Oh, yes... I am back, and I will reply, just like I promised I would in my opening post.
I may be a newbie in THIS forum, but I'm no newbie to forums, and with all of that great feedback, there's not a chance in h3ll that I wouldn't come back and participate.
Now, first of all, I must thank all of you for your suggestions (and enthusiasm!). My plan is to do a ton of homework on this topic (I've already clocked 10+ hours reading/lurking threads in this forum since last week BEFORE I even posted this) and to execute on a plan sometime in the next month or so. I'm NOT in a rush, I want to find the best solution for my needs and within my budget, and I'm perfectly willing to do a ton of research. So, that said, it's going to take me a while to digest what's already been written in this thread, and I'm sure even more will probably get posted considering how hardcore you guys are (SMILE). So, don't think for a minute I'm one of those post-and-dash to never return types. I tracked this forum down because it obviously had people who were knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, so don't worry, I haven't abadoned the thread -- I JUST STARTED IT!!!
Anyway, like I said, I'm going to need time to digest this stuff, but in the meantime, maybe it would help if I expand on my deal. So, yes I am somewhat of a newbie, but I'm not some total idiot. Remember, I'm way into video, and with that comes some audio -- hell my GS400 tapes at 16-bit 48kz. My wife works at a well known conservatory of music here in the Bay Area, which is one of my motivations because I see a ton of great live music by incredibly talented but unknown musicians all of the time (I'm actually thinking about making a doco on something related to this). Just for laughs, I was that guy in middle school and high school who taped the school plays and shit. I'm 36 now, and a total tech and home entertainment junkie. I write financial software for a living (among other things), so I'm basically a huge geek, so tech doesn't scare me (sounds like I'll fit right in around here). I'm a fast learner on this type of thing, and I've spent the past two weeks getting up to speed on the basics -- balanced/non-balanced, polarity, a/d, pre's, formats (16- vs. 24bit, PCM, MP3, blah, blah), stereo, mono, plugs/cables, etc. Now some of this I was already familiar with (XLR, 1/4 TRS, mini, balanced, unbal, etc.), but needed some refreshment, still other areas I obviously need more work (what makes a good mic, when should I use cardioid vs. omni, etc.). Anyway, I'm getting there, and I'm taking it slow and steady but also seriously because I don't want to drop this kind of cash and end up with shit that doesn't fit my needs. That was a long-winded way of saying that I'm probably not your typical newbie, and I'm not going to be scared of some complicated pre/mixer/ad box or whatever. I'm realistic that it might take a while to get up to speed, but I want a good and flexible system that's just shy of pro standards (that sweet spot on price vs. value if you know what I mean), and I want to know how to best use it when doing stand-alone taping, taping that will be mixed/synced with video, and/or stealthing.
So, these suggestions are EXACTLY what I'm looking for (THANK YOU), and I can't believe the thread is already 3 pages long (athough there was some fluff in there
too). I'm a little hesitant to go for the used gear from people I don't know, but it does seem that there is a tight knit core crew here that might vouch for whomever is selling gear, which makes me more likely to go that route. Also, I'm just starting to understand what some of the modded hardware is and why it needs to have a mod, but the whole modding thing makes me cringe a bit (spoken like a true former xbox modder). Although, I understand that might also be a great way to go.
And on one final note, I'm very interested in the MicroTrack for a whole bunch of reasons which have been hammered to death in the part I-III threads, not the least of which is that it can be paired with other high-end gear to go HQ to the max (using it basically as a storage facility only), but it also can be used stand-alone in situations that don't need to be quite as pro, or when paired with some stealth mics for a really small concealable setup. That said, I wouldn't trust that thing at all until I let all of you freaks get a crack at it first in the field... LMAO!!! So, I think I'll be timing my purchases for sometime a few weeks after the first reviews start coming in. If it looks good, I'll probably go that way (with my luck, it'll be instantly backordered), if it doesn't I'll go another route. This timing should work well for me because I'll get to hear the reviews, plus I'll get about a month to keep researching and getting up to speed on the whole package I need.
THANKS A BUNCH FOR RESPONDING!!! BE BACK SOON...
-- Taint