Roland has begun shipping the R-05 WAV/MP3 Recorder that PodcastingNews first wrote about in March. The handheld compact digital recorder makes uncompressed stereo recordings directly to SD cards with up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution.

The R-05 records directly with the built-in stereo microphone, or can accomodate an externally connected microphone. A windscreen and tripod mount are included with the recorder.

The R-05 also boasts enhanced recording and onboard editing features, and extended battery life (over 16 hours per charge). It can also simultaneously record WAV and MP3 files of the same performance, and transfer files with computers via USB 2.0.

The R-05 is now shipping with a suggested retail price of $299.00.