I know I know....this can almost be like a Mac .vs PC discussion. It seems that from almost every customer opinion list I read on any given mic( or anything else for that matter) the results and experiences differ between users, although most comments are positive and not the other way around concerning microphones.
 
Microphones seem to be one of the most subjective things in existence especially in the lower to mid price ranges. If you spend enough money to be a debtor for the next several years you are pretty much guaranteed  a good mic that most folks rave about. I envy the guys who work at the big studios and have access to the best mics. But that's not me and probably never will be me. The good thing though is that for a lot less you can get a good microphone for a lot less money, but a good microphone for you might not be a good one for me, still for those in similar situations a comparison seems like a good thing.
 
I have been doing some research and I think I have it narrowed down pretty well but I don't want to let on too much yet until after the things I'm watching  are over. IOW I don't want any unwelcome competition. I'll let on a little bit but not too much. I have a few of those Chinese mics but it's time to step up a notch or two. I also have a fairly good assortment of dynamics. I need a good condenser. FWIW there are some cool mods for some of those cheaper mics. Although I like a lot about the most common Chinese mics I don't want one of them to be the first thing someone sees in my studio if I take in work and I want to go with something that guys who work regularly in studios use without going totally broke.Mainly though, I want something I can use regularly that gives good results in my situation. Guitar, maybe some percussion or harmonica and vocals.Primarily vocals though.
I'm not interested in tube mics or transformers. I like FET tecnology and surface mount technology seems more reliable in the long term. I'm not looking for light compression in a tube mic or transformer noise. Pad and pattern switches would be helpful but I'll probably be primarily using a cardoid pattern in my studio.
 
A few well known names came to mind and one in particular caught my interest commonly referred to as a "workhorse" mic by professionals. Among these workhorse mics are a few that have become staples in most studios even if they aren't the go to mics, they keep them around.
 
Getting a freq. response chart is almost like pulling teeth with some of these companies. You hear descriptions like "smooth" and "silky" . I'm thinking as opposed to what "lumpy" and "bumpy"? I don't know of any mic that really fits that description. It seems a lot like snake oil to me. I managed to finally round up a few freq. charts on the mics I'm interested in and it is fairly common for a decent condenser to add some "air" to the mic by adding a small gain at the 6-10KHZ region and above. Some of the more common decent mics in the mid ranges accentuate freqs. in the ranges of vocal singing and speech and these are some of the more popular mics. The coloration is like EQ added going in before anything else. I DON'T think this is my mic because my voice is a little harsh in those ranges. I need something that is more neutral in that range. I don't want a mic that colors anything.
 
One range of mics that I'm looking at has the added advantage of having many customer comments relating the experience that the mic. makes the vocals stand out in front of the mix. The mics I'm using now need to be driven pretty hard in order to be more sensitive.
 
The most desired tenors and the best female vocs need totally different treatments in totally different ways and so when someone says that one mic does it all I am skeptical. 
 
I am curious what your favorites are and why if you care to share. I know at some point that with similar constructions it comes down to splitting hairs over what works well. Do you use a figure-of eight to get more air in a vocal? What works best for you?
 
For the last several days I have almost driven myself crazy looking and comparing. This might make it worse .lol.
 
 

Something with a tube in it or something with a ribbon in it.

Can of worms stuff this. I've decided that hiring or loaning a selection of mics is going to be the best way of selection. That way you get to listen to what they sound like before you fork out. There are quite a few companies that provide this service.
I've found that one mic is not a "do all". In particular male and female vocals can be very different and require different mics to capture the tones of these voices.
I keep going back to my Rode NT1-A for lots of instruments, works well on guitar cabs, horns and acoustic guitars, and it seems to work really well on soft female vocals. Having said that, i can't use it on my voice, it brings out too much of high mids and I get a nasty raspiness that is totally unacceptable (could be my voice though). It is also not the best on loud, raunchy female vocals either.
Good luck with your search, let us know what you find, I for one am always interested in microphone comparisons and am always found in that section of magazines going through the specs and thoughts of the users.

