Justin, I can't comment on the DPA mics, but I can comment on the
PM-D50 as that was the first flash-based digital recorder I purchased
late last year. While I found the compact size and battery use times
as positives, I found the microphone in preamps to be a bit noisy. The
internal mics are quite nice, and can be used for what you intend as
long as you keep the recorder close to the source. The 1/4" tripod
socket on the back allows you to set the recorder on a camera tripod,
so you can position it as close as you need. And the adjustable mics
allow you to modify the stereo soundstage to match your source.
The biggest negative for me was the 1/8" mic/line input, even though
it is a better grade metal input, it is problematic when you're
handling or moving the unit... I always ended up with pops/noise in my
recording. The 1/8" input is just not as solid a connection as an XLR
input. I tried adding a small preamp, to handle the XLR inputs from my
external mics, but there was still the issue of the 1/8" input. And
adding the external preamp meant an extra piece of gear to fuss with.
I ended up buying a used Fostex FR2, which has worked quite well for
me, although it isn't anywhere near as small as the PM-D50. So- if
you're concerned about size you would do well to look at the FR2-LE or
the Marantz 661. I'm quite pleased with the Fostex preamps, especially
with the Sennheiser ME62/64/66's or the R0de NT4 mics that I'm using,
and I've heard that the FR2-LE preamps are also quite nice, and have a
quiet noisefloor.
Best of luck on your search!
John "Alpha Flying Monkey" Moore
sound.flyingmonkeystudio.com
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