sE Electronics Z3300A
I've owned a Neumann tlm103, Rode Classic, and a Studio Projects C1. The C1 was a big disappointment, but I listened to the irresponsible reviews written by a few well-known people claiming it was as good as a U87 and fell victim to MAJOR buyer's remorse! If you're looking for a good all around mic for around $500, I'd highly recommend
a sE Electronics Z3300, which I've just purchased. I've used Marshall mics, and like I said, the C1, but as far as Chinese mics go,
the Z3300A is in a completely different class. Unlike all the other Chinese mics I've heard, the sE has an expensive sound about it, and my god if I don't love it!! It isn't hyped sounding like a tlm103, nor is it as big sounding as a Rode Classic, but coupled with my Peavey VMP-2, it sounds organically natural, yet clear; magically fluid and dimensional on vocals and acoustic guitar. Guitar transients just pop out at you! It just sounds so damn good!!! On singers and acoustic guitar, it really gives an honest representation of the source. For vocals, it sounds wonderful with no eq (perhaps a couple db cut in the lower mids, depending on the vocalist) for a folk/jazz type singer. For pop music, a little high end boost at 10 or 11Khz gives it that sparkly pop vocal sound, that with gentle compression, sits in the mix like a bird in a tree. This mic is smooth; both tonally and how it translates volume fluctuations. (By comparison, the tlm was a bear to get an even volume level with through the course of a whole song, unless the singer was well trained or more compression was utilized, due to being a tad too sensitive for my taste.) Every mic has it's own signature eq curve, and the Z3300's sound is such that it responds very well to eq applied down the signal chain, making it extremely versatile, applications-wise. For general purpose recording, and if you are only able to afford one large diaphragm condensor, a neutrally honest, feature laden mic like the Z3300 is the only way to go. I hope this helps...