Slightly over your budget is the AKG C1000S (110 pounds inc VAT from
Digital Village). This works with either phantom power (preferred) or
an internal PP3 9-volt battery.

I would be interested to hear the recording professionals' view of
this device.

I have a pair that are at least 15 years old and I find them useful. I
don't know whether AKG have changed the design over the years because
I've seen many people describe them as dreadful. They don't sound
impressive like the Chinese large diaphragm mics do but they've given me
a usable sound on just about anything I've tried them on. Their standard
polar pattern isn't particularly tight so they are a little more prone
to feedback in a live situation although the newer version comes with a
hypercardiod adaptor which may help. The newer ones also have an adaptor
which introduces some midrange boost when fitted which may be the reason
for many of the comments about its harsh sound that I've seen.

Cheers.

James.

Mike Gilmour wrote:

What I'd really like would be a Neumann KMS 105 (but thats just
dreamin') & also I'd always be watching it, having nightmares of it
going missing ;-)

Many KMS105 users are switching to the Sennheiser Evo 865 as it sounds
smoother. I still want a 105 for the badge though ;-)


--
slightly greasy solar atoms...

Tim S Kemp wrote:
:: Mike Gilmour wrote:
::
::: What I'd really like would be a Neumann KMS 105 (but thats just
::: dreamin') & also I'd always be watching it, having nightmares of it
::: going missing ;-)
::
:: Many KMS105 users are switching to the Sennheiser Evo 865 as it
:: sounds smoother. I still want a 105 for the badge though ;-)
::
::
:: --
:: slightly greasy solar atoms...

Thanks for all of your help guys, I see there's a lot of research to be done
in this field but I'll take a look at those sites and those models!
Cheers
Tom.