Best Medium-High End Channel Strips

[Sqye]

NEED SERIOUS VOCAL SOUND HELP !!!!!

Can anyone honestly recommend a REAL microphone and REAL channel strip combo for delicious, detailed, articulate, warm, slightly harmonically colored set it and forget it vocal and acoustic guitar tracking?

I’m tracking high energy hi SPL hi range male and female vocals, and inevitably I end up trapped in that land seemingly inescapable land of moving the singer too far away from the mic because of proximity distortion, but then I lose at least SOME articulation and presence – can anyone recommend any reliable solutions?

I’ve tried much of the pre/eq/compressor combos, and I’m finding that the closest I’ve ever come is using vintage Neumann and Neve stuff.

I’ve been engineering and recording for a long time, and I’ve had a few REALLY amazing experiences, but other than that, much of the gear that is raved about in columns ends up sounding pretty mediocre to me. I’ve read a lot of the columns, met and worked with many of the mic/pre/eq/compressor designers.

Would any of you pro engineer/ producer folks like to share your favorite AMAZING set it and forget it set ups for that chocolaty articulate and crispy slightly distorted vocal sound without breaking the bank and spending lots of time and money repairing, modifying and refurbishing the older gear?

HELP!!!!!