Device to record & playback music ?

You might consider one of the stand-alone Tascam CD recorders (mine is a CD-RW700 but there are later models), which record on any CDR or CD-RW and produce quality discs indistinguishable from the original, IMHO. I also have an Otari MX-5050BII2 reel-to-reel deck too that produces outstanding recordings. The MD format (tiny discs, little space to write anything about the performance) has never appealed to me. Good luck, Dave

Korg MR-1, Korg MR-1000, Alesis Masterlink.

I suggested the MD primarily because I thought it was probably closest in functionality and interface to a tape deck, at least to a cassette deck. It's capable of making a perfect digital copy so the sound of it will be as good as the digital original played back through the same system.

A reel to reel deck would be a great way to preserve the analog character if you're recording from a turntable and that sound is important to you. It would be less convenient but if leaving digital out of the equation is what you want, it's a good way to go.

I haven't used the Tascam, Korg or Alesis units recommended by Ajahu and Dopogue but I'm sure they have their own advantages. CDR and CDR-W blank media are going to be easier to find and cheaper than minidiscs.

DAT - Digital Audio Tapes, see panasonic (professional) and Tascam, along with others.

Follow Dopogue's suggestion. The only thing I will add is if you want higher resolution than Red Book CD, go for Tascam's DV-RA1000 high res. digital recorder. I will plug into your system just like a cassette deck or CD recorder would. As for CD recorders, there were a number of them offered to the consumer market. If you go that route, stick with the CD recorders used in the pro market. Besides Tascam, there is HHB (made by Pioneer), and the well made Sony units CDRW33 and CDRW66.

best of luck

JOhn