Samples? Some of us record audio tracks, we don't use MIDI for everything.
For example, if you want to record your band at home, you might have six microphones just to get started (vocals, guitar, bass, snare, kick, and drum overhead). Outboard limiters and microphone preamps are not out of the question.
On the other hand, if you do everything with software samplers and synthesizers, then you just need a computer, Logic, and some headphones.
You missed how much it costs... perhaps $500 for pro grade audio per channel. So he's talking about $3K so far.
Now you'll argue that a bottom of the barrel high end amateur grade mic might be only $50. But you'll still need cables, probably a preamp, some kind of (expensive) interface box to input 6 audio channels in phase (can't just plug in 3 stereo usb sound adapters... well, usually...). A decent stand or boom is probably $75 for a hunk of metal. Suddenly paying $50 for a cheap mic is false economy if the support infrastructure is setting you back $300... may as well buy a decent $200 class mic... to go with your $200 software.
Unless you're solely a vocal group you'll probably need to mic and input instruments.
My sister used to play the viola (more or less a big violin). A pro grade mic costs $400. Not a viola with a mic installed. Not a package deal of mic and cable and preamp and all that. No, just the custom designed weirdly mounted mic. Before permanent professional installation of course. This is probably an extreme, obviously its hard to mic a stringed instrument without screwing up the resonance sounds while the musicians face is inches away from the mic. I bet you could mic a brass instrument for a quarter the cost.
That was exactly my point. If you pay $500 per channel, and maybe $1k for monitors, $1k for the computer, $1k for a MIDI controller, that's already $6k. Another $4k could easily get eaten up by room treatments, misc hardware like mic stands and cables, control interfaces, patch bays, etc. So $10k is reasonable, and if that's reasonable, then the difference between $200 Logic and $60 is not all that great.
Never mind the fact that if you actually earn a living doing this, the Reaper license is $225 anyway.
P.S. I think the $50 for a cheap mic is too low, and $100 is the lowest you should pay (probably for an SM57).
P.P.S. There are lots of ways to mic a Viola, no need to get a special Viola mic.
For example, if you want to record your band at home, you might have six microphones just to get started (vocals, guitar, bass, snare, kick, and drum overhead). Outboard limiters and microphone preamps are not out of the question.
On the other hand, if you do everything with software samplers and synthesizers, then you just need a computer, Logic, and some headphones.