I've been wanting to get into building a taping rig for some time but it's pretty expensive. A friend of mine is putting on an event and he wants me to tap into the sound board and record the nights shows for him. I'm not really sure what kind of sound board it is.
I was wondering what I can get for $300 or $400 so that I can tap into the soundboard and record the show. I found this list here http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,35002.0.html for solid state recorders.
Would the M-Audio MicroTrack 2496 work for recording the soundboards at this show? And then I could purchase the mic's later on? Also what about getting Olympus LS-10? It doesn't have a digital in what difference does that make?
Also I want to make sure that I can get my friend a good quality recording. Can this be done with either of those devices or do I really need to spend the $700 or $800 ??
OK, let me see. Are you looking for the cheapest available option, or you're willing to spend $300-$400 and want the best sound for the money?
From your description, I understand that size/stealth is not a concern. In that case, go for something more sturdy, rather than paying top dollars for the tiny stealthable recorders like the MT or LS-10.
One more question: will you always have access to AC at the soundboard, or do you need to cater for power through battery?
My recipe would be:
Stock UA-5 on ebay: $130-$140 (digimod it yourself)
H120 on ebay: $150 (or JB3 on ebay: ca $100)
Spend the rest of your bucks on an outboard battery for the UA-5, some cables and adapters.
Technically, you might not need all the features of the UA-5 today, but the AD is great, and the upgrade path is open for matrix recordings if you pick up a set of mics later on.
If you want to record in 24/96, the H4 could also be an alternative to the above. Or if 24/48 is enough, the DR-1 or PMD620. Both are more reliable than the MT or LS-10...
BTW, Brian's overview is getting outdated. Take a look at this URL for more recent gear:
http://www.wingfieldaudio.com/compare-portable-recorders.html