newbie question on Tascam vs Sound Devices decks, mics

[sea-speak]

I've never done any recording. I want to have a portable, durable, very high-quality rig to record: people talking (say interview style), environmental sounds, and amateur live music in homes and other non-pro venues. I don't plan to record live, amplified pro musicians.

I am also an afflicted audiophile with a fairly serious home stereo with ribbon speakers. That will affect my judgment of how the recorder + mic perform.

Today I spoke to a respected equipment modder (you can probably guess who) who said that the Tascam HD P2 provides a much better sense of soundstage/space/depth than the Sound Devices 702. He said that the 702 sounds killer on mono but not so much in stereo. Question 1: Can anyone confirm this or deny it? For sound quality alone, which deck will sound better in stereo on a serious playback system given the same good mic?

Question 2: what high quality, versatile stereo mics should I look at in the $500-$1500 range? I want clarity - which to me means uncolored sound, 'openness', good staging, excellent transients, high frequency extension, low noise, and so on. I don't like 'dark.' I do like a bit of warmth but that is not necessary. Another way to phrase this question might be - what's a step up from a Rode NT4 but isn't a $4000 Schoeps?

thanks much for anything and everything you can tell me.