"C.J.Patten" wrote in message
...
Howdy. Looking at MiniDisc and flash based recorders.

Do all MD recorders have mic-preamps on their audio inputs?

I realize some units don't have *any* kind of audio inputs so I'm limiting
this question to portable units that have inputs.

If you're going down this route, you need to make sure that you can change
the mic-preamp gain, on the fly, without putting the recorder into Pause.
My earlier Panasonic MD can not do this, but my Sony NH900 is fine, and the
gain can also be controlled via the remote control - back illuminated if
necessary. However, all Sony Hi-MD units, as far as I know, default to AGC
recording, so getting into manual recording mode can be a pain. (Not the
sort of button pressing that you might want to do in a stealth situation...)
I personally can't comment on the sound quality of the electret mic / NH900
pre-amp combo that I use, except that I have been congratulated on the
clarity of some of my (PCM mode) recordings taken on the NH900.
So far, I haven't exposed my system to rock concerts, but I have recorded
journeys on the London Underground, and the system seemed to cope with the
high peak sound levels.
--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm