I have heard all sorts of things about this mic and that mic and when it really came down to me purchasing a new mic, It came down to what I got for the money as far as features, quality and most importantly, sound.
I did some research online, in local shops and just reading reviews on this forum and out of all the mic's I looked into, for the money, the Sterling Audio ST69 seemed like the most bang for its buck.
At right around $600 new (anywhere from $275-$450 used) you get a Large Diaphragm, Tube Condenser mic, with multiple polar patterns (cardioid, omnidirectional, and figure 8) and a 10dB Pad and High Pass filter.
I took it home, checked it out and I was impressed by the clarity of this mic for the money. Being somewhat of a vocalist myself, I have been recorded on various high end mic's, and to my ear, the ST69 sounded pretty damn close. It comes with a proprietary 7 pin XLR cable to connect to the included external low noise tube power supply, a shock mount, and a pretty solid carrying case.
I will admit that the shock mount is pretty awful. 
The mic it self seems to be really well built and I have had no issues with the cable shaking loose, or the switches for the pad, filter or polar pattern sticking or not engaging properly.
The mic is clear, and present with a hint of color like higher end mics but lends itself well to processing and mixing. It isn't hard to have the vocals or acoustic guitar out front in the mix and sound very natural and organic. I typically use this mic on vocals, and acoustic guitar, but it also makes for a very suitable room mic for drums or electric guitar. I have also found myself using it behind guitar cabinets to add to the tone of my e609 and sm57's.
All in all, If you are in the market for a great value tube condenser mic, I feel that the ST69 is a definite contender. There are better mic's out there if you are willing to spend the money, and there are also worse mic's IMO for more money as well.
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