So ages ago I bought a Behringer eurorack UB2442FX-pro desk and protools LE (currently v6.4) with digi 001 8 in/out IO, I have a mates digi 002 but haven't used it in my set up yet (we did some recordings with his mac (also protools) which came out well). Need a firewire card to include it... I have a bunch of mics, 58s, 57, EV RE320, Rode NT1, pair of Rode NT5s' etc.
Monitor with Behringer Truths and Truth SUB (very early ones, new ones don't seem as good), and my dad left me a pair of QUAD ESL 63's, QUAD 44 preamp and QUAD 606 poweramp (nice
). Out board I have a TLA Ivory 5001 quad valve preamp (after recent bass test this is sounding good, next I'll try it with the NT5s on acoustic guitar), a Focusrite Penta stereo compressor (haven't used this yet) and a TC M-One XL. Also a Behringer Ultra patchpro, Behringer headphone amp, a Nakamichi CD and Nakamichi 3 head Cassette. I've also got a Rolland DAW, haven't gone there yet, still in the create I was given it in. Also a Korg Triton LE keyboard (lots of good sounds).
For home recording, I use my old EV 3 way TL for monitoring (guide vox (58), electric kit, bass (direct)) coz they give the truths a hard time, MP2, Acoustic guitar direct monitor through the Truths. Overdub Vox with NT1 and headphones, guitar again direct. All monitoring comes from the desk, only final mix with protools so I don't get latency issues.
These days I try to get it as live as possible to capture the energy, more than 3 takes on an overdub forget it and come back later, solos wind back and drop in as I go to fix any blunders.
I've always used protools like a digital tape machine, old school, I don't do any cut paste/loop stuff just real playing on destructive record, but then I began on analogue desks and 2" 24 track.
I've found DSP plug ins very ordinary, I'm sure there are better ones but I'd rather use a dedicated outboard device, they sound better (the good ones). But we live in the age of crap MP3 files (and whatever apple call their crap iformat)