i wound up prchasing an m-audio mobilepre USB preamp, and a marshall electronics MXL V57M studio condenser microphone. i got both for around 180 dollars, plus shipping.
i was talking to a guy in the studio at my school, and he suggested the preamp simply because then, if i ever wanted to upgrade, i could get different microphones instead of having only one that I could ever use.
i got the preamp today, and i'm waiting on the microphone still.
has anyone ever tried one of these preamps? what's your take on them?