Outboard gear covers a lot of ground and some gear can be extremely good in the virtuol world (vst plugins). Of course finance is the major influencing factor some compressors as little as £/$50-100 upto 50000+
A few i have and enjoy + a few on the wish list
Distortion -
Thermionic Culture Vulture -
http://www.thermionicculture.com/
Filters -
Minimoog modules -
http://www.moogmusic.com/voyager/?se...product_id=117
Sherman filers -
http://www.sherman.be/
Multi effects
TC Electronics Fireworx -
http://www.tcelectronic.com/fireworx.asp
Compressors
TL Audio
http://www.tlaudio.co.uk/docs_07/pro...t_lineup.shtml
Check out a site called gearslutz and the like included some links for you.
http://kitchen.gearjunkies.com/phpBB2/portal.php
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/
http://acapella.harmony-central.com/index.php
IMHO If youre using DAWs a lot of plugins will do EQ for you very nicely and saves routing out and back in or via a mixer. Same as compression. If compression is required for recording an external drumset then you would have numerous mics(3) overheads left/right and kik...each mic would require a different compressor so sounds/freqs dont bleed too much. It really depends on your recording setup, budget, requirements and needs!
I love using old effects units for synths. A simple way for effects is using a synth via a guitar foot pedal. Guitar effects for synths are amazing if tweaked correctly. i got a Boss SE70 cheap, a little noisy but it does a quality raging guitar on the virus and pro08. Guitar rig from native instruments a plugins is amazing.
Routing in a mixer and using group channels can have a powerful effect. Dont forget a lot of tracks when finalized will probably be mastered in cubase/protools or the likes using waves plugins...they are expensive cause they are commercial. not necessarily the best but it is the sound that most people are acustom to. Of course you can break the mould and do your own thing...nothing wrong with that! itss your music
Happy hunting and dont get carried away
Hope Ive helped a little
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