Alan H. Chang
Veteran
Go with the mixer route first, then when budget allows you can go get a recorder.
Having a mixer in the kit first is good because you can level all of your inputs nicely before they go out to the camera, hard disk, or DAT recorder. Usually, the preamps on the recorders are noisier than the mixer (not true in all cases). You'll rather use your mixer's preamps and adjust accordingly to help record the best input into the recorder without bringing up much hiss.
Having a recorder first in the kit would allow you to record. Depending on certain models, several recorders have their own separate mixing compartment which can also be used as a mixer. Turning the preamps on the recorder would introduce more amount of noise then from the standalone mixers. For example, you are using a condensor microphone where it requires 48V phantom power. Your recorder doesn't have the necessary power to get the microphone pumping (depending on certain models again).
Having a mixer in the kit first is good because you can level all of your inputs nicely before they go out to the camera, hard disk, or DAT recorder. Usually, the preamps on the recorders are noisier than the mixer (not true in all cases). You'll rather use your mixer's preamps and adjust accordingly to help record the best input into the recorder without bringing up much hiss.
Having a recorder first in the kit would allow you to record. Depending on certain models, several recorders have their own separate mixing compartment which can also be used as a mixer. Turning the preamps on the recorder would introduce more amount of noise then from the standalone mixers. For example, you are using a condensor microphone where it requires 48V phantom power. Your recorder doesn't have the necessary power to get the microphone pumping (depending on certain models again).