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.
Around that same time I purchased a channel strip from a respected boutique manufacturer. It immediately impressed me with its versatility and excellent sound. When I mentioned to its designer the fact that it was difficult to get a bad sound out of it, his comment was, "Why would you want to build something that could sound bad?" I constantly use this device for vocal tracking, as well as other important tasks. It's never let me down. Not once.