Usb Mics And Pre-amps And A Budget, usb mics and pre-amps Options

[Mr. Jason E. Lec...]

can anyone tell me if usb condensor mics record with good quality? i've heard only a small bit about usb mics with mixed reviews, but one thing that worries me is noise. is that a big problem with usb mics and if so is that easily remedied with software? this is for recording vocals.

i was wondering if it's better to maybe use a regular condensor mic and a usb audio interface. if that's the case do i need some sort of pre-amp or something with phantom power? what would you suggest?

anyone who responds to this, please keep in mind that i have a small budget and only a G4 1.07 GHz iBook with 512MB ram running Ableton Live 5. i obviously won't be able to do as well as a pro studio, but i want to be able to make a strong sounding demo. ANY tips would be fabulous!