I am looking to update my simple recoring gear.
I'm not deep into this hobby, just casual. Sort of...
I've had a Sony Minidisc (MZ-R50) for ages.
The Zoom H1 is about $100. Couldn't be worse than my minidisc, could it?
is there a vastly superior recorder for the same price?
My mic is a small Sony ECM 717.
any info is appreciated.
Well, I started out in the recording hobby with a Zoom H2. It was OK audio-wise, but build quality was such that it felt more like a cheap toy than a semi-serious tool. Noisy preamps for the external mic in circuit, too. And while I've never owned a Zoom H1, I suspect its build quality will be similar.
Then I got myself a Marantz PMD620 and really liked it, but had to sell it because I needed the money (and am still regretting having sold it). It had really quiet external mic preamps for a small handheld recorder, and despite having a fair bit of plastic in its construction, actually felt more like a professional tool.
After I sold the PMD620, I got a TASCAM DR-07, which works really well. My only complaints with the recorder are that the battery life is a little short, and the body is made out of a fairly cheap, smooth plastic that generates a lot of handling noise that can be heard if you're using the internal mics. In other words, build quality is just OK, but somewhat less junky-feeling than the Zoom H2. Sound-wise, the DR-07 is superior to the Zoom, and a notch below the Marantz. The controls on the DR-07 are also much easier to operate than the ones on the Zoom H2.
Any one of these recorders would work well with your ECM-717, but be aware that the external mic preamps on the TASCAM DR-07 seem to work better with mics that have a good strong signal (i.e. are a little bit 'hot'). If you go with the DR-07 you may want to consider getting a mic preamp to boost the signal level on your ECM 717.
Finally, while the DR-07 has been discontinued, it's still available in a number of places for around $150 - 170.00. I got mine last year from an online retailer for $129.00. If you can't get a DR-07, get the DR-07 Mark II. It's supposedly better than the original, and sells for about $150.00. Amazon has an affiliate selling them for $99.00 (and I have no connection, financial or otherwise, with TASCAM or Amazon).
I realize that price range is beyond your intended budget, but if you can stretch another fifty bucks or so, it will be money well spent.