I agree that the lower price model should be fine for what you want to do. In all likelihood, you wouldn't hear any sound quality differences between the two. That said, if you can afford the extra money, I think the D-50 is a helluva machine. It's got all metal construction and has a number of design features that really set it apart from everything else that out there in the field. Yeah, there's the digital input, there's the cage that runs along the top (I was surprised how handy that thing is during a show because it allows you to handle the deck without grasping the body...which means no accidental bumping of knobs, switches, etc although the hold switch also accomplishes that), the all metal construction, and the fact that it runs for 25 or so hours on a set of batteries. The internal mics on this unit are really nice sounding. On the chance that you could afford the D50, once you owned it, I don't think you'd look back and be sorry that you spent the extra money.