Advise On Microphone Purchase

The CV12 is supposed to be copied off of the famed AKG C12. I have heard many good things about the CV12, and am actually planning on buying one myself. I think you would be happy with this mic.

If you go with an SM7B, I highly recommend a Cloudlifter CL-1 to go with it.

I really like my Heil PR40. Anyway, check second hand if you want to save some money.
Best of luck.

lawajava
I'm not the only one on the forum who is a fan of this mic. It can be found new at about $300.

It's truly fantastic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnq0JrOvfUo

The CAD Equitek E100s is the sweetest creation I've ever had the pleasure of acquiring... and, the only high end mic made in the US...
 
I have a dozen decent $100-$400 mics.  Gave them all to a friend... The E100s made me do it with a smile
 
lowest noise level, clarity, warmth, essence... it'll blow ur mind... Nothing comes close to this mic.
 
Beat out the Neuman U87 mic, which costs $2700 IN BLIND TESTS
 
Detailed Review, specs, construction, and everything, including it's awesome floating iso system...
Watch this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlnQqAW_eog
 

jpetersen
Condensers are very sensitive at a distance and pick up everything including reflections from walls, ceilings, floors, pipes, mirrors, furniture, cars passing outside, the lot. For a good condenser, you need a good sound-damped room
 

 
I have to agree with Jay. If you don't make an effort to control your room, any condenser might sound different than you expect, as it'll be picking up reflections bouncing off walls, ceilings and floors. The more sensitive your mic, the more of your room you're going to hear.

I've made strides in sound proofing and of course that helps.

But even without that in place, recording with the CAD Equitek E100s changed my captured vocals from sounding like Tiny Tim (before the CAD) to sounding like Chris Isaac.

I had / have several other mics including expensive condensers and dynamic mics including the Shure SM58.

I've retired my other mics to a drawer since I switched to the CAD.

That really is a good microphone and a helluva bargain at 5 bills. However, given your situation I'm not sure a tube condenser is the best way to go.
 
If you're going to be using it just for vocals (as opposed to, say, acoustic guitars) then you'd probably get better results from a good dynamic mike. You can't go wrong with either the SM7 or the RE20 that have been mentioned above. Both are classics, both are especially good at male rock/pop vocals, and both will do better than a condenser in an acoustically-challenged environment. However, don't dismiss the humble SM58, which is 90% of an SM7 and only a hundred bucks.
 
If you plan on using the microphone for acoustical instruments, then you'll probably want something more versatile - low noise and multiple polar patterns. But that's going to run you a grand or more, and you'll still have to address your room acoustics.

Also have a look at the large-diaphragm dynamics from Heil. I have tried them and heard them on stage, and they are like SM58's on steroids. 
 

bitflipper
Also have a look at the large-diaphragm dynamics from Heil. I have tried them and heard them on stage, and they are like SM58's on steroids. 
 

I actually chose my Heil PR40 over both the SM7 and the RE20.

Jim Roseberry

Zargg71
 
I actually chose my Heil PR40 over both the SM7 and the RE20.

The PR40 is more like the RE-320   
 
I favor the RE-320 over the RE20 for VO... as it's got a little more definition in the upper mids.
On guitar cab (recording heavy crunch), I prefer the flatter response of the RE20.

I use mine for vocals only. I love it paired with my LA610.

for poor room acoustics, this:
 

 
http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=602650
 
 
will not break the bank.
 

The other factor is that we each have a unique voice and there's no one mike does it all for ALL vocals. 
The other day I had to try about 4 mikes on a female vocal and the best pick bar none was a Beta 58. 
 
Those Apex mikes are sort of dogs, I have one. It distorts real easily. Works good on people with weak vocals. Not good for me. 

Jim Roseberry
Classics are classic for a reason (they work).

This.

Unless you've a big budget and can go out and buy as much gear as you happen to feel the need for you're almost certainly going to be better off with a couple of the "classics" than any number of very cheap microphones or a single "distinctive" one.

Valve (or tube, depending where you are) microphones, pre-amps etc. open up a new can of worms. Valves do not sound the same, even if they are electronically interchangable. A 1970s Philips 12AX7 doesn't sound like a same vintage General Electric or a modern JJ-Tesla 12AX7. Which in turn doesn't sound the same as a modern Sovtek and so on. Cheap valve gear also often uses very cheap Chinese valves which are frankly horrible sounding and replacing them with something better can make a real difference, though some guitarists who use high-gain Marshalls seem to like the Chinese valves because they distort nastily and easily.

So before you know it you'll be off down the valve rabbit hole comparing and trying different ones then, especially if New Old Stock valves give you the sound you particularly want buying a substantial number of them before they disappear to make sure you've enough in hand for when one fails. The valves used in mics and preamps tend to last many years but once on a while even a new valve can fail which is why virtually no-one warrantees a valve for more than 90 days. Not even Fender and Marshall. Some valves used in microphones are hard to get hold of at all which doesn't help.

My personal opinion is that it's best to get a couple of "classics" that can be used for many applications and leave the more specialised or oddball microphones alone until you know why you specifically want that particular microphone's sound. Say one large diaphragm condensor that doesn't break the bank and a general purpose dynamic like the SM57. Or a Shure SM7B dynamic which can handle pretty much anything you care to point it at. If you record acoustic guitar, strings or similar a small-diaphragm condensor can also be very useful.

When shopping for a condensor check if an elastic suspension comes with the mic or not, or, like the C1000S, if there's one built in. They can by surprisingly expensive if bought seperately and without one every foot-tap on the floor will be transmitted up the mic stand into the mic and get recorded.