I've been in the recording business for a long time. I've worked with Neumans, AKGs, and other top-notch mics. This isn't a Neuman, but for the money it blows away most mics selling for quite a bit more. For me, it sounds better than a Shure KSM-27 or even -32. If you want to spend a lot more you can find a better mic, but if you're on a budget this is one to get.