Sound Devices 788T unveiled

Every way you turn the 788T, you're confronted with a stupefying amount of I/O connections.

(Credit: Sound Decvices)

You know that scene in Crocodile Dundee where Paul Hogan gets held up with a switch blade, gives a little giggle, and then proceeds to unsheathe a knife that could disembowel an elephant? That's how I feel after producing my pro-audio recorder roundup last week, only to later learn about the Sound Devices 788T.

Due in May, this truly professional-grade portable multitrack recorder will set you back a cool $5,995. For your money, you'll get eight tracks of simultaneous audio recording up to 24-bit WAV resolution; a 160GB 2.5-inch SATA hard drive; compact flash memory expansion; external FireWire hard-drive support; LED VU meters; pop-out illuminated gain control knobs; microphone phantom power; soft-knee limiting; digital I/O; USB keyboard input; word clock and video sync; and a removable Li-ion battery pack. The 788T's chassis is built from aluminum and stainless steel and weighs just under 4 pounds.

For anyone not involved in on-location movie and sound production, the Sound Devices 788T is way overkill, but it's cool to know this kind of hardcore gear exists.