Re: Question about 3rd Party plugs...
Hey Jamie!
It's an interesting question... and one I would normally answer by saying, 'go with your gut feeling'. However, not everyone approaches synths, lunch choices or life in the same way ;-)
Absynth is an amazing instrument. But it does require some time to dig deeper.Used mainly in film and sound design, but also in electronic music creation. It may not be to everyone's taste. If you find it hinders your creative process then pass on it... As much as I love Omnisphere, for example, there are some occasions when I simply won't use it in some projects... and other times when I'm really in an 'Omnisphere' mood.
Have you heard of any of the Rob Papen instruments? They are very popular for electronic music creation.
btw, from looking at your list of gear, I would personally take some time to play with what you've got and then if you find there is a point where you 'outgrow' the instrument or you identify an area which another product serves your creative purpose better, download the demo and test it out.
Hope that helps
Rounik