Using the M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 Digital Audio Recorder:
ITP has a pile of these recorders, and they're wonderfully simple to work with. Of course, the usual rules apply when checking one out:
- Make sure you check the battery life — these recorders have an internal battery that can be charged over USB, but make sure it's full.
- Make sure you have all the cables (and mics) you need.
- Make sure the card is empty and/or has room on it — these accept CompactFlash cards, and most in the ER have 2GB cards in them.
The Microtrack accepts a variety of input sources, including straight-line ins, microphone inputs, and a 1/8" stereo mic jack. If you have a specific application in mind, like needing a specific mic or recording direct off a soundboard, it can certainly handle that, but for most applications the included stereo mini-mic sounds surprisingly good and works quite well for most situations.
For more, there are some amazing tutorials on Transom.org:
The M-Audio Microtrack 24/96
How Audio has a great tutorial up as well:
How Audio
Give those read, and if you've got any questions, give Mike a shout: michael.dory@nyu.edu