• Compact 2-channel digital recorder with balanced 1/4-inch TRS inputs and mic/line switch
• Saves audio files in WAV or MP3 format on compatible CompactFlash cards and microdrives
• Immediate drag-and-drop file transfer to PC or Mac via USB 2.0; easy-to-read LCD display
• Separate left and right input level controls with signal and peak indicators; coaxial digital input
• Includes 64 MB CompactFlash card; measures 2.4 x 4.3 x 1.12 inches (W x H x D): 1-year warranty

The MicroTrack 24/96 is a rugged, high-fidelity mobile 2-channel digital recorder, for putting your WAV and MP3 files onto a CF card or microdrive on the go. It's perfect for everything from field recording training sessions, college classes, corporate meetings and much more! Record via balanced line inputs or a built-in high-fidelity mic preamps. Connect your MicroTrack 24/96 to any PC or Mac through a USB port, then drag-and-drop to your computer. Theunit recharges through the USB or an optional USB power adapter. Dual mic preamps with 30V phantom power for studio micrphones 1/8 TRS input with 5V power for use with stereo electret mic(included) S/PDIF coaxial input for digital transfers Monitoring via RCA line outputs or 1/8 stereo heaphone output Stereo output level control Large LCD for navigation and statistics Dedicated buttons for navigation, recording, holding, pause, delete, menu and power Comes with Audacity software for editing & file format conversion Includes 64MB CompactFlash card

Not every business meeting or educational seminar demands a high-quality professional recording, but when it does, the M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96 two-channel digital recorder stands ready to contribute. The rugged, high-fidelity device measures a mere 2.4 by 4.3 by 1.12 inches (W x H x D), helping it fit conveniently in the palm of your hand like a personal voice recorder. At the same time, the unit features professional balanced 1/4-inch TRS inputs with a mic/line switch for high-end mics, along with built-in high-fidelity microphone pre-amps with phantom power--a necessary feature for many studio mics. As a result, the recording quality exceeds that of DAT recorders, making the MicroTrack an ideal unit for everything from professional field recordings to sermons to corporate speeches.

The MicroTrack records audio files in WAV or MP3 format and saves them on compatible CompactFlash cards and microdrives, including cards produced by Hitachi, Seagate, Corsair, Lexar, Kodak, Toshiba, SanDisk, and Kingston. When one card or drive fills up, users can either erase the files, transfer them to a Mac or PC via drag and drop, or insert a new card for a fresh start. It's remarkably easy and convenient, especially given the MicroTrack's compact size. Should you not have a professional mic, you can use the included stereo electret microphone, which connects to the MicroTrack's 1/8-inch TRS input.

Power derives from a lithium-ion battery, which you can recharge via the computer's USB 2.0 connection or with a USB power adapter. And file management is simple thanks to the easy-to-read LCD display and the included software, which handles editing and file format conversion. Additional features include RCA line outputs and a 1/8-inch stereo headphone output for monitoring, an S/PDIF coaxial input for digital transfers, separate left and right input level controls with signal and peak indicators, and dedicated buttons for navigation, record, hold, pause, delete, menu, and power. The MicroTrack 24/96 comes with a 64 MB CompactFlash card and is backed by a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

What's in the Box
MicroTrack 24/96, USB cable, power supply, electret microphone, ear buds, 64 MB CompactFlash card, user's manual.

After owning a Microtrack for a couple years and paying the factory to change a dead internal battery for $75 which then died dead 8 mos later I carefully pried open the back case, unsoldered the poor excuse of a battery from the small circuit board that is under the tape in the top of the battery and attached an external 3 AA battery holder (Allied Electronics 839-2487 with velcro to the back cover then wired a Radio Shack 2 conductor plug on the outside of the case so the battery case is field changable quickly. With 3 Li-ion AA batteries installed it charges fine and lasts way longer than the stock setup - so far I have run it 3 hrs and not killed the battery. Now its a true field recorder.

I pretty much agree and have experienced the same things from previous reviewers.
However, I found some peculiar things that have me puzzled, may be I am new to this device and need more time to figure out, but if anybody has a solution, I'll be delighted to know about them.

1- I realized that the flash card that have recording from my other machine (Edirol R-1), put into the microtrack, the files are invisible, I can see the files that were put in from the PC (directly to the flash card), but can not see the ones recroded by the R-1.
2- One of my hobby is recording radio shows that are late at night and can't stay up for them. I leave the machine recording theses showns for hours. R-1 does a great job it just stops when the memory gets full and I have the entire hours of recording in one huge file ready in the morning (I uses filler files so I could use a card for up to say 4 hours only).
With microtrack, when the memory card gets full, the machine stops and the huge file is discarded. That makes the machine unfit for this type of applications.

I may find more issues but this is it so far, BTW using an inline attenuator is a must, preamp definitely noisy.

Joe

In my opinion, this "made in China' unit and battery in this machine is a built in money-maker for M-Audio. The warranty covers the unit for 1-year, but the terrible battery for 90 days. Don't worry though, they offer a $75 battery replacement procedure. A third of the cost of the unit! Shame on you M-Audio! Time to admit these batteries are worthless.

A friend of mine in audio production convinced me to buy this hunk-a-junk, and on paper, it sounds pretty good. In reality, though, it's a flimsy, poorly designed and built waste of money.

First of all, it's a mechanical dud. True to billing on sites like Amazon, the battery lost all its storage capacity in a matter of months (at a fairly low usage rate). Now, 18 months or so after purchase, the unit is dead. It'll turn on, but it simply won't record. I've updated the firmware, I'm using legit storage -- it's simply busted. And of course, the warranty's up.

Even when it was working right, I didn't love the machine. Its interface is klunky and its form factor is ugly. I'm not even sure why I'm giving it two stars instead of one.

After reading some of the reviews about this product, I was not expecting much. In fact, I was prepared to be disappointed. But, after charging it up and employing it in a variety of situations, I was pleasantly surprised at how clear the sound was and how relatively easy the controls were to operate. I am not a professional sound engineer, but for my purposes, the sound was very clear using just the included mic. When I hooked it up to a professional grade mic, the sound quality was even better. I did not find the controls hard to use like some of the reviewers did. They seemed very easy to understand and intuitive in their design. The one thing I did agree with was how unbelievably UNHELPFUL the manual was. It doesn't tell the operator how to do anything worthwhile, including something as basic as turning it on or off or inserting or removing the memory card. I am waiting for my Edirol to arrive so that I can compare the two, but so far, I like the Microtrack.