P8. Any thoughts? Anyway, thank you for such a thorough review of this device. ADDENDUM to my question. It just occurred to me, maybe all I need to do is get a 3.5mm to XLR male and plug that into the PC's headphone jack and then the XLR male to the PodTrak as one of the mic lines?

@curtisjudd 11 месяцев назад

I’d look at something like a RODECaster Pro II instead

@steveaustin8817 3 года назад

As always - very specific and effective review - thanks! Regarding the 44.1 khz vs 48 khz for video - THIS is exactly why I like your reviews - you find things like this. I do video so this unit is just not something I will pay $500 for when it does not do the job for video. For me - its a serious oversight from Zoom, as is the plastic case. FYI, my Zoom H6 USB power connector disconnected from its mount and does not work (now only batteries work) - after relatively not much use - after 14 months. That means it cost about $175 for a warranty replacement. Also, it does not have enough gain for my Shure SMB-7 mic. (I boost it separately). So, I like the zoom concept - but I'm drifting away from being a future zoom customer.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks for sharing your experience, Steve!

@keneg2406 6 месяцев назад

Excellent review!

@curtisjudd 6 месяцев назад

Thanks!

@konradrychlewski 3 года назад

Curtis, your reviews are in a class of its own as always. On a more speculative note, how far away are we from a hardware revision on the Rodecaster Pro in your opinion? Is it still worth buying it or is the Rodecaster Pro mark II just around the corner? I noticed Rode's product cycles are comfortingly long which does give me some confidence that it is not too late buying a Rodecaster right now, but what do you think? Potentially 32 bit recording or the ability to have more customizable buttons to turn off / on certain menu functions quicker vs. going through the touch screen, much like on a modern mirrorless camera, would be 2 features they could add in a new revision. They could allow users to repurpose some of the sound pads for that, of course. One last note on comparing it to the P8, from how they sounded to me, the aural exciter but especially the big bottom seem to be more useful sound effects vs. what is currently available on the P8. Thanks a lot for your thoughts!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Hi Konrad, thanks. I suspect you're right - RODE does not generally rev hardware quickly so I think the RODECaster is not likely to get a mark II release any time soon. But that's entirely a guess. They have been good about releasing new firmware which is great. I'd like to also see an auto mix feature to replace or compliment the noise gate.

@LucaCoppadoro 3 года назад

Thank you for the great video Curtis. I'm still learning my ropes around audio gear, and I'm not sure what the difference in use case would be between a Rodecaster/P8 and something like the mixpre 3 II/F6. What would you recommend for livestreaming and zoom calls? Thank you!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Hi Luca, The MixPre and F6 are field recorders which can also work as USB audio interfaces, though the design decisions which went into them focused more on field recording. The RODECaster Pro and P8 were made mainly for podcasting but can also be used as USB interfaces for livestreams and Zoom calls. I would say that the RODECaster and P8 are probably better suited for desktop use. But in the end, it comes down to personal preference and whether you need a field recorder. I'm possibly a bit of an outlier, but if I could only choose one of these four devices, I'd choose a MixPre. I don't have a lot of need for sound pads for my podcasts or livestreams and I really like the flexibility of the MixPre in terms of routing and the quality of its preamps and analogue limiters. However, I would say that the RODECaster and P8 are probably a little easier to operate, especially for sound newbies.

@mattwruff 3 года назад

Great review Curtis! Zoom is really late to the game here, I have a Rode as does alot of people and if I was buying today I would still buy the Rode. Rumor has it a New Rodecaster is 6 months out that address things like people using the RODEcaster as a audio mixer for the video podcast as a bunch of people do. I do like plugging everything in on top vs on the back of the RODEcaster. I use the RODEprocaster MIC and though RODE has enough power to get sufficient volume it not as clean as using a Cloudlifter. I agree I wish RODE used a SD card insteard of a microSD card!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

👍

@misionjovenesja.jovenesadv8167 Месяц назад

Excellent friend, I think that if the functions of the live L8 were placed in that mixer it would be perfect. I want to make potcat and if my guests are musicians and want to connect their instruments

@curtisjudd Месяц назад

👍

@eazymainliveawesomeeats7581 Год назад

I just got me one, had the L8... I personally didn't go rode because I need to be mobile and the battery power part sold me on zoom.

