[boanerges]

I am seeking a small portable recorder for solo or small group music. Friends use Sony Minidisc and find it OK. But I understand that there is no way to download to my Mac from such a unit. Is this true? If so, what are my options? ipod does not record? And I want AIFF files or similar quality.
thanks.
JV

[xanderwilson]

This is true. You'll have to get the minidisc to your hard drive in realtime, usually through analog outputs (though there is finally at least one model that has an optical audio output). That said, the price and size is great for the quality you get, in spite of the stupid restrictions (Sony letting its music business run its electronics business. Grr.)

Zoom has a really good palm-sized recorder that might be a better bet for you.
http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/models/ps04/pdmodel.html

And there are other options from Korg and Tascam. I've used the Korg and thought it was a pain to get the files on the Mac and convert them. I haven't used the Zoom, but I've used another Zoom model (MRS-802) and getting files on the Mac and in AIF format was really easy. And the user interface and recording quality was tops.

Here are some reviews of the Zoom:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Effec.../PS_04-01.html

And a very helpful Zoom PS04 Discussion Board
http://www.2090.org/zoom/bbs/index.php

Alex.

[Bogartte]

Nope, this is the one to get:

http://www.edirol.com/products/info/r1.html

R-1 Portable 24-Bit WAVE Recorder & Player

[xanderwilson]

Nice! Thanks I hadn't heard of this yet.

A little on the expensive side compared to the others, but it does seem more powerful. Any news on a release date? (It's listed on the JR.com site as $439 ($550 list) but just a "coming soon" for an ETA.

Alex.

[boanerges]

thanks, Bogartte.
I have ordered one. Perfecdt for my purposes.

JV