In order to get an answer that makes sense, you have to ask a question that makes sense. Suppose instead of microphones, we substituted cars. So I say I like Chevy. Just how similar are a stripped down Cobalt and a custom Corvette? There are the cars *I like*, and the ones I can really own. I *like* the Dodge Viper, but *own* a Neon. So I break down and buy the Viper. You know, it's not very good at pulling stumps, so I guess I'll go back to my old Ford F-150 pickup, or better yet, a tractor. The tractor gets a lot of attention at road rallies.
You can't choose a tool without defining the job, and mics are tools. The features I look for in a mic are the following:
1. It does some job pretty well.
2. It can do more than one job.
3. It is respected in the industry, meaning it is used in lots of studios. This means it will be easier to sell if it doesn't work out for me, or I want to upgrade.
4. It is made by a manufacturer who will give me good customer support if I need it.
5. It delivers good performance (meaning it does its job well) relative to its price. This is the definition of *value*. There are good cheap mics, good mid-priced mics, and good expensive mics. Some environments are more dangerous for mics. In some places, a cheap mic is better risk management. I don't use Neumanns in drunken biker bars. And for some jobs, a cheap mic is the right mic.
So when it comes down to it, the make of the mic matters a lot less than the model, and the price has to be comparable to its performance. Audio-Technica for instance- The AT20XX series are made in China, and I believe there are better mics available by some other manufacturers, such as Rode, B.L.U.E., and SE. The AT40XX series are made in Japan, tend to have better quality control than the 20XX series, and compare very well to similarly priced competitors.
AKG makes some pretty good cheap mics (D5, C2000B, the Perception series) and some excellent mid-priced mics (C451, C414 series). They also make some cheap mics that are not so good (D880, C1000S, C3000B) when compared to similar mics by other manufacturers. Their flagship mic, the C12, while OK, doesn't compare that well to mics that can be had for the same or lesser amounts of money from a host of boutique manufacturers. It's a pretty good mic, but a bad value. In that price range, I'd be looking at B.L.U.E., Microtech Gefell, Lawson, Brauner, and even Neumann.
Neumann is a very good example of a company that builds some pretty good mics, but they are a very respected name, and you have to pay a certain percentage of the price because it has a little diamond on it that says "Neumann". It may not win on bang for buck up front, but does well on resale value.
In the end, my choice, like that of most studio owners, is some cheap mics that work well for the price, some mid-priced mics that are versatile, and a very few high end mics that are used frequently.
All I can do is list some standouts, and the jobs I use them for:
1. Favorite cheap mics- Shure SM57 (guitar cabs, percussion), AKG D770 (the same as SM57), AKG D3800 tripower (live piano, harp, and vocals), AKG D112 (standup Bass, Djembe, kick drum, anything low frequency). Oktava MK319 (studio vocals, especially female), Oktava MC012 (stringed instruments, mandolin, violin, cello, drum overheads),B.L.U.E. Bluebird (acoustic instruments and voiceovers), AKG C2000B (vocals and more delicate instruments, clean guitar cabs- a real winner on versatility). MXL V67 (vocals, especially male tenors).
2. Favorite mid-priced mics: B.L.U.E. Baby bottle (vocals, acoustic instruments) Shure SM7 (vocals, percussion). AKG C414B-ULS (A few vocalists, but a real winner on acoustic instruments, drum overheads), Neumann KM184 (overheads, delicate instruments, anywhere where I want high frequency detail).
3. Favorite high end mics: B.L.U.E. Kiwi (my vocals), Neumann U87 (vocals, acoustic instruments). AT4060 (vocals)
Regarding mics,especially high end models, I can only tell you about the mics I know and use. There are a ton of mics to die for that I would love to use, but I can't afford them currently. Please send me a box full of DPA, Schoeps, Brauner, Lawson, Microtech Gefell, Josephson, and others, and I'll happily tell you what they're good for.-Richie