Under the hood, the CK-7+ is impressive, featuring discreet, transformerless Class A FET circuitry and a 34mm gold-sputtered Mylar capsule. Avantone has even used high-grade polystyrene and metalized-polypropylene capacitors in the audio path — normally the kind of "upgrade" components installed by extreme hot-modders. The CK-7+ is an all-around studio workhorse, ideal for clearly capturing the sonic character of just about any vocal or instrument. Did we mention how gorgeous the CK-7+ is? Its elegant wine-red finish and polished-nickel trim will certainly attract attention whenever anyone sets foot in your studio.

Avantone pulled out all the stops when they designed the CK-7+. It features cardioid, omni, and figure 8 polar patterns, so it can perform any task that you demand of it. It also boasts a 10dB pad, so you can use it on drums, guitar cabinets, and other boisterous sources. Beyond that, it has an 80Hz highpass filter to attenuate rumble and other unwanted low frequencies. The Avantone CK-7+ is an amazing value. At this price, you can easily afford a stereo pair. How about five of them for your toms and overheads?