First of all, thank you both for responding, I appreciate the insights.
Albee, where can I find/download/purchase either the Waves SSL or Cytomic's The Glue? Looking on the site, it seems to say that I need to have Windows 7 or above ... and PT12. I am still running XP and PT8.03. (and I can only assume that I'm still running 32 bit ...?)
This is the challenge I'm having with a lot of these plugins, is even if I can happen to find an RTAS version, it says I need to have minimum Win7. Really frustrating.
Amagras, same thing: the Aqua download says I need Win 7
Also for the DCAM, it says I need to be an FXPansion user, which I'm not I guess.
(ps: if I find plug in that says VST ... is that ok and works RTAS? I'm confused)
Any other thoughts/ideas or direction would be great. So many plugins I wish I'd bought a long time ago! LOL.