advice on Vocal chain

[DivineMusic]

i mainly track hiphop and r&B artist. at the moment i'm only using a K2 or tlm193 as my main vox mic going to a tampa.. i'm ready to upgrade.
when it comes to vocals i try to capture that "DRE" sound. yea i know dre uses the sony c800, 1073 and he has a ssl and what not.. but i've actually been impressed by the k2 when it comes to vocals.

budget is about...$2500 and thats pushing it right now
i'm not a huge fan of the 737... i like the sound of the isa over the 737 before anyone says get the avalon.

E-cue, i know you work in the hiphop field a lot.. what kinda pres/comps or ch.strips you think i should look at?

so far:
Focusrite isa220 w/digital
Sebatron Thorax
UA 6176 (heard it wasn't very clean for vox though?)
A-designs mp1 > distressor
BAE 312a or 1272 > distressor
or save some money and get the Buzz audio ARC1.1
i don't wanna waist a unit like the arc by not using the eq.. when tracking i wouldn't use the eq.. and 90& of the time i mix ITB. i guess i would always run the vox through the eq after i track um... just trying to get a very clean sound with a little money.

[NIGHT'SCHILD]

i just recently got the Universal Audio LA-610. For the price ($1,400) you get a great pre amp section (the Putnam tube design) and you also get the most popular high end vocal compressor in the la-2a'esque limiter section. I love this unit on hip hop vox and that is about 70% of what I do. Also for vocal processing I picked up the TC Helicon Voice Prism Plus and all the hip-hop guys love the cool effects, harmonies (which sound like robots and are to only be used on overdubs), and the voice modeling. If you get these 2 pre-amps you can do anything from super clean and open vox, to biggie smalls rapping in a tunnel with 4 back-up vocalists.

[DivineMusic]

you like the la-610? i perfer a cleaner sound... my guy at sweetwater told me it was cool but if i want a clean sound to look toward something else.. could you send me a sample of some vocals...
as for effects, i do everything in nuendo.. i wouldn't worry about having the Tc though it is a nice unit.

anyone know Luda's coval chain? he has the cleanest vox right that i hear in hiphop