CASE ONE:
Many years ago I was sent a very complex piece of recording equipment to review. It basically performed one simple function; but its inherent design was the concept that every parameter could be adjusted. Some similar devices I already owned got by with three buttons and a knob, but this thing had at least 12 switches and knobs. What was gained by this? If you had the time, you could certainly coax unique sounds out of this unit. But my time on sessions is valuable; I need to get levels set and start rolling as fast as possible. Sure, I change things when they don't work, but I don't need an unlimited array of possibilities available on every piece of recording gear. The real glaring downside was how easy it was to get sources to sound completely awful with this device. A lousy, muddy vocal or a painfully shrill guitar track were just a few simple clicks away. Awful.