High-End Recording at Affordable Price
598076
These are really high-end for recording.  The unit was recommended by Udemy for recording my course, and it truly exceeded my expectation.  The cartoid (spelling) pattern really eliminated stray noises, and focused on me.  It did pick up a fan noise from my laptop, but that was easy to eliminate with Audacity.  Just be silent for a minute and use Audacity to sample and eliminate the fan noise.  It'll be isolated in this 1 minute of silence, and you can apply the fix across the entire recording in a snap.
1123676
This is a very light weight and versatile recording device.  The fidelity is very good.  Recording time is more than adequate.  Battery life is excellent.  It automatically records in mono with the built in microphone and stereo when plugging in the external lapel microphone.
1091045
After months of looking for something to record some home demo's, I came across this little gem as a rec from a cat that works at Guitar Center that I have dealt with for some time and has yet to steer me wrong.  As has been said before, for the price and size of this little beast you cannot go wrong in my opinion.  I have read other reviews saying it takes a while to get a handle on recording tracks, but I found that the user manual was very thorough in explaining all of the different features of this unit, and even gets you started with a step by step "trial" recording of guitar and vocal using the built in mic.  This is not a unit that you will be able to just plug and play, you will need to read the manual to get a grip on all of the features, but after just a couple of hours after reading the manual and going through the discovery process of all the knobs I was able to lay down a recording of drum machine, guitar, bass and vocal.  In addition to the basic feature of having 8 separate tracks, I was delighted to see that this unit also has a bounce feature which can in effect allow for the additional recording of 6 more tracks.  Groovy!

One thing I want to point out that has been a recurring theme in a lot of the reviews I have read is the cumbersome process of transferring the song as a WAV file to an outside source.  This unit does have a traditional RCA stereo output, so with the right adapter one can simply finish a song and then transfer it using the outs to a PC audio program that creates MP3/MP4's.  Audacity is a free program that will accommodate this, and will automatically convert the file to an MP3 with the right add-on.

All in all, if you are a "bedroom musician" like myself, and are looking for a well priced and portable unit that will capture your own homemade tunes you will be hard pressed to find a better unit than this.  Highly recommended.
1273497
The MXL USB008 32MM Condenser Microphone is just what I needed for small studio recording. The professional quality and crisp audio response along with the convenience of compact plug-and-play makes it a super value for under $150.  The nifty carrying case and 10ft USB cable makes it easy transport from one studio to the next, although the accompanying stand is unstable. This buying experience is just as I always expect: timely and top notch!
4588346
This is the finest microphone I have seen that costs less than $1.000.  Fit and finish are world class, and the recording quality is SUPERB!  Here is some advice on setting up your studio.  I use my living room, which has wall to wall carpeting, medium weight drapes.  Behind my mixer stand and microphone setup I have placed a large spongy blanket which reduces sound reflections when recording.  The fact that I was able to register online to get Rode's extended 10 year warranty is a big plus!  I love it.  I want to get a second one for voice recording, which adds depth to voice recordings.  Placed closely together (4" apart) they make your voice sound more natural.  Yes by doing that you take up two XLR inputs on your mixer, but it makes a difference!  One more thing... compared to another more expensive mic, the Shure  SM7B dynamic microphone (around $350).  The NT1 gives you a more natural sounding recording, both for voice and acoustical instruments.  Smoother response curve and wider frequency response.
3968413
Quality Recording (No popping or hiss), > CD Quality.
1360771
Great value and solid function for recording 4K video
4459683
I am really impressed by this audio card. I had to return Creative Titanum because it no longer offers the record "what u hear" option for Vista and their support was just pathetic. I really didn't know ASUS sells the sound card until this one but hereare the PROs:

- a great price at $89
- high quality capacitors
- offers alternative recording options such as wav,
  stereo mix, aux
- comparable or better sound quality as compared to
  Creative Titanium
- driver support Vista x64
2670560
One of the reasons I like using a high-end DSLR for video work is that the HDMI outputs on these cameras often emit totally uncompressed video - at least, this is the case with both my Nikon D4 and D800. Connecting a device like the Blackmagic Shuttle 2 to this type of camera gives you a way to record video at a level of quality not easily matched with conventional recorders. Between the camera's large sensor (24x36mm), the wonderful pro-grade lenses available in this format, and the uncompressed video stream, you can truly get amazing results.

The Blackmagic is made well and is rugged enough to survive being jolted along with my camera. As the description says, the case is machined out of a solid block of aluminum, so it looks like the internal SSD would fail long before the Blackmagic ever would. Still, the add-on case is good additional insurance against wetness, and I recommend it as well. I tend to velcro mine to my video tripod and it's withstood a few falls with no ill effects.

