While I've never A-B'd an m201 and a 441, I've recorded with a 441 several times and I own (and love) an M88. I have a lot of trust for Beyerdynamic moving-coil mics, and while the 441 is a wonderful mic, I think the Beyers are very close in quality, and I think it would make perfect sense to get an M201 if a 441 is out of budget. I wouldn't ever promise it'll sound the same, but it'll certainly work, and after spending some time getting to know its tendencies, you'll probably get solid, professionally respectable results with it, same as any other good-quality mic. Spend some time making money with the Beyer and then add the Senny later down the road!

My M88 is my go-to mic that I take with me on trips for when I need to do a remote recording session out of, say, my parents' house, several states away. I have no doubt the M201 could work in that capacity just as well. I'm a professional saxophonist, btw, and there are many moving-coils that work very well on saxophones, including the Beyers.

Great, thanks for this, good to get the confirmation. I just ordered an M88 after they've been too long out of my life. While I'm working my way into a bit of specialised location recording I've been a live guy for many years and I'm topping up my personal kit with some of the mics the PA companies never supply by default, and that the clients like (and that *I* like so I get a result they'll hire me for).

I would never expect to buy a different brand mic to get a sound made by something else, I just hope for an equivalent in quality and detail that I can work with to get a nice result. I never used a 201, for some reason they never became common where I've been working. A favourite dynamic was the EV N/D-408 and 468, I recently got some 46's and in most respects they are the new 408, I like them for lots of stuff (though while they may technically be a supercardioid they really catch the whole stage, a bit too much for my liking, as a function of that fine off-axis response). But I needed to broaden my scope in good dynamic mics.

I like your plan, use these guys to make money to spend on 441's later, I'll go with that. Thanks!