When you say 'DMX hardware' do you mean control gear or lights, etc?
My personal view (and others will disagree) is that if you want to do synced laser and lighting shows that are pre-programmed, then go ahead with using the QM DMX functionality.
If you want to do live lighting shows then get a dedicated lighting controller/desk.
I would buy an Enttec DMX Pro interface and download the free Chamsys MagicQ software and get to grips with it. If you decide to go full on then you can turn this into a 'proper' and industry recognized desk for about £1000 with a touch screen and a fader wing. The Enttec will still be of use with this setup so never redundant.
As for lighting fixtures, some stuff like LED pars can be bought cheap - I wouldn't bother going for Chinese off ebay, Thomann in Germany have equal (or better) prices and you get 3 yrs warranty and local returns. If you are buying scans/moving heads, etc I would look for 2nd hand quality brands like Robe, Clay Paky, etc as they will be cheap and hold their value if you buy sensibly.
My tuppence...