Here is the thing. I am a freak for carrying around my portable recorder like I am some kind of reporter and I like to record my days out with friends. I am searching all over the internet for best quality portable recorder for a trip that is coming up. Anyone know what the best 12 Hour stereo portable device is to get? I was looking at an iAudio or a Archos Jukebox? Any opinions?

I use the Olympus DM-20, primarily for voice recording though.

I'm not completely sure it records in stereo, but on Amazon the reviews said that in a particular mode it can record near-CD quality sound....

It records in MP3 mode. Depending on mode, you can record between 45 hours and 2 hours. (When I need to record more. I take my laptop and just download recorded stuff and erase it from the recorder to free up room).

I love that it comes with a docking station to allow me to download directly to my computer in a couple of seconds. And I can play everything on Windows Media Player. It's fabulous. I've had it for about a year, no complaints.

Now, in addition to notes and interviews, I also keep an audio journal with this recorder.

I sleep with it...so if I get a great creative idea ...I record a not to myself.

I don't know what your friends are going to be doing and why you must have stereo, but I'm pretty sure you'd like the sound of this recorder.

EDITED TO ADD-- Yes, this will record in stereo it you buy a little STEREO MICROPHONE to plug into it. Kewl! Don't forget to read all the Amazon reviews.

[Edited 3/19/06 12:40pm]

I also went with the Olympus DS-330.

But, that was a couple of years ago.

At that time I was also looking at the Sony Diskman? I don't know what the name is, but they have a microphone 1/4 jack with actual stero.

What is it you are looking to record?

Are we freaks?

I'm taking a trip to Disney World in August and want to record the sounds around the park and the rides and stuff but I want good quality. I work at a job where I can listen to CD's and it's really relaxing to convert the files to CD and listen to there but I want to have decent quality sound and unedited 12 hours days. I guess I am a freak. I notice some of the low quality sound is horrible for recorders that are SP LP Quality for the amount of time you want to record but are great in SHQ but only record an hour or two in that quality. I want quality 12 hour recordings! So I can go back to my hotel and download the day on the laptop and erase for the next day. Sigh! This is my odd life.

ken said:

Seriously

Seriously