As an engineer I use 4 of these regularly. There is such a difference between the microphones and vocals with and without it. In live audio the 286 puts you in control. Great features and full on wonderful sound.

I run the mic direct and then patch into the line in on the mixer. The gate, compressor, & desser work great. Also, the enhancers really do add a certain sheen to your live vocals. A great piece. You don't really need an eq, leave that on your mixer channel (providing you have at least 4 bands and 2 are parametric)

Not terribly pretty, but built well. The knobs have a solid feel. Top notch!

Before you consider buying a new mixer or expensive microphone, learn to use a 286, it may make you reconsider!

Never needed them

After using it, my respect grows and grows. I would buy it in a minute for my live work, but would seek out something else for my digital studio work. I don't use compression, gating, EQ, or dessing before I go into my computer. Once its there, I can't change it, so I do it all within the software or repatch and record again through the effect so nothing is too permanent.