jazzmammal
i fully understand people like your good self wanting to maximise
their current investments.
i just dont think there will ever be a perfect daw or plug in solution.
so i work with what i got mate.
if i find a roadblock i find ways round it.

just the other day i was reading a thread where someone had several hundred
plug ins. and from lots of people ive seen i often
wonder if some spend all their time collecting plug ins like i used to collect stamps.
you can be sure that todays plug in du jour will be replaced by something better
next week.
i realised awhile back if i spend all my time
looking for plug ins i prolly wont get many songs done.
in my case i use plug ins..but spareingly.
cos i dont believe they are the panacea that they often are made out to be.
particularly the marketing of ..
"wow this emulates a uber expensive old vintage console" etc etc.
i'm sure there are many cases where a good trak has been created only to be
made not as good useing a plug in.
like anything its how its used.

lets also be realistic. lets say you create a chart topping song.
and a big record label wants to sign you.
no matter how good your mix//plug ins...
they will want to remix with their gear anyway and augment it etc etc.

the only point i was trying to make was a super pro top line
AE with chart successes would be able to produce a great song in any daw
includeing rb. and irrespective of any irritants encountered.

hopefully what you want will come.
happy new year to you and all pg staff
and users.

retired puter engr....powertracks on amd......NICE !
"what is the black art of audio engineering ?"
my silly songs...motagator.com/bmanning
see my tips in the tips section.