Is a stick absolutely needed or can some one with standard controller who is used to the 360 d-pad fight evenly with a stick?

The d-pad on the 360 controller can't detect side movements(Example down right or up left) very well so go save up for a stick.

I'm playing with the controller. I have a joystick but... meh. Honestly just play with your controller and get decent with it. My main problem is doing dashes to the left as well as dashing in mid-air.

Well, like any fighter, using a stick is better but if you don't regularly play on a stick you won't feel the difference right away. You could get good with a controller but I just think given equal skill, you'll mess up more moves then someone using a stick and that can be frustrating to lose that way.

Use the analog stick on a controller (360) and you will be fine

I actually prefer the analog stick on the 360 to my arcade stick for this game.

Total preference. If you don't own a stick then you will be fine with the controller.

i use the street fighter 4 fightpad it works pretty well

I have been using my arcade stick but I just figured out that on the controler you can map the special movis to the right analog stick.  This sounds like a key advantage to using a controller.  What do you think?  I wish I had more buttons on the arcade stick I own to map more functions.