This is a slightly different take on the impossible question of "which Mic should I buy!"

Any advice would be appreciated. After reading some negative reviews for the PreSonus Bluetube mic preamp, I decided against it. ART, do they make good preamps in your opinion? Thank-you.

Hello everyone, I ask you for one piece of advice.
I need a mic preamp for RODE NTK. I would like to improve sound and reduce noise.
Does anyone know which mic preamp would work out well?
In view of finances, I am currently limited to a maximum of about $450 / 300 eur.
I have a sound card M Audio Firewire 410.

RODE NTK or AKG C214?

And it's awesome! Amazingly audible step up from the MXL that I had before (V-something, 67?). I recorded a demo track but it's probably to big to upload. Doh!

do i buy a SE Z5600a or a RODE NTK? I'm not sure as they are priced about the same and both sound really nice. Im thinking more towards the SE Z5600a as it also includes a nice shockmount where the RODE is optional. i plan to use mainly on vocals but probably a few other acoustic stuff now and again.

I'm looking for a mic in the 500 dollar range that will be nice for recording a variety of things; namely vocals (male and female) and acoustic violin. The RODE NTK mic seems like a nice choice. I have yet to listen to it, but I know many of you either own one or have used one.

I've been recording on this mic for awhile now and I have question the sound of it. There is a certain harshness that I get with the vocals. My chain is NTK-Grace 101-dbx166XL-MOTU 828mk2.

I just got this setup the other day mainly to record french horn in a mix and alone for practicing.
I guess I just assumed I would plug it in and there would be a slider on the mixer that I could control the gain with and if it was too hot I would turn it down until it is just right.

I have been using my Mackie VLZ mixer for a few years and would like to get a preamp that is a step up from that...My price range is ~500. There are many mic preamps in this range (grace 101, Summit 2BA-221, "The Brick", RNP etc.) and some of them are tube...Since my main vocal mic is a RODE NTK should I avoid a tube pre and go with something cleaner to bring out the NTK sound?