At one point, my wife (a singersongwriter), my brother (a composer) and I
got the chance to compare 3 really different vocal mics in completely different
price ranges in a triple blind study.

Each singer got to try each microphone (blindfolded) and we then montored them
through a good Mackie powered monitor, a nearfield monitor and headphones.

We tried out
1) Neuman U87 (around $2,000)
2) the Audio Technica ATM 4033 (around $350 at the time and no longer made but available used)
3) the Rhode NT-2 $400 (but w got ours for 2 Bills used)

What we discovered was that the 4033 had, by far, the best detail of the three microphones and lacked , perhaps a bit of warmth; the Neumann was very detailed and warmer sounding than the 4033.

The Rhode was the surprise of the bunch. Comparatively, it had a lot less detail than either the 4033 or the U87
but amazingly, if you were monitoring a person singing in headphones, it sounded like the person was singing right next to your ear...........................it sounded completely realistic.

Later I discovered that Audio Technica sells the ATM4060 which is a tube condenser microphone with the tube built in
for around $1,300. The tube really warms up the sound and still the mic has considerable detail.

Well, it turns out that with the exception of the 4060's multiple polar patterns that the 4060 has the identical diaphragm as the now out of print 4033.

Add an $80 Art microphone preamplifier (with the identical A12 tube as the expensive 4060) to a used 4033
and you have a $1,300 tube condesner microphone solution for under $3-400 tops.

Then the 4033 is also just a great microphone for acoustic guitars, percussion (just incredible detail for the latter).

Add an NT-2 to the mix for another couple of hundred bucks or so and the combination produces a truly world class
vocal solution for around $6-700 tops.

As a fan of champagne audio living on a beer budget, this has been great news to our little circle of producers~

Even cheaper from what I"ve heard are the new Chinese condenser knock offs that sound amazing for even cheaper.
I haven't actually A-Bed them, but I've heard that for the price (which is next to nothing) that these large condenser microphones added to an A12 microphone preamplifier is an amazingly inexpensive and yet, still pretty classy alternative
to the really, expensive mics out there.

Now, add to this the digitally modelled microphone programs from companies like Antares and you can have your equivalent of a $7,000 used RCA tube condenser microphone.

In a golden ears test under perfect conditions you can probably hear the difference between the simulation of the
expensive (and unobtainable RCA tube microphones that are so coveted) but the differences will just not be heard by
98% of all of the listening public.

You can use the money you save by not buying the pricey Neumanns and their equivalents to buy an entire recording studio with money left over for a nice vacation in Europe.