lol I remember way way back when I was like him...Confused as hell about all this hardware ish...
There is no secret or best equipment that will make you a super producer as you probably well know (lol well.. you should know after reading these replies).

I say:
Get an MPC first, learn to use it then you can decide what you need next.
You can create your drums & basses on the mpc and even use synth samples, and thats a good way to start. But if you have more cash than u know what to do with then get a 'good' workstation i.e. Triton or a sound module (roland jv series, triton rack, or fanton/motif) and a midi controller keyboard. If you decide on a soundmodule get one which can be expanded easily with a choice of sounds that appeal to you the most.
Good luck.
