Thanks for your repies- forgot I posted in this section
Unfortunately, a few of the mics recommended here and elsewhere are located in the States- and usually incurs 30% import tax.
I'm now thinking about a matched pair of SDC Beyer MC-930 for £500. Although well over budget, they are probably about to go up in price around 25%, so could be a good time to pounce and not worry about buying mikes for a while
.
Specs are: Open circuit voltage at 1 kHz (0dB = 1V/Pa) 30 mV/Pa, Current consumption 4.6 mA, nominal impedance 180 Ω, Load impedance 1000 Ω, Phantom powered (11 - 52 V), Switchable pre-attenuation of 15 dB. Also Will be recording up to about 20 feet from the musicians, although usually closer than that. Is that all ok for the MR-1000?
Here's that gig again- free Jazz/improvised- and it's the sort of small venue I intend recording at. Sounds screetchingly awful on you tube, though:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ESPsLCgOW2Y
Are you prepared to settle with a fixed polar pattern, or are you looking primarily for switchable caps?
Not sure about that one?