Just to add to what Reptil said (and that was a lot already!
) it really depends on the tone you're after. A screaming singer will not really benefit from being recorded with a 8000$ vintage U47, a good ol'57 or 58 may be more appropriate.
It really depends on the situation.
If you're after a very clean and punchy low end for instance, it'll be way easier with high end stuff.
The benefit of some more high end units is that they let you dial different tones,some will go from crystal clear to more saturated yet musical territories (most of the time).
It's harder to get that with cheaper boxes because, more often than never, their quality is already compromised (cheaper parts, etc...).
That said, any gear will impart the sound of your tracks, so it's really a matter of knowing what you're after and make it happen with what you have at your disposal.
As usual, my 0,2 cents .
Cheers,