Well I do us a lot of free weights, no straight bar movements at all any more(only dumbbells) Cable machines offer a lot more control and better negative movements.
One of my guys I have trained with for years is 27, 315 lbs getting ready to try for his pro card and uses more machines then free weights.
I say whatever works for you might not work for the next person.
Cable machines are good and also lat pull down machines. I was thinking more nautilus machines and universal machines. Those machines can be good for adding some definition but not so much bulk. Not bad to mix it up though.