Bean's right, it is a form factor for field taping that makes the sonosax a big gun with this crowd... I use them both, and in terms of sound, I prefer the DAV BG1. I tape mostly classical and jazz. But the sonosax gives a good clean gain structure, so it is a fine piece, too. So are the Grace portable pre's that are popular with the taper crowd. Hey, how about Sound Devices??? There's lots of great gear out there at really reasonable prices, considering they'll last for many years if cared for, and the technology really doesn't change very quickly, like recorders and cameras do.