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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a complete, plug-and-play podcasting kit that turns a single voice into a broadcast-ready recording, choose The Imaging World Zoom ZDM-1; if you need a portable studio that records two people at once and folds in remote guests, choose Zoom PodTrak P2. These are not really rivals — one is a microphone bundle, the other is a recorder. The real question is whether your bottleneck is your voice chain or your ability to capture multiple people in one place.
• The Imaging World Zoom ZDM-1 — biggest strength: it is a full voice-recording kit in one box: dynamic mic, windscreen, XLR cable, tabletop stand, pivoting mount, threaded European adapter, over-ear closed-back headphones and a microfiber cloth.
• The Imaging World Zoom ZDM-1 — biggest trade-off: it captures one voice through one channel, so it is a solo tool, and it depends on you already having something to plug the XLR cable into.
• Zoom PodTrak P2 — biggest strength: it is a self-contained two-person recorder with two USB mic inputs, two headphone outputs, remote-guest Mix-Minus, AI noise reduction and SD recording up to 1TB.
• Zoom PodTrak P2 — biggest trade-off: it is a recorder, not a microphone — it does not include a mic, so you still have to bring your own.
• Who each is for: the ZDM-1 for the solo podcaster, narrator, singer or streamer who wants one clean voice recorded well; the PodTrak P2 for the interviewer or co-host duo who need two people, two headphones and a remote caller handled in one small box.
The ZDM-1 is a dynamic, end-address microphone tuned for voice. The capsule is a large-diaphragm dynamic design with a supercardioid pickup pattern, which is the detail that matters most in a normal room. A supercardioid pattern is narrow at the front and rejects sound arriving from the sides, so room reflections, a humming laptop or a nearby fan land quieter in the track than they would on a wide-pattern mic. Zoom pairs that with an integrated shock-absorbing mechanism so desk knocks and stand rumble do not travel up into the recording. It also carries a humbucking circuit aimed at electromagnetic interference from phones, power lines and monitors, and a 135 dB maximum SPL rating, which means it will not fold when a loud source hits it.
Who should buy it: solo podcasters, voice-over artists, announcers, rappers and singers who record at a desk and want a dark, sturdy, voice-forward mic with everything needed to monitor themselves. Who should skip it: anyone who needs to record two people simultaneously in separate tracks, or anyone who wants a battery-powered device that records to a card on its own. The ZDM-1 is corded and needs a host device with an XLR input. It is the right first purchase if your problem is "my voice sounds thin and roomy," not "I can't capture my guest."
Zoom PodTrak P2: Who It's For
The PodTrak P2 solves a different problem entirely. It is a small recorder — roughly 4.57 by 3.23 by 1.69 inches and about 7 ounces — that accepts two USB microphones and gives you two headphone outputs. That second headphone jack is the quiet hero of two-person recording: both people can hear the same mix without a splitter or a headphone amp. Setup is genuinely simple — plug in two USB mics and record. The file format is WAV and storage runs on SD cards up to 1TB, with the unit rated for about 10 hours of digital recording time.
For interviews, the standout feature is Mix-Minus. When you bring a remote guest in through a phone or computer, Mix-Minus automatically strips your own voice out of what the guest hears, which kills the echo and feedback loop that ruins most call-in recordings. The P2 also handles the voice work in hardware: AI Noise Reduction, tone shaping, a compressor and a de-esser, so a usable track comes out without a post-production pass. And it records to SD while simultaneously streaming to a smartphone or computer — you can go live and still keep individual tracks for editing later.
Power is flexible: up to 4 hours on four AA batteries, plus USB bus power and AC adapter support, and the connection to your phone or computer runs over USB-C. There is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, mono microphone operation mode and a one-year replacement warranty.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for solo voice recording → The Imaging World Zoom ZDM-1. One channel, one voice, mic and monitoring included.
• Best for two-person podcasts → Zoom PodTrak P2. Two USB mic inputs and two headphone outputs in one box.
• Best for remote interviews → Zoom PodTrak P2. Mix-Minus removes echo and feedback for call-in guests.
• Best out-of-the-box completeness → The Imaging World Zoom ZDM-1. Mic, windscreen, XLR cable, stand, mount, adapter and headphones are all in the bundle.
• Best for recording without a computer → Zoom PodTrak P2. SD recording up to 1TB, WAV files, and battery power for up to 4 hours on four AA cells.
• Best for livestreaming while recording → Zoom PodTrak P2. Streams to a phone or computer while saving separate tracks to the card.
• Best for room-noise and handling rejection → The Imaging World Zoom ZDM-1. Supercardioid pattern, integrated shockmount and humbucking circuit.
• Best for clean voice with no editing → Zoom PodTrak P2. AI Noise Reduction, tone, compressor and de-esser built in.
• Best first purchase for a beginner with nothing → The Imaging World Zoom ZDM-1. It is the only one of the two that actually includes a microphone.
In my opinion, the Zoom PodTrak P2 is the more capable machine — but it is not the right buy for everyone, and that is the whole point. If you record alone and you are starting from zero, I would buy The Imaging World Zoom ZDM-1, because it gives you a finished voice chain in a single box and you can be recording the day it arrives. If you record with another person, take callers, or want to leave the laptop behind, I would buy the Zoom PodTrak P2 and pair it with your own USB mics. Buy the ZDM-1 for your voice; buy the P2 for your show.
FAQ
It is an XLR microphone. The bundle includes a 9.9-foot XLR cable, but the ZDM-1 needs an audio interface, mixer or recorder with an XLR input — it does not plug straight into a laptop by USB.
Yes. It has two USB mic inputs and two headphone outputs, so two hosts can each plug in a mic and monitor the session. Tracks are saved to an SD card as WAV files, and you can go live to a phone or computer at the same time.
No. It is a recorder only — you supply your own USB microphones. The ZDM-1 bundle is the opposite: it includes the mic and accessories but no recorder.
The Imaging World Zoom ZDM-1, in my opinion. Two mic inputs, remote-guest mixing and battery recording are features you would be paying for and never using as a solo host. The ZDM-1 puts that money into the voice chain instead. As for what either one costs today, check the current price on Amazon with the button on this page.
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