ZOOM LiveTrak L8: the most UNDERRATED podcast mixer?

You can turn off the video feed on Spotify mobile: Main page/ settings/ Data Saver/ Video Podcasts: Only Stream Audio when not connected to WLAN)

Gear I use or recommend using (affiliate links, does not cost you any extra, but by purchasing through them you are supporting this channel - highly appreciated if you use them):

In this video:

Podcast Mixer/Recorder:

Microphone:

Cables and adapters:

🔴 Dedicated Podcast Recorders:

🎙 Microphones:

🦾 Boom Arm:

🎛 Audio interfaces & Mixers:

🎧 Headphones/Headsets

🙉 Other Audio Gear:

🚡 Cables I use:

🎥 Video Gear:
🔦Lights:
Other lights:

📸 Camera setup

On the desk:

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro/why is it a bad choice? :)
0:41 Key advantages: inputs, multitrack, remote guests
4:18 Basic Operation
7:44 Records up to 4 remote guests?
13:36 Where it beats all/Outro

[eduardoespinosa]

I bought mine a month ago and I love it! When I have more remote guests your workaround will be such a life saver

[Tom-sdvi]

I use this mixer to record and gig with my 4-piece rock band and occasionally record podcasts for my business. It is a beast. I only would have liked stereo line-ins and compressors for the mic inputs.

[RogerLawrence]

Love your review. I picked up an L8 for virtual worship team recording during Covid, and was considering "upgrading" to the Rodecaster Pro II, but upon reflection, there's nothing wrong with this little desk. Love it.

[liarspeaksthetruth]

Nice review! I've had an L8 for a couple of years. I was using a PreSonus audio interface (1810c), but I find the L8 is just easier to work with. The simultaneous multi-track on board and in DAW has been really helpful (for roundtripping audio to 3rd party editors). The big fun thing is the USB returns to take external audio and bring it in and record it on a separate track. It's just a really comprehensive little piece of gear.

My only complaint is practical: the buttons are clicky when pressed. It's not a LOUD click, but loud enough to pick up in a quiet podcast studio. It's probably a design decision based on price and original use case: clicky buttons don't matter in live music settings.

On the whole....awesome.

[JimKopriva]

Nice review, and your rig is a good idea for more remote guests. The L8 has just one mix-minus interface via TRRS. Curtis Judd tests this in his review, and here's a line from the B&H product listing:

"Simply connect your mobile device to the 3.5mm TRRS port using the supplied TRRS cable (some iOS devices may require a Lightning to headphone jack adapter), and the L-8 utilizes a mix-minus function to ensure that the caller won't hear their own voice echoing back to them."

But your setup is necessary to have several phones to host several guests.

[SofiavVeen]

It is a good device which I use for my live theatre/circus shows. Lasts a day on a good battery-pack.

I have one major thing against it (and why I switched to a rodecaster pro 2): the soundpads don’t have a stop-mode. You can start playing a song, bit you can’t stop it. If Zoom would fix it, the LiveTrak would be perfect.

[davidlee]

I have used one of these for years. Obviously love it. But the input USB input is the flimsiest fatal flaw to the unit. As an on location mixer, one accidental yank on the power/usb cord and that input will break the board it's connected to and you'll need to buy another. ZOOM, what's with the cheapness in such a vulnerable achilles heel?

[ChrisGuarraia]

Thanks for this. I’ve had mine for a couple of years and while not using it for podcasting, it’s been very enlightening what I can do with it. I plan on using it to record wind ensemble concerts as a USB interface to my DAW. Similarly, for work, we’re getting one for me to use to record audio when we have video shoots.

[andre-le-bone-aparte]

Just found your channel. Excellent Content -- Another sub for you sir!

[spearheadnotary]

Question: thanks for this excellent video. I like the idea of using the patch cable to send audio from phone to mixing board.

I’m very new to audio tech. Question I have is what purpose does it serve to do the second part of what you mention about having audio sent back to phone. What uses would that be necessary for?

[BotraxDiaz]

Would be perfect if it had noise gates/expanders. Rodecaster has Noisegates, and now Master compressor, which can remove any need to edit.

[soheilmasoumi]

hello. Thanks for the video.
How do you evaluate the quality of the preamps of this mixer-recorder? In terms of noise and ambient sound In terms of record high and low frequencies as well as midranges? And is the phantom power button separate for each line? or not thank you



[troevpiano]

Could you please tell me, with the setup you have in the video, will the sound from the mixer be transmitted to the iPhone in mono or stereo? I need to send a stereo signal from my mixer to an iPhone 15 Pro, but I'm having trouble figuring out the connection setup and which adapters I need.

[fulldork]

Thanks for the great video!

Is there a way to plug-in as audio interface but also plug into the wall so if the computer isn’t on it will still power up?

[thomaslthomas]

My question is how well your L-8 is it holding up to daily use?

[leannetressler]

How would I use the L8 for multitrack recording for two cohosts on a podcast? How to I set up the inputs in GarageBand for multitrack?

[twinkie]

Are you familiar with the zoom f6 (32bit) ? If so I was wondering should I get the zoom l8 or zoom f6? I record living performances and some ppl have their own band as well.

[MusoManUK]

hi Meister, thank you for this excellent video .. I sold my Allen & Heath FX12 to get this little beauty .. set up easily with Cubase 12, all channels visible

Question re: podcast .. use the phone input, caller comes into Cubase perfectly and records no problem .. mic is on Ch1 on L-8 and records fine .. problem is that the caller can't hear me when I talk via the mic into Cubase

Phone channel and mic channel set to stereo out in Cubase, so should be fine .. Ch7 on L-8 is not set to USB so that sound pads can be used .. if I set it to USB there is feedback in my headphones (probably for caller as well)

any advice how to get caller to hear my mic through Cubase pls? Thanks in advance

[StanleyCarlduPont]

Excellent review! Built-in USB mix-minus and the mic gain are the only real areas that should have been better, but there are work-arounds. Hope you'll get around to showcasing how to create USB mix-minus when in use as an audio interface into the popular online meeting platforms [Zoom, Teams, etc].

[ahmadhusayn]

Excellent comparison! I'm deciding between the Zoom LiveTrak L8 vs Rodecaster Pro II and was hoping you could help me clarify something regarding the headphone monitor outs.

I will be using either mixer as part of my band's "self monitoring" rig.
Signal flow will be as follows:
3 individual 1/4" sends from 2 guitar 1 bass fx pedalboard ---> Livetrak 8/Rodecaster Pro II ---> 3 individual submix headphone outs ---> 3 individual stereo wireless IEM transmitter systems

I've been reading a lot about how the Rodecaster has around 6ms of headphone monitoring latency, which I'm wary may affect the performance of my band members. Does the Livetrak L8 suffer from the same issue? Thanks!