I connect the Aston mics directly into my Neve 5113 mic pre-amp and use the channel EQ if needed. When recording vocals I would use the 5113 channel compressor as well. I set the ratio to 'soft' and the attack time to 'slow' to achieve a very natural sounding compression curve that preserves a lot of the dynamics, while adding warmth and preventing clipping on loud notes.
The Spirit is my go-to mic for male and female vocals. I will try the Spirit and Origin first and usually stop there unless I am looking for a more vintage sound. I've used the Spirit for vocals with lots of people, and more recently with artists like Nina Smith and the electronic duo Born Stranger who I produce and write with. I also use it with Tina Karrol – she is huge in Ukraine.
I like the silkiness of the Spirit on vocals and the way it handles sibilance. I guess it is the unique Aston grill that disperses the high transients but does it in a very nice and natural way. Even after compressing and adding quite a bit of high mid and top in the mix, the De-Essers that I usually put one over the unprocessed vocal track (and a second one set to wideband De-Essing at the end of the chain, after the compressors and EQ), don't have to work too hard to tame the well enhanced sibilance. I also like the presence and the transformer-less solid sound of Origin on vocals and the same controlled sibilance it produces. The build quality of Aston mics is on par with classic mics, which are mostly German made, and it's nice to see a high-end product in this field that is designed AND manufactured in the UK. They produce a very rich yet manageable sound that suites current trends in vocal production.