Best: Sonar 1.0 (Those were the days). Tannoy System1200 monitors. Pro Tools HD

Worst: Behringer UB series mixers. Cakewalk Pro Audio 5 (Horr-i-bleee)

Best: Amek BC2 Console, Fender Rhodes 73 Suitcase, Orban Spring reverb

Worst: MOTU 2408 Mk1 + 324 (Wouldn't work on my DAW), MOTU 2408 Mk2 + 324 (wouldn't work on my DAW) MOTU 2408 Mk3 + 424 (still won't work on my DAW)

Skeewiff

MOTU 2408 Mk3 + 424 (still won't work on my DAW)

Which begs the question:
What are you running for a DAW?

The following system has NEVER worked with any configuration of MOTU - so i used it with RME cards for a while....

Asus A7M266-D
2x AMD MP2800+
2 Gig Corsair XMS
Midisport 8x8
Nvidia 6200
2x 200G seagate

MOTU hardware was indeed more 'finicky' with mobo choice (at that point in time) than RME.
RME stuff is great... no doubt about it. Always has been... even before the Hammerfall/FF series
FWIW, I've been having very good luck with the new generation of MOTU hardware and current generation motherboards.
ie: Asus P5B-E or Gigabyte GA965P-DS3

The $300 charge does bite...
But... If you need an audio interface, that's less expensive than buying a new one.

There was a LOT of hardware that had issues with MP motherboards...

I have a real problem trying to find a "worst" musical purchase as I've had a need for most every bit of hardware and software that I own. But if I had to single out one "worst" it would probably be a Korg DDD-5 drum machine from "back in the day." It was great for awhile but then the pads developed problems and some of them started to stick which made it essentially unusable.

My best purchase would be a tossup between the Sonar line and my Alesis QSR which has a lot of very usable sounds. I also like my Roland JV-880 for string sounds.

Thanks Jim...

I have been following a few other posts where you have given advice on systems - and I must admit I was nearly about to buy a system based on the following:

Core2Duo E6600
Asus P5B-E or P5K
2GB DDR2

That is until I done some further research and found that my 424 is actually a rev1 - therefore just as useless in a new dual system as it is in the current one!

So yeah - if i upgrade I suppose I better factor in the $300 Motu tax for the PCIe version of the 424...

(No such worries when I bought the fender rhodes - just replaced a few tines & gave it a tune up)

skeewiff

Best
Waldorf Wave
LAMM Memorymoog
EMS Synthi AKS
Fender 56 Strat
Sonar anything after 2.
UA LA 610
UAD1 and all those plug ins (yummy)
Avalon 737
My Neumanns
Modcan Modular

Worst
Cakewalk Pyro
Cakewalk Kinetic
Novation Remote SL - seems like a good idea but to much a PITA with Sonar right now
Stick (great concept, but I haven't learned to master it)
D8B - I love my board, but if I had waited 2 years or so, I might have something that had full DAW integration.

ORIGINAL: MurderDethKill

Best:
<snip>, ReFX Vanguard, <snip>

Must depend of the music you play. My friend has that, and I listened to every preset, and IMO, they all sounded like crap. Could see them working for trance though I guess.

I have a love/hate relationship with Reason. It's really nice, but it's also a completely closed system. But I bought it before I knew what a VST was.