Best quality portable recorder

[concentric]

I'm looking for a portable DAT or Minidisc player to start doing some location, sound effect, and sketchpad recordings. I was wondering what you might recommend. I am looking for pro quality, but I don't have oodles of cash to spend. Built in phantom power and mic pres would be a plus, I guess.

Also, if you are using a portable recorder, what recording setups (mics, etc.) do you favor?

Thanks for your time.

CJM

[edmann]

Sony portable MDR w/Radio Shack Stereo condensor Lavelier mic. RS mic is great (about $30.00)- better than stereo mics costing 5X its price. Sony MD supplies phantom! Entire rig about $130.00

[halslars]

You could jump up some steps from MD to a Pro DAT-recorder: TASCAM DA-P1. Look for a used one with extra rech. batteries and a bag. It is a sturdy, goodsounding location machine with quite nice preamps onboard. The limiter is not so good as it should be (compared to the rest of the recorder), so turn it off if you don't fear any sudden peaks.

A good stereo ambient michophone is the Crown SASS-P (don't know if they make it anymore).

This setup is not small and handy cmpared to a MD with a "tiny" mike, but it's definately worth trying for the sake of sound quality.

Good luck.