If you have 1500 you can get the asr10,(if you can get it at 400 total)and an
MPC 60 wich has a better sequencer(around 500) also you can get a studio electronics atc for about 300 (great for basses and leads I.E. quik,battlecat)and you can get a yamaha 16channel mixer and some descent monitors,with the rest.
Of course you gonna get the computer users to come in and say get software.
Getting what I have on the list all has great resale value,so if you are not happy with anything you dont stand to lose,especially at those prices,cause you can sell that asr10 for more and get it....ebay you will find some who dont know what they have,or just trying to get rid of something quick...I think that asr10 is a great deal..you gonna need a Midi controller no matter what way you go.If you go buy a triton,a fantom,or a motif and you tell someone what you got and they know about equipment..thay gonna say..thats cool...you tell them you got an mpc6o,an ASR10,and an ATC..they gonna be damn you got a nice set-up...all being said what I like about this set-up is reliability If you have computer issues you cant make music...The quality of sound when sampled ..ASR10 can work wonders on samplea,and the mpc 60 wich is 14bit,will definatley give you some good hip hop drums,and the ATC..is analog...it doesnt emulate,It has some of the best basses period.the ASR10 you can always upgrade sounds and keep them on zip disks..the mpc60 can be upgraded to an mpc3000,..again on these items that you will spend1500 on...next year you can probably get the same .buy a a 1500 keyboard like triton ,and next year you might get 1000