[Chris Cavell]

Actually looking at the NTEC I saw on ebay...I wouldn't be surprised if it's the exact same capsule, transformer, body, and circuit design as the Apex 460 and Telefunken USA R-F-T M16. I'd buy the cheapest of the bunch, replace the caps, possibly the resistors (but probably not necessary), try a few different 12ax7 tubes, and replace the transformer with either a lundahl or a jensen. Total cost with mods for the 460 would be likely less than $400, and sound ten times better than the Tele RFT M16 (which cost $1200+ for a nearly identical mic).