Topic: best recording device that is compatibale with Mac's...

[bgalizio]

how big is this room.  how good is the sound.  I don't want to sound condesending but you maybe very dissapointed with the results of a dsbd recording.  I would look into a butget aud rig.  you can always do a couple matrixes if you want.  I run sound in a small room and quite often don't have the whole band miced.  this would make a poor dsbd tape for sure!

food for thought

True, but starting with a recorder for patching (SBD and through other rigs) is a great way to see if you like this hobby. You'll get some good recordings and get a feel for how the whole taping scene works. Then, if for whatever reason you don't like it, you still have an mp3 player.

FWIW: I went from MD for SBD patching to a UA-5 and JB3. Then I added the Studio Project C4's for my first full AUD rig. Doing things little by little was easier on the grad student wallet, I got some great recordings, and a feel for what to do and what I like/dislike about taping.

[philbombs]

any of these devices mentioned also have XLR inputs...it just dawned on me that sometimes the whole band i would like to record is not  fully mic'd...then i'd combo the SDB and stereo pair together...whatcha's think?

[bgalizio]

any of these devices mentioned also have XLR inputs...it just dawned on me that sometimes the whole band i would like to record is not  fully mic'd...then i'd combo the SDB and stereo pair together...whatcha's think?

For combining the SBD and stereo mic pair, you're in the realm of either an "on-the-fly" matrix with something like a UA-5 or you'd be using two different recorders and syncing the recordings in post. Search for matrix for more information.