Dont know to much about hardware mate! But the virus c is ace! it takes time though, but is brilliant for those dirty riffs if u know what u are doin!

Desks: Digital or analouge? Well ive had access to a analouge behringer eurodesk and it did the job well. But now they have upgraded to a makie digital desk!! Its awsome!! All the chanels atomatically move on there own to the bank u were using, it comes with its own os, and u hook it up to a pc and u can control everything on the board with the pc. Not to mention that you can remote controll hard drive recorders off it!! Amazing!!!

With the soft synths, well this is somthin i know about. Get your hands on all the refx models, the sound quality is amazing. Also, if youve got the cash get your hands on the Atmosphere Vst, Its sound banks are 3 gig in size and you can do pretty much anything with it!!!

The pro 52 is good but i find you need to stick loads of effects on it to get high quality sound out of it!!! But the Absynth is amazing!!! You can draw in your own waveforms and envelopes makin it so versatile!!!