[tbonesteak4dinner]

Thank you both for all of your involvement. You've both been extremely helpful and I actually have everything resolved now. I moved my mastering chain to a slave machine using VEP and the overhead on my main computer removed by that is absolutely insane. Secondly, most people get mad when they look like an idiot on the internet. I'm not when it means my problem is solved. I was doing a process incorrectly, which was requiring me to set my buffer entirely too low. I was trying to use outboard effects on a track and send them back in on an AUX channel. This is a no no. Pro Tools does not compensate for any of the HW buffer latency when doing so. BUT by using a hardware insert, Pro Tools automatically compensates for both the output and input latency imposed by the HW buffer, delaying everything and lining it all back up, both in regular playback and when record enabled. I can now use Finale, just as I was. Since I'm sequencing, the audio could play back 10 seconds later and I wouldn't really care as long as it's all in sync.

Marsdy, thank you for your valuable input. It was incredibly helpful to hear from someone with a rig that outclasses mine. I know a lot of what to expect when I finally do decide to upgrade.

musicman691, thank you for your help in troubleshooting and for recommending Digital Performer. I've been having a great time with the demo. If the day comes that my finale, virtual midi, pro tools setup isn't viable anymore, it'll be a hard choice between that and Cubase.