Based on my very limited experience, it seems more and more like really sweating one mic or another, or one set of pickups over another, or any of the things we obsess over is just a futile exercise.  It can be kind of fun to shop, and compare, but when it comes down to it, how much can you really hear in the end?  Keep in mind I'm
talking about rock or pop mixes.  If you are recording quiet jazz, or intimate folk or something I suppose it matters a bit more, but with the way most vox are eventually EQed, compressed, and placed in the mix, how many people (experienced or not) can really tell the difference between this $300 fet mic or this $1000 tube mic?  Can you tell I'm playing my 68 jazzmaster on this rock song?  Or is it my Squire tele?  Is that a $5000 Bock mic?  A $200 AT? An SM58? 
 
I have a go to mic, the Mogami edition MXL V69. $300 bucks.   Works on everything I do.  It is fine.  It certainly isn't special, but it works without me having to do a whole lot.  It is a bit dark, so I generally have to boost the upper freq. a bit.  So I boost.   If I had another mic I might have to eq the mids, or the low end.  Regardless, you will tailor any mic to sound exactly the way you want. If you find a mic that works perfectly on every singer without any adjustments, you have everyone beat!
 
Or maybe I'm just upset and venting because I can't afford the $5000 Bock.....
 
 

sven450
Based on my very limited experience, it seems more and more like really sweating one mic or another, or one set of pickups over another, or any of the things we obsess over is just a futile exercise. It can be kind of fun to shop, and compare, but when it comes down to it, how much can you really hear in the end? Keep in mind I'm
talking about rock or pop mixes. If you are recording quiet jazz, or intimate folk or something I suppose it matters a bit more, but with the way most vox are eventually EQed, compressed, and placed in the mix, how many people (experienced or not) can really tell the difference between this $300 fet mic or this $1000 tube mic? Can you tell I'm playing my 68 jazzmaster on this rock song? Or is it my Squire tele? Is that a $5000 Bock mic? A $200 AT? An SM58?
 
 
　
Sven, for someone with very limited experience your observations are astute.
 
You can also compare your choice of microphones with different mic pres to further muddy the water.
 
Having said that:
If you have a modest budget and you need a condenser, you can't go wrong with the Audio Technica 4033; Guitar Center sells them for around $350 or so.

I agree sven. But, then again, I think the room is more important than the mic. If you've got a great mic in a bad room, it's going to sound worse than a mediocre mic in a good room probably.
 
Sorry, I can't tell you what mic I use cause I just don't remember. An AKG somethin or other. It works.

"I have a few of those Chinese mics" I don't have a Chinese mic? Mine is German or Austrian, Neumann or something like that? I like it just fine.

I only have a few mics but the one I like for vocals is a c414. Mines an older 414/buls but its crisp, sensitive and does a fine job for a clean sound. I have found that I can rely on it but maybe that's because I know how it will react in many different settings and can adjust for it. Its 20 years old and still doing a good job. My 2 cents.

Neumann, wasn't he on Seinfeld ?

I've got a Mogami edition MXL As well, I don't remember which model. It seems a little dark as well. I usually give it just a slight boost at around 5K. It's all I can really afford for this hobby right now, but it does a descent job. I feel that the room is way more important as well.

The last couple of songs I've been using my Joly-modded Oktava 319 for vocals.  Lots of midrange and punchy.  but I combine it w/ the signal from an MXL 144 ribbon - the cheapest there is (almost!).  Seems to work well as a combo punch and adds some low end back, but a different kind of low end.  The combo works great for my female vocalist, and no, not just because it is louder.  It is fuller.  Maybe I should get a Chinese mic to add some high end? ;-)
 
But really, try your best (ie. expensive) mic first, and then work your way down.  Most home studios don't have a varied and expensive mic locker.  I only found the Oktava/mxl combo since I had both set up to see which I liked best.
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