Tim Cumings joins us to follow up on his Mosen At Large review of the Zoom Podtrak P4. Other users comment on its use from a blindness perspective as well. From the Zoom website,
Purpose-built for producing polished multi-person podcasts anywhere you go, the Zoom PodTrak P4 is a cost-effective portable multitrack podcast recorder that lets you quickly record up to four mics, handle 2 echo-free remote call-ins simultaneously, trigger sound samples, and provide separate headphone feeds for all your guests, all at the same time and with refreshing simplicity.
From the intuitive, tactile controls to the plentiful battery life and powerful audio processing functions, the PodTrak P4 is well equipped to help you record or stream pristine audio for panel podcasts. Dynamic and condenser mics, customizable sound pads, call-ins via your smartphone or computer, and independent headphone outs; the PodTrak P4 can manage everything you need a podcast production station to do.
Extra touches including built-in limiters and low-cut filters for enhancing your tracks, an integrated mix-minus function to prevent echo and feedback for remote guests, and multiple powering methods make the PodTrak a truly powerful all-in-one solution for podcasting.
Four High-Gain Mic Inputs
Whether you rely on announcer-style dynamic microphones such as the Zoom ZDM-1 (available separately) or prefer the sheen of crisp condenser mics, the PodTrak P4's four mic preamps are up to the task. Each features a balanced XLR input jack, selectable +48V phantom power, and up to 70 dB of gain, plenty of boost to ensure optimal recording levels with all kinds of mics, such as the venerable Shure SM7B.
Headphone Mixes for You and Your Guests
Outfitted with four 3.5mm stereo headphone outputs, the PodTrak P4 can provide you and your guests with independent headphone mixes, each with its own level control above the corresponding headphone jack. No matter the scenario—an exclusive interview or a raucous panel podcast, everyone will be able to clearly hear what's going on.
Echo-Free Remote Call-Ins
Knowing how frequently podcasters collaborate with remote guests, Zoom integrated two ways to accommodate call-ins—plug your smartphone directly into the 3.5mm TRRS phone port, connect a computer via USB to pipe in the audio from your conferencing software of choice, or do both at the same time to feature two remote guests.
Whether you use TRRS, USB, or both, the PodTrak P4 automatically prevents echo and feedback with its built-in mix-minus feature; your remote guests will never be distracted by hearing their own voice echo back to them.
Supports BTA-2 for Wireless Remote Guests
If you prefer to go wire-free for call-ins, connect the Zoom BTA-2 Bluetooth receiver (available separately) to the PodTrak P4 and use your smartphone to wirelessly pipe in your call audio via Bluetooth.
Assignable Sound Pads with Preset Sounds
The PodTrack P4 is equipped with four sound pads next to the LCD screen, perfect for elevating your podcast production quality with music, jingles, ads, sound effects, or pre-recorded interviews triggered at the push of a button. Use the 11 preset sounds or load your own samples for even more versatility. Plus, a dedicated knob allows easy adjustment of the sound pad output volume.
Instant Access to Gain and Mute for Each Input
Each mic input on the PodTrak P4 has its own dedicated gain control knob. There's no track selection or button pressing required to optimize your recording levels; just turn the dials (clearly labeled from 0 to 10) anytime you need to adjust the gain. Additionally, a mute button is provided for every input, so you can quickly mute/unmute guests without having to navigate through menus.
Record up to 10 Tracks Simultaneously
With the PodTrak P4, you can simultaneously record up to 10 tracks to an SD card—four tracks from the input channels, four tracks from the sound pads, and two tracks from the overall stereo mix.
SD Card Recording and Audio Interface Functionality
Designed for truly convenient portability, the PodTrack P4 can record directly to an SDHC card (up to 32GB capacity) or an SDXC card (up to 512GB capacity). A 4GB card will yield over three hours of 16-bit / 44.1 kHz 4-channel recording time using the BWF-compliant WAV format for uncompressed audio quality and industry-standard file compatibility. Note that media cards are available separately, and larger capacity cards may increase startup times.
Alternatively, use the PodTrak P4 as a 2-in/2-out USB 2.0 audio interface (at 16-bit / 44.1 kHz) with your Mac/Windows computer or iOS/Android mobile device (separately available Apple Camera Connection Kit is required for use with iOS devices).
Powered via AA Batteries, AC Adapter, or USB
Power the PodTrak P4 via two AA batteries, plug it into a wall outlet with an AD-17 AC adapter (available separately), or use an external USB battery. Alkaline batteries can keep the P4 running for up to four hours of continuous recording. When using the P4 in the stereo USB audio interface mode, USB bus powering is also possible.
Signal Processing Adds Sonic Polish
The PodTrak P4's onboard effects allow you to add polish to your recordings without resorting to postproduction processing on a computer. Built-in limiters compensate for fluctuations in input level, while low-cut filters help eliminate wind noise, blowing, and other kinds of low-frequency rumble.
Have a tool or product you know how to use and want to demo to the blind podcasting community? Please be in touch, we are always glad of contributions for the podcast.
Be sure to follow the Blind Podmaker club on Clubhouse, and join our Blind Podmaker email group. Send a blank email to [email protected]
