I'm sorry but it feels a bit cheap to get the default answer to this, my question was specific about which strategy you would chose to build your first system over time and all I got was "beginners - read this" answers that I know and are almost all taken into account in the setups in my post:
Don't be sorry. You're the one that will be shelling out thousands of dollars... good or bad.
- I'm only interested in one row because I don't have the room nor the budget for more but any of those I suggested will already be a real a significant step up from what I currently have
If the racks above are all that you can afford now then I'd wait and save a bit more money.
- All of the modules you talk about are in all the systems I included, and there is still room...
Show me the LFOs, traditional ADSR envelopes, attenuverters,etc... especially across all three examples. You have a sliver of HP left in each example... nowhere near enough to expand your systems once you realize the deficits in each.
I looked around a lot for answers to my question and found no answer, otherwise I wouldn't have posted it.
Ever think that your question can't be reasonably answered in a definitive way?
And I know there is not one right answer to this, but I wanted to have opinions from people who've been through that already.
I have been through it and advised several others. I'm not at the Lugia level. But I've spent 30 years around synthesizers, recording studios and DAWs... for a living.
So I'll rewrite the question more concisely:
What's the best strategy when you start out?
*Start small with a few small modules and build a more complex system from there?
*Start big to get more complex and interesting modules from the beginning?
*Start with a pre-build synth voice and add modules to it?
There is no best. There's only best for you. First and foremost what's your budget range? $3000US is a good start. $2000US is okay. And $1000US will get you in the door... but isn't really worth it for what you'll get out of it.
We're all friendly here and the advice is free and valuable. People will go to great lengths to design and redesign set-ups for you. No one is being flippant or dismissive of you. But I wouldn't call anyone's advice "cheap" and expect them or others to want to help you. However, if I felt insulted I just wouldn't reply. Let's make something.