Yes, from my own experience I would recommend my current one the most : Panasonic RR-QR100
Digital Notetaker, price these days not too much anymore, maybe US$100. I like this notetaker, since it's very handy, compact, fits nicely into pockets (it's really got that format), weighs about nothing and stores hours and hours of information.
Why a digital notetaker? I think by using a digital one I force myself to review and write down my notes after they've been made, so they don't get lost. If I used a tape notetaker, I'd probably just record the tapes and then not bother or procrastinate reviewing them, which is exactly what I want to avoid. I really think it's a matter of personal choice...
I can strongly recommend it, though - Either way.
Don't forget to still take written notes whenever you can, though... I always have sketchbooks and tally books and papers floating around my office, full of notes, logs, tallies and stats.
My reason is that writing appeals to various representational systems: Kinaesthetic (touch, feel), Visual (seeing what you're writing), Logical etc.
If you take an audible note, you will solely respond with your auditory senses. And only about 5% of people are in fact auditory (!), which means most western schoolsystems are still designed counterproductive to learning, since many things only involve people blaring at you.
The reality is, 40% of people are Visual, 40% are Kinaesthetic, 10% are Auditory Digital (Logical), 3% are Olfactory (Smell) and 2% are Gustatory (Taste) oriented.
So, if we want to apeal to the majority of people / senses, we need to address Visual & Kinaesthetic the most. Both are involved in writing.
Conclusion, writing things down is scientifically proven as the currently most effective means of information absorption.
I've just been through this extensively in another NLP prac course, so I'm pretty familiar with this stuff - Make sure you ask me before I forget it all...
Scientist.