Best Portable Podcast Recorder? Zoom PodTrack P4 Next Review + 4-Mic Shootout (P2 vs P4 Next)

Is the Zoom PodTrack P4 Next actually the “light years ahead” upgrade from the PodTrack P2—or is it just hype? @ZoomSoundLab

Buy It Here: https://amzn.to/48YN6fu

I’m Corinne Joy Votaw, sports photographer and gear reviewer, and after my not-so-happy experience with the P2, you all told me I tested the wrong unit. So I got the P4 Next and put it through the test that matters most for podcasters: can it drive real broadcast-style dynamic mics cleanly—especially the Shure SM7B—without an external booster like a Cloudlifter?

In this video, I run a quick audio shootout with four of the most common podcast microphones:

Electro-Voice RE20
Shure SM7B
Shure SM58
sE Dynacaster (dynamic mode + phantom-powered built-in preamp)

We also test the P4 Next’s onboard processing features (tone, compression, and AI noise reduction) and talk about a workflow detail that can make or break your experience: the difference between gain vs. channel levels—and how the P4 Next’s single-knob approach affects clipping risk, especially since it’s 24-bit (not 32-bit float).

What we cover:

✅ 4 XLR inputs + 4 headphone outputs (individual volume)
✅ USB-C power + battery portability (grab-and-go setup)
✅ Sound pads + podcast-focused features
✅ Mix-minus support for remote guests
✅ Real-world gain/noise performance with dynamic mics
⚠️ The “one knob” gain/level limitation (and why it matters)

Final verdict:

If you want a portable, simple, fast podcast box with 4 XLR + 4 headphone outs, this is a strong option. If you’re more of an audio workflow purist who wants traditional gain staging and separate fader control, you may feel limited.

⭐ Overall score: 3.5/5
And yes… the comments were right: it’s way ahead of the P2.

Видео Best Portable Podcast Recorder? Zoom PodTrack P4 Next Review + 4-Mic Shootout (P2 vs P4 Next) канала Corinne Joye Votaw