@curtisjudd Год назад

I hope it works well for you!

@eazymainliveawesomeeats7581 Год назад

Thanks, me too. The thing I don't quite understand is the part about the kilohertz.

@JeenHao 3 года назад

Very good review Curtis, just on time. I am deciding between the P8 and the L-8. By the way, does the headphone outputs of this P8 produces the hiss like P4?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Some. ZOOM headphone amps are usually not the cleanest. The P8 is no different. I didn't find it to be a serious problem, but don't plan on using headphones with more than about an 80 ohm rating.

@naturecallakbar1080 3 года назад

Nice review Mr Curtis

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks.

@jordanblackman7484 3 года назад

Thanks for the great content as usual. I have a question about the noise reduction... is there a way to get a similar benefit with the Rødecaster using multitrack out to usb and some software that does the noise reduction?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Certainly - you could use noise reduction in post. Or you could use the noise gates to help as well.

@alexandersobolla9945 3 года назад

You could try Auphonic which is an online mastering service if you will (there are also desktop apps). They have a crossgate feature that’s very similar to what the P8 does and which I’ve been using for a couple of years now

@carltontheengineer2599 2 месяца назад

i'd really like to have a quick feedback if possible; i'm about to buy this product and my question is: i have logic pro x; is it possible to record directly on my software 4 simultaneous microphones and each input separately? how to setup this; thanks

@naturalbeautyfoods512 3 года назад

This is such a helpful video. For teaching live piano classes on zoom meetings, would this be a good choice?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks. It could work nicely for that, yes.

@T3KDJ 3 года назад

love your video's so clear and precise Question could i load say a 2hr show to one soundpad or are they limited to only short jingles

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Great question! I didn't test that before I had to send it back - I'm so sorry! Maybe you could contact ZOOM support to confirm whether that would work. Happy recording!

@T3KDJ 3 года назад

Thankyou for your quick reply Cheers

@lawdawgproductions 3 года назад

Great video. I asked this on the P4 review as well, but do you have thoughts on the p4 vs p8, particularly on whether the upgrade to the p8 is worth the cost differential?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

My thought is that the "Noise Reduction" feature on the P8 is really a time saver. But there are a lot of other considerations. If portability is super high on your list, the P4 might be a better choice.

@DEHEK 3 года назад

Thanks so much for the useful video it's absolutely awesome I was hoping that you would show me how to change the colours of the pads?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Danny, sorry I missed that. I borrowed it for the review so I don't have it on hand, but ZOOM support should be able to clarify how to change the pad colors, if it is possible.

@DEHEK 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd thank you for that I worked it out doing just that.

@simborar 2 года назад

Hey Curtis! Great video. Which equipment (tripod, etc) do you use to record a top-down shot?

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

A c-stand and Matthew’s baby pin to 1/4” threaded adapter.

@nexusofculture 5 месяцев назад

How do you get mix-minus from the Zoom PodTraK P8 for online guests?

@de_krocky 3 года назад

can you record all tracks simultiously AND have a stereo over usb to your computer (with e.g. OBS studio). And how does the mute and on-air buttons affect the recordings ?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

I don't have the P8 on hand to double check for sure, but I think it can do both - multitrack on the P8 and a stereo stream via USB to computer. But you'll want to contact Zoom support before buying if that's a critical feature for you. Mute completely shuts down a mic both to the recording/USB stream whereas off-air just prevents the recording from capturing that mic in the stereo mix (and now I'm not sure if it also stops it from recording to the isolated channel). I'm sorry. Probably best to contact Zoom support to confirm all of these.

