I agree with everything Acidjack said, 110%.
I respect
most of what acidjack says, though I don't agree with it since I really don't care for the schoeps sound. His attack on my beloved Gefells that I sold to him, well that was just uncalled for.
Lots of good info and opinions in this thread, felt I could reply and respond to almost every post. In general, I am ok with the AKG sound (esp the 460/480 sound since I owned them and know them), and I don't like the schoeps (small diameter) sound -- worse with the mk4's compared to the 41's or 4v's, but across the range, I'm just not a schoeps fan. (Their product range is just to die for though -- man what options!). So overall, I'd always choose AKGs over schoeps.
I agree with Page though on the 10k-ish Hz hash for the 460/480s. It doesn't bother me as much as Page, since I still am ok with AKG sources, but I do hear it and notice it.
On the Gefells -- one of my favorite mics I've owned (which is a fair amount), and I like them right up there with DPAs and Milabs. I agree though that they seem to emphasize the midrange. Overall, I generally liked this for PA recordings since the subwoofers are almost always up too high so there is too much bass in the room/recording, and I think esp with line array systems, soundmen seem to really push the treble, so toning down the low and the highs of PA recordings and accentuating the mids helps to my ear. Again, this is what works against the AKGs for me (though Chuck prefers it) -- there is a slight scooping of the mids on AKGs which I don't prefer.
My favorite mics of the typical taper mics?: of my favorites, DPA, Milab, and Gefell first. Followed by Neumanns, followed fairly closely by AKGs, and Audio Technicas for that matter (AT4041 which I owned, AT4022 which I own, AT4051's -- all very, very underrated in my book). Schoeps and MBHOs -- really don't even make it in my list, I find I just don't like their sound all that much. (My apologies to the rather extensive MBHO and schoeps loving CO Crew.)
willdmb -- never heard anyone argue that AKG 483's aren't the best hyper? Man, how could you miss all the Gefell m210 disciples and their fluffing?