We tend to have a lot of posts here asking about what the best X is for Y situation. I think it would be a good idea to maintain a "recommended gear" thread to collect all of these . It would be up to one member to keep this post updated, unless a mod thinks it should be their job. (I volunteer if no one else is interested).
Each item could have the handles of members who endorse the product listed after it, so people would know who to ask if they had specific questions, and so people have an idea how many people feel strongly about a particular item. (This could get out of had for certain products, I realize.) Everyone has their own experiences and opinions, but this would allow you to "vote" for a product, although lists within each category would remain alphabetical so there is no preference order.
Because mics are highly specific, I suggest only listing general brands or product lines within a brand. For example, DPA 4000 series, Schoeps Collette series, Sennheiser MKH, etc.
This post could be limited to items used in the capture of a live concert (including cables, clamps, stands, etc.). That would be a lot of stuff on its own. Or, it could be extended with follow-up posts to include playback gear for mixing and mastering, software, etc.
To keep the gear list of a reasonable length, I suggest a minimum threshold of users endorsing it (5? 10?), and you must have direct experience with the product to offer endorsement (on your honor).
The person maintaining the thread should also keep it locked, as we have the dedicated sub-forums for discussion of specific types of products. This thread should be for the list only; not for discussion which should occur in the appropriate sub-forums. Endorsements could be offered to the list maintainer via PM.
Thoughts?