quick note about Chinese-manufactured large-diaphragm condenser mics:
A company in the People's Republic of China, 797 Audio, has been making copies of popular Western-made microphones for many years now. These are such obvious copies that international copyright law prohibits selling them in Europe and North America. However, several Western companies have been working with 797 Audio to have their own designs made in China and then sold in the West. Most of these mics look almost exactly like the Neumann U87 and are claimed to sound 'just like the real thing, but for a fraction of the cost' — the Nady SCM 900, Joe Meek JM47 Meekrophone and Marshall Electronics MXL 2001-P are good examples. Of course, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. I own an MXL 2001-P, and while I think it is a good mic for $150, I'd say it sounds more like a caricature of a U87 than the real thing. The MXL 2001-P's proximity effect is not well controlled, so male voices come out with a 'woofiness' in the low end if you work the mic too close. The high frequencies are more 'sizzly' than 'silky,' but I wouldn't say that the MXL mic sounds bad. It just sounds like a good cheap mic with a 'scooped out' midrange response, sort of how a mic sold at your local Radio Shack might sound if it was designed to 'sound like a Neumann.' In the end, I would say that $150 is just a little too much for the MXL 2001-P, but for $100 it would be worth it for many people. (Note that the Nady SCM 900 looks identical, and both the Nady and Marshall mics have been dropping in price.) I would say that an MXL 2001-P certainly beats a Shure SM58 or SM57 for recording vocals, piano or acoustic guitar, but if you already own a CAD, RØDE, AKG or other inexpensive condenser mic, don't think that you're missing out on anything.
Bear in mind that not all mics made by 797 Audio sound 'cheap.' The slightly more expensive Marshall Electronics MXL 2003 sounds noticeably smoother than the MXL 2001-P, and reviewers are positively gushing over the Studio Projects C1, C3 and B1 microphones (designed in the USA, made in China).
There are some good-sounding Russian-made condenser microphones available for almost as low prices as the mics made by 797 Audio. The Oktava MC-219 is an old 'sleeper' favorite.
The above are my own opinions, so feel free to apply your own personal grain of salt. Some reviewers have written that the MXL 2001-P is an unbeatable bargain, while others (especially at ProRec.com) have lambasted almost every Chinese-made mic as shameless (and lousy-sounding) scams. As you can see, I've taken the middle ground.