The AKG Solidtube is a large diaphragm tube based condenser microphone that is designed for use in the recording studio.  As is the case with all tube condenser mics, I wouldn't recommend using this mic anywhere outside of the studio, meaning they aren't designed for live sound.  The mic comes with its own power supply and shock mount.

OVERALL OPINION

While I don't own an AKG Solidtube, I recently used it at a recording studio and have to say that I was pretty impressed.  I used it on both lead vocals and acoustic piano and found that this mic excelled well with both applications.  It is great for close micing in order to get a richer and more detailed sound.  While it isn't my favorite tube microphone, it is definitely quite respectable and does have a great tone quality.  While I haven't had the chance to use it for more applications, I'm confident that I would be able to find a number of other ones that this would work well for.  It is definitely a rich sounding microphone and is perfect for anything where you would want to capture some depth in a sound.  The price of the mic is about right for a mic of this stature and is accessible to both home and professional studio owners.  It is right in the middle of being a high quality microphone in terms of price range as it won't cost more than other tube mics out there, but it is really a give and take here.  If you are a home studio owner looking for an all in one tube mic without spending a couple of grand, this is a great choice for you.  It would also be a good choice for the professional who is looking to expand their collection without spending the money it would take to get a top tier tube mic.  All in all, AKG Solidtube is a great tube mic and is one that I would definitely recommend checking out.