The Great DAW debate

My desktop PC recently died, so with the new PC I've been contemplating new software for home.  I currently use Cubase and Sound Forge combo, and while they have their strengths, neither are quite working out for me.  Now that Pro Tools 9 finally supports any ASIO soundcard (instead of just Digidesign), I've been giving it some serious consideration, despite the comparatively exorbitant cost.

It seems like a no-brainer - Pro Tools is so entrenched in the sound design industry that any other DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) might as well be mud.  The Churchill Trust did a very interesting report on the state of sound design worldwide and how Australia measures up recently, and the DAW section in particular I found interesting: http://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellows/detail/3401/john+kassab

It basically reiterates what we all know - Pro Tools is pervasive, and few others DAWs get a look in, despite the fact that the days where Pro Tools was far and away the industry leader are long gone.  I've sampled a great many DAWs, Pro Tools included (thought not yet the latest version), and the differences between the market leaders grow ever smaller. 

In fact, aside from the branding, the only thing Pro Tools is truly holding over its peers these days is its native plugins, which becomes a moot point if you have one of the external plugin sets such as WAVES. In terms of usability, it's become a bit of a dinosaur - Sony Vegas, primarily a video editor, is more pleasant to use.  In fact, I'd argue that most professional-level DAWs can claim better usability.  And they often offer better value for money, too - Sony Vegas being one example, but there's also Adobe Audition, which in addition to multitrack has quite a robust stereo editor as well - to the point where it has become my favourite application for any audio surgery.

Reaper is one to watch, too.  It's ridiculously small, lean, fast, with an incredibly intuitive interface, and most importantly, dirt cheap - yet can do almost everything you expect of any other multitrack editor.

The question then becomes - in the interest of keeping abreast of the latest Pro Tools, do I continue to perpetuate its market dominance, or do I take the high road (and save some money) on a lesser-known DAW that might very well do almost the same job?

In the end, the issue has probably had more importance placed on it than it deserves.  Good artists are not defined by their tools.  If you've used one DAW to an expert level, it's an easy leap to acclimatise to another. Even if you're using clunky freeware like Audacity, if you know what you're doing, you'll be able to make great sound no matter what.