agentpenguin185,
i don't think the irony in my post came through clearly. i was agreeing with your first post and thanking you for pointing out what i seem to be learning over and over and over and over....but not really learning, buy the best and then you don't have to buy anything else. it really is cheaper in the end imo. i'm just tempted every once in a while by these stupid knock off things like a maple kit for under a grand, or certain microphones that 'sound just like a neumann' etc.
the 'duh' was directed at myself. your first post was spot on. i'm saving a while longer.