Thanks very much for the reply. Yes, I am comparing apples to oranges, but both are food.
I agree, hanging mics is always inconvenient and often not possible. That's why I was excited when it was suggested to just put a small
condenser on a stand. However, since the 853 comes with a stand mount
adapter, it seemed like a good idea as I could use it both ways. And the cost is attractive. I don't need the low-frequency response of an
instrument mic, and the 853 is favorably reviewed, but I was curious how it compared to the more expensive mics. But I didn't even think to look at the spec sheet. Wow, some of the patterns are not too good; the KSM137 definitely seems to be the best of the bunch, and the cost is excellent compared to the competition. I've never really looked at the KSM series. I do find it odd though that
Shure doesn't list choirs as one of the applications, whereas they do for all their other small condensers. Some of the mics I looked at are specifically designed for close range; I hope it isn't that way. The AKG C1000 is another similar mic, but again the
pattern isn't as good.
It seems that pretty much all the good mics are $300, but I was hoping to find something under $200.