Best Audio Interface for Podcasting (2026): Expert Tested

Overview: What sets the P8 apart is the combination of true portability with professional features. This isn’t just an interface you can carry around—it’s a complete recording studio that runs on four AA batteries for approximately two hours. During our field testing at a local bookstore podcast event, we recorded a six-person panel discussion entirely on battery power. No computer needed, no power outlet required, just plug in mics and press record.

The 4.3-inch full-color touchscreen makes the P8 the most intuitive portable recorder we’ve tested. Everything is accessible with a tap—gain staging, tone adjustment, effects, and routing all happen through the touchscreen interface. Unlike button-heavy recorders that require menu diving, the P8’s touchscreen works like a smartphone. During our testing, first-time users were adjusting settings confidently within minutes.

The six independent headphone outputs each have dedicated volume controls, eliminating the common problem of everyone needing the same monitoring volume. This is critical for roundtable podcasts where you might have six different people with six different monitoring preferences.

The nine sound pads with four banks give you access to 36 different sound clips—intro music, outros, sound effects, sponsor messages, or pre-recorded segments. We loaded an entire podcast’s recurring audio elements into the P8 and triggered them with single button presses during recording. This is particularly powerful for live podcast recordings where you need instant access to audio elements.

For remote interviews, the P8 handles phone calls (via TRRS cable or optional Bluetooth adapter with the BTA-2) and computer calls (via USB on channel 6) simultaneously. The built-in mix-minus works automatically on both channels, preventing that annoying echo where your guest hears themselves delayed. During our testing with multiple Zoom calls and phone interviews, the routing worked flawlessly without any configuration.

The P8 records multitrack to SD card (up to 512GB), capturing each mic to a separate track for easier editing. This is invaluable when one person coughs or has background noise—you can edit just their track without affecting everyone else. The onboard editing lets you trim, split, and fade clips directly on the device, meaning you can produce a finished episode without ever touching a computer.

The compressor and de-esser processing give voices more presence and polish in real-time. During our testing, we compared raw recordings to processed ones, and the difference was immediately noticeable—voices sounded fuller, more broadcast-ready, without the harshness that can come from heavy compression. The tone controls (dark to bright) let you dial in the perfect voice character for each person.

The P8 also includes speaker outputs (2x balanced 1/4″), so you can connect studio monitors for high-quality playback during editing sessions. This makes the P8 genuinely usable as both a field recorder and a studio production station.

The limitations: battery life is approximately two hours with four AA batteries (shorter than the P4’s 3-4 hours), and the plastic construction feels less premium than metal interfaces. The P8 records at 16-bit/44.1kHz, not 24-bit, which is a compromise compared to studio interfaces but perfectly adequate for podcast distribution. At a premium price point, it competes with desktop solutions like the RODECaster Duo and Pro II.