As always - thank you all for your informative responses. I like to throw these open-ended questions out to learn what I don't know I don't know...and I did learn some of those things for sure.

Sometimes - I jot down a few of the comments - and when I see a sale or something, just buy one of the new largely recommended toys listed. I'm not nearly serious enough about my recording (hek, I really don't do much recording at all) - but I LOVE knowing what's out there and tinkering with some of it.

Yes - this sure is an expensive hobby for someone that likes to discover and tinker rather than professionally record his own music, but - as Popeye says "I am what I am"...