Please let us know what you end up with. I've been toying around with a setup idea I'd need one decent-quality sdc 8 for as well. An LDC won't work, it needs to be small and lightweight.
The Ambient EMESSER seems interesting candidate now that they use a MBHO capsule. I'd love to hear from someone who has actually used one since the cost, reasonable for a quality sdc 8, is rich for playing around with an interesting config which may or may not be worthwhile.
First I've seen of that AT active ribbon.
Jon, if you are reading.. any chance to still get one U-8 and the appropriate P48 PFA to power it? I dropped that option when I was trying to figure a way to run it into one low powered mic channel and it requried two. Now I'm willing to drop the single low powered channel requirement so a balanced PFA (and/or two low powered channels) will work. I probably don't have as much of a low noise requriement as Ralf, and need somewhat decent if not super high SPL capability.