For SSDs, a number of choices are available. They're pricey (like $2500), but there are a few 1TB drives out there if you need huge capacity (1TB gives you about 75 minutes of uncompressed 10-bit 1080/30p). I find the Samsung 512GB drives much more practical - I carry a few, and at about $500 each (as of July 2012), they seem to be a good balance of capability and cost. Any drive should be capable of keeping up with the bitrate of uncompressed 1080/30p (which is about the max this drive supports). 1080/30p at 10 bit color requires about 250MB/sec uncompressed - well within the range of most SSD drives. Some non-SSD drives work too - though most of them have the dreaded "TCAL" (Thermal Calibration) problem that causes irregular recordings if you aren't careful...they are much less expensive if you can find one you're happy with (or if you tend to record short bursts of video instead of long streams).

Just can't say enough good things about this whole approach - it's giving me the edge in video, without having to break the bank on commercial grade equipment costing tens of thousands of dollars.
4055322
The Mic-Sense has high and low settings. It's very convenient to record without blank sound.
3239538
For this amateur musician, these microphones offer truly excellent pro quality.  They are a significant step up from the "prosumer" level mics that you will find at your local electronics store, yet are offered at a price point where you can set up your entire band or have extras for the home studio artist.  I have a $200 condenser microphone (which requires the additional power source, etc), and I can hardly tell any difference between the sound quality (and these D38 mics actually sound a little bit warmer; which I prefer).  Also, I have tested recording an acoustic guitar, and again the mic performed admirably and revealed an incredibly accurate recording of my strumming (warts and all).  They are a bit heavy, and have a very high-quality feel; these will not be confused with toys or cheapie mics.  They come in a nice hard plastic case, so if you will be transporting them that will offer plenty of protection.  For the vast majority of uses, these mics will perform great, and for the money will be tough to impossible to beat; very highly recommended!
270038
I used a pair of these to make a stereo recording of a rehearsal recently. The band is a large jazz ensemble, and the sound quality captured by these mics is incredible. The playback sounded just like I was in the room.

Make sure your device can provide phantom power. I used a PreSonus USB audio interface and Garage Band to capture the audio. It couldn't be a whole lot easier.
1683096
I've tried a lot of recorders to capture live performances. This is by far the best and the most affordable. The recordings are not as full or rich as I would like, but very good. The stereo separation is great...much better than I expected. Paly back on my quadraphonic and bi-phonic devices is excellent.
3714607
This little box is so cool sounding compared to just about every other unit that's anywhere close to its price. It's hard to find anything wrong. In fact, I'm upgrading my computer, just to accommodate the Thunderbolt feature.

____________________________________________

My recording setup consists of a Macbook Air, laptop computer, with a 1.6 Ghz dual core processor and 4 Gigs of memory. I monitor through Yamaha NS-10 speakers and Sony digital headphones. My primary Daw is Protools 11.

Setup was very simple and straightforward. After purchasing a Thunderbolt cable, which is not included with the unit. I plugged it into both my laptop and the 2 Pre, following the installation protocol established by Protools. I then loaded Focusrite control and installed the included software. The 2 Pre interface, was immediately recognized by Protools.

I plugged a Sterling ST59 microphone, into input [one] and plugged my guitar into input [two] using the units DI.

The first thing I noticed, is how quiet the pre amps are. They produced an accurate representation of the source, with a clean, detailed and neutral sound.

The "Air" feature (when engaged,) had a pronounced effect on vocals and acoustic guitars... displaying a noticeable top end boost. The only drawback is, the "Air" function is either full-on or off... there are no means currently available to vary the effect... It would be useful if that option were added in a future software update.

The head phone section, presented a mostly neutral representation of the instruments being monitored, with very little mid-range coloration and no noticeable distortion. There is a more than adequate amount of gain.

Along with the great sounding pre amps...the Thunderbolt connection really set's this unit apart. Due to the extremely low latency, I was able to track and monitor with the plug-ins engaged, which allowed me to audition and add guitar effects in real time with no noticeable delay. This could be a game changer for recording guitar players.

The 2 pre, has exceptional dynamic range, overall, I was very impressed with the units sound quality and ease of operation.
3571373
I got the Alpha to use as a digital interface for recording vocals. For about $60, you can have 24 bit recording at a 48k sample rate, so you get really clear vocal tracks. The unit is also really quiet, I don't notice any noise from it. If you only need to record one or two tracks at a time, then this is a really good choice.
4557582
Exceptional microphone that cannot be beat for this price. Budget sm57/sm58
2445910
I'm an amateur podcaster, so I was looking for something that would produce great, clear sound for recording speech.  I use both Linux and Windows, and the mic was incredibly easy to set up on both systems.  I love the fact that it has a built-in headphone jack with volume control and mute button. Design-wise, it's a beautiful microphone, with legs that fold up and make it about the size of a goose egg, easy to transport in the bag that it came with. The audio (for my purposes) is excellent; I've sang into it and talked into it, and the sound is beautiful (despite my voice).  For the $65 I paid for it, I couldn't be happier.