a patchbay!!
all those wires, inputs and outputs...
a patchbay combined with colored patchcables makes life easier on you!
this way I can connect any output to any input on the hardware collection that keeps growing and growing.
hardware beats the all-in-one computer by far.
a computer is made to do calculations (hence the name, computer is a term used to name people who did calculations),
hardware is made to do the thing their names says it does.
a synth combines frequencies,
a compressor compress frequencies,
a (guitar) fx adds effects on the input
and so on,
but they are good at it!!!
that's why I use plug-ins as least as possible, they eat all my recording memory!!
cheap hardware produced cheap sounds,
quality hardware produces quality sounds,
even if they are 'out of date'.
and that quality can come for a low price, if you know what to look for.