Newby question

[gooddog at interlync.com]

Hello, All;

I'm new to the list.  I got started with lists on the Newtontalk.net 
list for Newton users (lots of them still out there. The list is the 
most active I've seen, sometimes over 100 posts per day. How's that for 
a "dead platform"?) and found you because I've been on  the iBooklist, 
and the Cubelist, and saw the MacProAudio list there.

This may not be a Pro question because I'm no pro, but I imagined 
somenoe might direct me to the right place.

Here's my scenario:

1) Transferring Analog to Digital

I'm looking for a good application for the transfer of analog to 
digital format.  From all I've read on Version Tracker and MacUpdate 
about Audion, Audiocorder, Sound Studio, and Amadeus, the reviews are 
hands down in favor of Amadeus for stability, user friendliness, etc.

My needs for such a program are these:

A) Transferring my audio books on tape into files I can use on my iPod.
B) Transferring various tapes of music and spoken word (personal 
recordings of conversations and lectures) to files to be stored and 
used digitally. I have a fair amount of old audio tapes that are family 
related that I want to preserve.
C) Among these spoken word tape recordings are lectures from an 
instructor of mine that stretches back into the early 1990's. I'd like 
to preserve the contents of these tapes on a format that would be 
"safer" that magnetized tape (if such a thing exists). I want to be 
able easily burn cds in order to make these lectures available to 
classmates.
D) Possibly to record live directly into the iMac.
E) To take all of these transferred files and be able to burn them to a 
CD.

In that I'm not really a Pro, before I'm jettisoned out of here, will 
someone guide me in the proper direction or suggest some applications? 
Is Amadeus the best program for it's purpose? I'm assuming a program 
such as Amadeus can help to get rid of hiss, pops, etc.

2) Recording Lectures/Interviews/Conversations

I have a Sony Pro Walkman tape recorder. I got it because a friend who 
used to be an avid Grateful Dead taper suggested it since it was what 
he used for taping shows (used with a high-quality mic, of course).  
It's a fabulous machine, but kind of clunky to carry and use.  So many 
of my friends have the mini tape decks with the built in mic, but the 
sound just doesn't come out as good as mine on my Sony.

I'd be willing to sacrifice a bit of quality, if necessary, to have 
better portability and smaller size.  I was directed to consider using 
my 15gb iPod with a Belkin or (not yet released) Griffin voice 
recorder. Granted, neither of these can record in stereo, but my main 
recording is conversations and lectures.

Two classmates have the following equipment:  A Sony Clie and the Sony 
"teenyweeny recorder with built-in stereo mic" (Oh, yes, I'm positive 
that's the official product name!  ;-p ).

Seems to me the iPod, with it's 15gb hard drive, would be a better 
choice since it'd hook right up to the iMac and the > 
Swish-Boom-Bam!!!< in goes the audio.

Any suggestions?

If this whole thing is way Off Topic, please email me privately.

Thanks for your time.

Mark