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.