The M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96 takes portable digital recording to a whole new level. If you've ever used a portable DAT recorder or even a MiniDisc to capture a rehearsal, concert, or even just ambient sounds, you're probably familiar with many of the drawbacks of portable recording. These can include device noise, compression, lack of dynamic range, and weak output. The MicroTrack solves all this by recording to CompactFlash cards in compressed or uncompressed formats at up to 24-bit resolution and a 96-kHz sample rate. The user interface is simple in concept, but the main analog control is not well designed and can result in quite a bit of frustration. The device also lacks basic on-board editing capabilities like track naming, effects, splitting, and trimming.

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The MicroTrack can record audio from 128 Kbps MP3 all the way up to 24-bit 96-kHz WAV, which means you can create ready-to-go podcasts or do pro-quality uncompressed recordings. It also has built-in phantom power, which sends power to the mic through the audio cable. This lets you hook up a high-end condenser mic, in addition to the included dynamic stereo T-mic (a stereo microphone assembly shaped like a T, with one mic element at each end of the T's crossbar). And where using a T-mic would be unthinkable with any recorder that has moving parts, you're covered with the Micro