@AhmedJaf Год назад

the most important thing i want to buy this for is noise reduction, and I didn't see a sample of how it works, you just pointed out the low cut function without testing. and your video has a lot of background noise throughout the whole thing, i was wondering why is that?

@curtisjudd Год назад

If noise reduction is your main goal, this is not the device you’re looking for. High pass filters help a tiny bit but are not noise reduction filters.

@ahsanitaqwiem23 3 года назад

as always, great review!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Ahsani.

@AlexTayloorTV 2 года назад

Just to clarify! I just purchased the SM7B and I have the P8. You didn’t need a cloud lifted or fethead for the mic? I was under the impression it was needed but your audio sounds great. Just wondering if that’s because post processing or if that’s straight out the P8

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

I boosted the levels in post.

@HOWLERMonkey 3 года назад

Is there a way to use this as a mixer for recording vo on Final Cut Pro? I’m unable to hear it through my computer.

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

I'm not familiar with whether FCP can record at all. Bit if it can, this should work as well as any other audio interface.

@pastornws 3 года назад

This was an excellent review! Did Zoom update the firmware since your review to provide a 24 bit/48kHz on the P8?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

It doesn't look like they've issued a firmware update yet, no. I'm not 100% sure it will be possible to do that in a firmware update, but I hope it is and that they do it.

@sasharey3153 8 месяцев назад

I have a question, not that long ago I purchaset audio interface Audient Id4, it supports loopback as a streamer I do play games a lot and have intertaining projects with many ideas that includes music. I need hardware device that will allow me to play or send music from for example spotify or my own library from computer into the game as saperate channel that can be send via mic. Will this device will allow me to do so?

@curtisjudd 8 месяцев назад

Not easily. I'd look to a RODECaster Pro II.

@johnlester6306 3 года назад

Great review. I may have missed it in the video, but does the P8 do mix minus with the phone or usb input?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Yes for both. 👍

@SweetChariotOfFire 2 года назад

Great review, Curtis! Question: Have they updated the firmware to counter the 44.1kh for video? This is huge for me as I’m capturing my podcast via video first.

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Not sure, I had to send this back as it was on loan from B&H so I haven't heard. I suspect they have not updated it but if you contact ZOOM support, they should be able to confirm.

@Charles64 3 года назад

Does Have Echo or Reverb delay on it ? On voice recording ? It can Connecting to iPad Pro ?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

No echo or reverb that I recall (I don't have it any longer - just borrowed it for the review). Yes it records voice. Yes, it can connect to iPad Pro.

@AlejandroRamirez-sw2se 2 года назад

what about the files? when I open the folder on my pc am I going to find one sigle track for each channel recorded or am I going to find one single audio with the mix ?

@curtisjudd 2 года назад

Its been a while but my recollection is that it records to separate files. But I'd recommend you contact ZOOM support to confirm. Best wishes!

@ZachMRutledge 3 года назад

Do you think Rode can add that “automix” type feature via firmware update?

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

I think they could, yes.

@SoundSpeeding 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd how about Noise Reduction via firmware update for the F Series.... that would be killer.

@madisenstubbs 3 года назад

Thank you for this video. Wondering which device you would recommend for live streaming, Zoom calls, and podcasts? Wondering if there is a device you like trust to handle "every scenario."

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Because of my work, I use a really expensive Universal Audio interface with my computer. But if I weren't in that situation, I'd probably look at a MOTU M2 USB Audio Interface.

@madisenstubbs 3 года назад

@@curtisjudd Thank you so much!

@comparticello 3 года назад

Awesome video!

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Thanks Emilia!

@RobbieSkaff 3 года назад

Do you have any experience working with Dolby Atmos? If you have are there any resources you would recommend I should look at to help me learn more about how to mix in atmos. Thank you for your amazing videos. : )

@curtisjudd 3 года назад

Hi Robbie, I don't have any first-hand experience with Dolby Atmos mixing and to be honest, I haven't found any specific resources. But I'd start at the Dolby site.