You should move to a daw.
Reason is slowly trying to move into it, giving more and more flexibility with audio tracks (well, introducing them recently, at least), but a good DAW will be a plus.
You should look for one that will allow you to use rewire. This way you can have reason running in parallel as an instrument, but keep every information on your EDL (editing decision list), including the MIDI that triggers reason, other audio you recorded.
Get trials of the DAW said above. See which one does suit you better in workflow.
If you want to get good at any of them (to the point you'll actually see improvement) that's down to experience. AVID allows you to fast track the pace a bit if you are near somewhere where their training centres are run by people with actual experience.
I was a cubase user before the vst24, cakewalk before that. Converted to Tools when I used a full blown TDM system back in version 6.
AVID been f&$! us around a bit since version 8, which explains the reports some people give saying its buggy and other people not.
I'm a tools guy. I loved it when it had no 3D look whatsoever and the tools are really really fast to work once you got around with all options of the multi-tool and the modifiers keys + numeric keyboard. Cubase was pretty slick too. If reason does not allow you to do playlist recording, loop recording, multiple playlist editing, fade in/out/crossfade on the fly by punching a key or simple click and drag, get a DAW stat.
as for the rest, it has been said. Whatever plugins you use, is what you do with them. Some are crap, but you'll realise that and stay away fast enough. Some are OK, then it's down to you making them sound good.
A couple years back you could definetly hear a difference between several mix engines. even between cubase/nuendo.
I haven't done this comparison since I've moved to PT. I've been solid booked on projects since then, and the place I take care at work has 16 studios running pt, 2 running logic, 1 running sadie, so for me, at this time, I can't afford the learning curve to steer away from PT, nor can I afford to not stay on top of every quirk PT might have.
As you see, now it's down to preference really. PT is stupidly expensive. Maybe too much. The M-audio stuff is not that great, They improved over the years, but nothing mind blowing.
Even the 002 and 003 you can definitely hear improvement to, say RME and others (which are the same price as the 002 was originally, at least in the UK). IF your decision is based on the material, not really.
Get a native copy of PT and save for something better, or get reaper, cubase, logic, etc. and save for something better.
I assume you have a hardware.
I doubt you'll be looking at HD or HDX, as you need to have a PC with pci express, or a mac pro, or magma cards. Even if you do, you are looking at 4/5k expenditure, 1k or more on cards, and an interface that can take digilink (the AVID stuff, which is really expensive, or Lynx with option cards, or Apoggee with option cards etc.)