I ended up getting the Sony PCM-M10 and have been playing around with it for the last couple of days. Overall, I'm very happy with it, and it's been much easier to understand and learn to operate than I had feared. Thanks, 772pilot and pixelated, for making the recommendation.
Since I don't live in FL and can't visit the parks as often as I'd like, I don't really have as much time as I'd like to experiment with the different options, settings, and techniques to get the best results. I'm hoping you guys will be able to provide some direction on which settings are best to use so I can get better results more efficiently on my next trip.
Here are a few more questions:
1. Do you ever use the low cut filter function? If so, in what situations is it good to utilize?
2. Do you ever use the limiter function? If so, in what situations is it good to utilize?
3. Once a recording is in progress, is it best to leave the recording levels alone (provided they were properly set to begin with), or do I need to make adjustments during the recording?
4. Do you set your mic sensitivity to hi or low? Is one setting generally better for induction recordings? Is one setting generally better for live recordings?
5. I plan on doing induction recordings whenever possible. However, sometimes that may not be an option. If I do a live recording, do I need to invest in a wind screen to cut out wind and other unwanted noises? Also, if I do need to get a wind screen, should I use it for indoor recordings as well?
6. I remember reading a post about which recording resolutions members here use, but I don't remember which thread it was. If I recall, it may have been pixelated that mentioned recording in the highest quality setting is pointless because most of the speakers only play at a certain frequency (I'm sure the terminology is wrong). Which recording resolution do most of you use? One thing that concerns me about recording long loops on the highest quality setting is that the recorder automatically divides the file into two files when it exceeds 2GB. Can this later be joined back together seamlessly using software?
Take a look at the Sony PCM-M10 (my recorder of choice). Excellent pre-amp for boosting those low input levels without introducing too much noise.
I've looked through the manual several times and can't find anything explaining how to boost low input levels with pre-amp. Is this something that's done automatically?
Thanks again for the great advice.