Why would you record voice sets for barks that won't be supported with the cinematics later on? How will the player know which voice sets are just to make EA more fun and which will be part of the full synchronisation? Sounds like a receipe for disappointments.
Again adding the full set of voices is going to be a lot of work especially in this case as there is no limitation to where voices are used. For example SWTOR had only the planet's story shared (and only per faction), but all the class stories had only 2 voices (male and female) to support. Most side quest had barely any longer sentences from the players. Now think what happens if you need to change content and suddenly for one line you need to call in a dozen voice actors? Also sounds use a significant amount of diskspace as they can't be cut in modular parts like graphic assets.
When it comes to supporting EA... I agree that most of the changes they have given so far are only interesting for a minimal group of players who think they are deeply involved into the development process, but for most of us there was no reason to replay the game. Personally I can barely make it through the inital squence of the game with a second character as there are a lot of things that make me cringe, but I'm trying to take the evil route. Sadly there is nothing except the evil quest outcomes that might motivate me, since in my first playthough I played a ranger and there is exactly 0 novelty in playing again. I know the classes, I can try different subclasses though only to a limited degree (some are ineffiencent, some are blocked as your cleric and warlock have them already choosen,...), overall it adds nothing to play the game a second time.
On the other hand I don't want the pressure on the development team to be 'ENTERTAIN US!' - they should be focused on the development. If they are willing to make real changes and it takes more time, I am all for it and a lot more interested in those results than having fun with EA. But so far its non of both. The game barely changed, my biggest gripes with the game don't seem to be at all on Larian's roadmap.
Its possible we want something a little different out of the game. I enjoy SWTOR was well, but think it would be a mistake for Larian to attempt a fully voiced protagonist. I simply don't belive they will be able to pull it off even remotely to my satisfaction. SWTOR had the Star Wars cinematic experience to lean on, as well as a constant revenue stream from subscription. They also offered a rather high degree of visual character customization to offset the fact that your toon had only one voice option per class/gender choice. SWTOR had a level of visual customization which, from what I've seen so far, probably isn't going to be present in BG3, no matter how much I wish it was.
The reason I want barks, is also to take the pressure off this cinematic streak in Baldur's Gate. To prove that for many people, (peeps like me) it is not necessary. Otherwise full VO cinematics are going to be a megamaid sized vacuum sucking up like all their resources for months and months.
The fact that they haven't even been able to sync the VO for the progloue inspires next to no confidence that this is something they should attempt. But if they do, I have a solution there maybe...
Have the first Voice Set (the default set) be for a full VO Tav and every other voice set option below it understood in BG1/2 terms, e.g. Barks only and text based convo.
I am part of the group that would prefer not to hear my protagonist at all, as I think it is totally immersion breaking and the most massive development bottle neck imaginable, as well as being a total impediment to the game's writers being able to do what they need to do. But I know some people really do want full VO. I just think it borders on insanity for a D&D game of this sort. To say nothing of foreign language sales. Even if the animation is bad enough to accommodate overdubs, like a cartoon, I don't want it for my main. For CHARNAME silent era subtitles work perfectly fine for me. I'd rather they focus the VO on companions and NPCs, not the protagonist.
