the 4033 is a pretty good mic and is generally similar to most of the other large condensers in that price range. it may not be the last mic you ever buy, but it will certainly give you a much better result than stage mics. most small studios use mixers to provide their mic preamps and phantom power. look into getting a mackie 1202 or similar - for the money, you get a lot more flexibility than buying an outboard phantom power unit and single mic preamp. an alternative is to purchase an inexpensive tube mic pre, like the ART tube mp - it will supply phantom power and let you add a little tube harmonic content to the mic.
