Tony:
I faced the same issue and went with a professional stand-alone unit---the HHB 850. These recorders, which cost a little more, offer more features and the ability to record on all types of discs, both consumer and professional/computer, etc... Sony, Tascam, and Marantz produce units like this as well. I don't know much about the consumer units like Phillips. I think they require the more expensive discs, although the costs may not be much more. In the final analysis, I'm not sure the ear can tell a difference in CD-R's recorded on either type of recorder.