Mike, I may not be much help, but send me email at
bhartmann@charter.net if you like and I will share what little knowledge I have.
I do think the Spec Ed and Spec Ed+ is a good package. For example, although I don't remember the exact price I paid, I know it was in the same general range as Hollywood strings, but with VSL you also get solo strings, chamber strings, wind instruments, percussion, and a few bonus things along with the orchestral strings. (I know Hollywood is optimized for film score-type strings and it's a different package--just using it to make a point about the VSL price.)