I've owned this mic for 3 weeks and, there's no way I'd go back to what I had.
For vocals, this is the last studio mic you'll ever need. Anything more expensive is just for status. This has served me exceptionally well. Not hardly any EQ used. It's clarity and dynamic range, smoothness, etc....is unspeakable.

The most well made mic I own. Sounds out of this world. I love the way Sweetwater shipped this - they didn't skimp on bubble wrap, or packaging; showed up in mint condition, in a nice clean box. Did I mention extra bubble wrap? That's how you sell a mic.

Unfortunately, this microphone did not deliver that "tube warmth" I was looking for. I found it to be rather bland sounding to the point that I can't think of an application in which I'd chose this as my go-to microphone. It very well could be I just need more experience in using it and need to spend more time getting to know it, but, as of now, I'm not blown away at all.

Once I burned in this tube fully, about 20 hours of pure ON time, this mic gave me incredible results. Finally able to achieve that real, warm, tube vocal sound I've been chasing for some time. Always warm this mic up for a few hours before recording, though! Couple it with a great pre-amp and you've got something special. That subtle vocal crunch that makes it sound like a real pro recording. I recommend this mic highly. Sounds GREAT on acoustic instruments as well. Articulate, but not brittle or harsh. But if you've been chasing that warm vocal sound for a while....look no further. This mic is a great versatile choice for any home or project studio. And it does so without completely breaking the bank.

...I got a great deal on a used z5600a... but the mic itself is fantastic! I need to throw a fresh tube in the one I got since I have a feeling the previous owners never replaced it, but it's still sounding great and will only get better with a fresh tube! I've used it on acoustic guitars, vocals, and as a drum overhead, I have to say it does it all and does it well! If you're looking for a great mic with plenty of versatility I can honestly say you should look no further!

I run a recording arts program at Butte College in Northern Ca. We have a pretty great Mic locker, but I picked this up when we got a small grant, as we didn't have a good tube mic for vocals, and I had a limited budget. After having used Neumann 149 and Telefunken 251's on a recent record, I have a high standard for tube mics, and this one somehow lives up. The proof is that out of all our mic's the students constantly choose this one for vocals. We recorded 3 different female and a couple male vocals this semester through it and it always gave us a great sound. There is a tube vibe, with an even response, and a nice but subtle open air on top. The singers were actually inspired by the sound, and some got the final take in one or two tries. In mixing, very little EQ was necessary to make it shine in the mix.
I then tried it on my singer, as we were doing an album, and had used the above mentioned 149 and 251 on a few vocal tracks, which made my AT4050 sound lesser than, and I needed to re-do the vocals I had done with it (when the other mic's weren't available). I ended up having her re-do all the vocals from the 4050 takes, and this mic was easy to make fit with the other high end ones on the album.
Forget the great price, and judge it on sound and performance alone, and it is a must have.

I picked up a Z5600a II about 4 years ago and that was my go-to mic for vocals for a few years thereafter. I did end up regrettably selling it but here's what I have to say about this mic: If I end up seriously getting back into audio production I will definitely be looking to add this to my collection again. This is the smoothest and "creamiest" mic I've ever used, it saturates so nicely when you hit the gain just right. Having the 9 polar patterns is a huge plus that makes it super versatile from vocals to drums to horn sections, this mic is definitely a workhorse. Well worth the price and the case it comes in is a nice little bonus too!

Poly is derived from greek meaning many or much. So in context, this mic is great for everything! I've used it for vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, orchestral, etc. Everything I have recorded with this mic has always sounded really good! I particularly like using it for vocals. It has a smooth consistent sound when working with a variety of different voice types. This mic will always be a part of my arsenal.

JM

This is a great mic for what I'm using it on. I am recording flamenco guitars about 12-17in away into a Martech MSS 10 mic Preamp. (Both mic and Preamp purchased from Sweetwater) The results are always clean clear well defined nuances picked up. Sweetwater has been great with the service. Most of my studio gear is from Sweetwater. I used to have a Neumann M149 and while this mic dose not capture the sound like the Neumann it certainly for the price allows me to get as close as I can for 1/5 of the price . That for me makes my day and the mic is a success. I am constantly getting positive feedback from others that I've heard the guitar recordings and they love the tone and sound. I do use a few plug-ins such as the waves API 550A or Scheps73 generally to clean up the low end. All in all I'm very happy with the Z5600aII and the sevice from Sweetwater

this is a really good microphone and meets all my expectations.

This mic is a great addition to any studio. As a somewhat ameteur recording artist, this mic is a great all around tool. Put it on the figure eight setting and do some close mic'd vocals, and the bass boost from the proximity effect puts them up front in the mix before any production. The room that I record in is significantly less than ideal, but this mic seems to pick up the best of everything without any of the big reflections. If you are at all considering this mic, don't even think. Get it.

I have a number of sE mics and the Z5600A is my favorite (with the sE TITAN coming in as a very close second).
It is definitely a multi-talented mic that sounds great on vocals and on many other instruments as well. (My favorite for vocals)
It is a "smooth and dimensional sounding" mic with some "air" that isn't raspy or gritty like some overseas built mics can be. I really like to use this in omni paired with the sE SE4 small diameter mic for acoustic guitar.