In the last decade or so, we've found ourselves in a great space as audio creators and facilitators. The world of infinite tools and choices is both a gift and a curse. We're no longer confined to one studio with a couple of outboard pieces at our disposal, or priced out by the sheer cost of recording in general. Today we have unlimited outboard gear emulations through the world of plugins, and we can visit (figuratively speaking) three studios in a day without leaving our seat. I can open one application, Cubase in my case, and load up an SSL (4000G, 9000J), a Neve board, or something more exotic — at the moment I'm exploring the Sound Techniques Alpha Range recording console.