Hey B. Clever, RP et al...
Great question.
I use a pair of tiny electret condenser mics which use phantom power from the minidisc portable recorder. The mics cost around US$60.00 and are extraordinary! For one thing, if using a pair of omnidirectional mics, the 360-degree sound field is perfectly captured. In headphones, it sounds as if you are there in the midst of the action. The company (
http://www.coresound.com ) also sells the binaural mic pairs in cardioid pattern, mono versions of either the omni or cardioid pattern mics, and attenuated versions of all microphones (which are suitable for recording loud music/concerts etc.) One advantage of using these microphones is that in addition to superior performance, they are tiny. Each microphone capsule is smaller than a rubber erasaer affixed to a pencil. The cables are thin enough to conceal without much trouble.
I use these particularly in situations where I'm part of the action. I am about to re-encode a WAV file I made of a session with a local escort; for that recording I simply clipped the mics to opposite ends of my suitcase, put the recorder inside and closed the lid. It worked great.
Shotgun microphones and amplifier combinations can be excellent, but a truly excellent shotgun microphone will be very expensive.
While the tendency of the average audio voyeur is to just grab the sound by whatever convenient methods, then try to "fix it in the mix" using software etc. Unfortunately this usually doesn't yield the best results. A better raw recording will inevitably yield a better final product, so try to get the best sound you can. I say this, because removing noise from an otherwise good recording can be nearly impossible. We want to hear the moans and sighs, the slapping thighs, the happy cries...but we don't want to hear the television, number 7 bus, or that kid pumping hiphop through his portable radio.
In my opinion, the following list should be considered. I've listed my most important requirement first, then listed the others in decreasing order of importance:
1. Audio fidelity and quality
2. Ease of use
3. Portability/concealability
4. Price/cost of equipment
5. How well will the equipment interface with the rest of my studio, including computers?
Hope this helps.
