The Hardware Analog tape isn't dead.
People still use analog tape, and analog tape technology continues to evolve.
Enter in the digital hard-disk modular multitrack recorder. Fostex 's D2424 is a contender, with a removable front panel that functions as a remote controller. This is a nice feature, as remote's for these multitracks are generally extra. Waveform editing on the Radar is possible right on the drive in the machine, with no FTP or drive swapping necessary. Creamware 's Pulsar II and Luna II cards are DSP-rich PCI audio interfaces, with some extremely cool analog synths and effects processors as well as mixing capability that come with the cards.