HI Brian,
You seem to be one of the more merciful here. I did not ask for this mic discussion. It was not part of the OP and I did not intend it to be. I only mentioned mics to try to give an overview of where I was. I knew that once the discussion moved to mics it would be a free for all; one I did not want.
If you have read this whole thread, the blood has been let over how I am allocating my resources. At this moment, as I have said, I am not willing to spend a small fortune on mics at the very beginning. I have many other things to learn first. The mics time will come. That's it, story over. I think this discussion is moot. But, I still appreciate the information which will be useful both to me and to others who might reference this thread.
My audio experience is vast. I am 69 years old and have into hi fi since 1954 when I built my first tube amp, a Heath kit. Yes, my ears still work well. Since then audio has been my passion. I have run two different hi end hi fi repair shops for a total of 13 years. I specialized in tape recorders. I have been an audio consultant for several high end hi fi stores advising customers on their hi fi and acoustic problems and purchases. When Stereophile magazine was located in Santa Fe, my locality, I knew, and listened with, all their top reviewers. I knew the owner of the magazine (now gone and a former customer of mine) and the Chief Editor (still there). Several were very good friends. We shared our audio passions. I also have a full electronics shop set up at home where I experiment with ideas and modify and design equipment. It's a great shop fully instrumented with Tektronics test equipment.
I have had a long career at a National Laboratory as an electronics design engineer specializing in exotic digital data systems. None of my fellow engineers are into audio in a serious way.
I am a very experienced listener and, I think, a good one. I have a great hi fi system worth more than I want to mention. I have a vinyl record collection over 4500 strong but not nearly as many CD's. I truly do understand the issue of taste and how that drives opinions to the death. There are very few people whose opinions I would trust to the point where I would follow their path, even the most experienced. It's really simple. I think I know more than they do. I certainly know my taste in sound better than they do. I tend strongly to follow my own path because I trust myself.
The same is not true with live recording with which I have little experience. Oh, I have recorded a lot at home but not live. The reason I knew the mic issue would be difficult is because all issues in audio are difficult when it comes to truth; most noteworthy are mics and speakers but the same is true for amplification. You know this is true. Even on this forum, in this thread, I am sceptical. I don't know these people. I don't know their background, their experience, their talent, their ears, their results, or their sonic tastes. I know what they claim but the truth is in the listening. Anyone can claim anything. They are as unknown to me as the microphones they are propounding. It is extremely unlikely I would follow any of them to death. If they are smart, they would respect this view. But, for the most part, that is asking for too much. This does not apply to everybody, thankfully. Given this attitude, I would understand why they would check out. But those who stay with me will give birth to a talented recorder. I hope that is their goal rather than trying to change the basic fabric of my being. If that is their goal, as I think it is, they will fail.
Sparky