For that you have the Zoom H2. That's a very decent recorder. I have that one and make good recordings with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoom_H2_Handy_Recorder

+1

excellent device,though perhaps a bit fragile, apart from soundfields captures, i mostly used it for soundtakes of traditionnal band here in Burkina Faso...
...versatile too, you might make quadriphonic soundscapes then translate them to 5.1 surround format(though Alchemy doesn't handle 5.1 unfortunately)

Here's a site that has some good demos of various hand held recorders.
http://www.wingfieldaudio.com/portable-recorder-sound-sample s.html

Based on that site, and audio examples I heard elsewhere, a few years ago I went for a Marantz PMD620 and for the price I've been very pleased with it.

I've been toying with the idea of getting Fostex AR-4I to use with my ipod touch.
Might be an alternative to a dedicated field recorder.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/FOSTEX-AR-4I-IPHONE-TOUCH-INTERFACE/ dp/B005CNDYTY/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1337252607&sr=8-12

i just got one of these for times when i don't have the zoom h4n with me:

http://tascam.com/product/im2/

first impressions are pretty good.

tbh, while the zoom is great, the startup time, bulkiness and convoluted menu system mean i rarely feel like carrying it around unless i'm doing a specific, planned recording. the im2 fits in my wallet, and together with FiRE by audio file engineering means i can have decent quality field recorder in my pocket everywhere i go.

Looks like an interesting bit of kit.I wonder how the Fostex,the Tascam and this one the Blue Mikey compare.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Microphones-2-0-iPhone-Recorder /dp/B003Z8WHDC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&coliid=I21DET BYEILXHN&colid=3IGWCS5IB24EW

The Blue Mikey is quite a bit cheaper than the others too.

I got a Marantz PMD661 a while back...with the dollar so weak it was almost half the price it is in Japan even though it's made in Japan!!!
I carry it all the time but haven't done much with it. The Free Radicalz thing was a good excuse to get out and capture some stuff. What I need now is to get a decent reasonably-priced mic. and the time to get out around Tokyo with it...

yeah, was considering this, but waiting for iPhone 4 compatibility... then tascam beat them to it.

I admit to not ever "cleaning up" my field recordings. I just chop out the good bits and use them as I would any other sample. Lots of fun.

I have the ipod touch 4G so I guess the Mikey wouldn't be any good.So it'd be a choice between Tascam and Fostex.The Tascam looks more compact though.

Thanks to everyone for all the info - I have a Zoom H2 on the way from Musicians Friend, it should show up Monday! I can't wait to take it to downtown Austin and record, it's going to be handy when it's bat season and I can record all the bats flying out from under the Congress St. bridge!!!

technically, it would be interesting to listen to downtransposed samples of such soundtakes and listen to what is usually percieved as hi-end contour at lower rates and frequencies
All the particularities of original soundsources would change drastically !

I doubt though, that the H2 or any of those handy recorder are able to capture frequencies over 20.000 hz

I mainly want to catch the GIGANTIC flutter of hundreds of batwings, and then mangle it all to hell and gone!

You want to have fun and experimenting with sounds

I had my Zoom H2 with me when I was visiting a friend. He had trashed his old piano and was playing with what was left. I recorded that and also filmed him. Here's the vid:
http://youtu.be/njKh5qa7yuw

(the recording is different then what you hear in the vid).

Recording is fun