Solid state recorders

Marantz's top of the line, $1,500 PMD 580 has pretty poor signal / noise ratio and dynamic range. Much worse than an average CDP.

# Recording MP3 Bit-rate (Selectable)
# Mono: 160, 128, 96, 64, 32 kbps
# Stereo: 320, 256, 192, 128, 64 kbps
# Sampling Frequency: 44.1/48 kHz
# Number of Channels: 2 (Stereo), 1 (Mono)
# Audio Frequency Response: 10 to 20,000 Hz ñ 1.0 dB
# Signal-to-noise Ratio, IEC-A Weighted: 91 dB
# Total Harmonic Distortion at 0 VU: 0.01%
# Dynamic Range; 94 dB

PMD 580

Yes, that's pretty poor especially considering that it is intended to record with up to 24 bit resolution. The portable Sound Devices 702 that I mentioned, costing just a few hundred dollars more, has WAY better signal-to-noise and other numbers, and can also do 24/192 as opposed to just 24/48.

Regards,
-- Al

There are several choices now using several different types of solid state storage. Look at the Tascams too. The Marantz is aimed more at broadcast/news markets. The use for home audio is to have a convenient and high quality recorder sitting in your main system, then bring the cards over to your computer for editing and/or saving copies on a HD and CD/DVD media. Reuse the cards except for really important/irreplaceable stuff.

I use a Fostex:
http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/pro_products/fr2le.shtml

I use it mostly for production, but sometimes use it to digitize vinyl.
Just like we all talk about DACs endlessly, well, the more you pay the better A/D chips you get. This one is low end, but has balanced input and i've been happy with it. It's interface could be more intuitive, but it's decently built.

I wouldn't recommend any of these as playback devices.

Also, I'm not an audio pro, but I'd expect microphone inputs to have lower S/N ratios than line input/outputs.

The new Denon DN-F650R has better specs (closer to the Sound Devices) and uses the newer SD cars or USB, not the compact flash which I was told will be going obsolete.
The big question, though is how does it SOUND?