In reply to sae:
I bought a couple of MXL603Ss a couple of weekends ago. I haven't definitively proven it yet, but I suspect I may have a problem with one of them - I'm getting some random crackling in one channel using the same leads and pre where I've not had it before, so the mic is the suspect at this stage. I hope it's not, because they're not exactly easy to get in Australia and I have about nil chance of getting it exchanged as it was bought at a warehouse sale direct from the distributor, who I may have trouble tracking down.
Cheers