for efficient muscle gains you need to be consuming 2-4g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day, so it doesnt matter if you're doing a 3 day lifting routine (like i do) and still take a protein supplement everyday (including on your 4 days off), or lifting 5 or 6 times a week and take a protein shake everyday (incl on your 1 day off).
whole foods are better in the sense that they contain vitamins and minerals that arent found in powders, but whole foods also have a bit of fat in them (depending on how lean your cut of meat is).
supplements like protein powder (and bcaa's and glutamine and whatever other supplement people take) are there to *SUPPLEMENT* your diet, they're not meal replacements, nor should they be chugged down in copious amounts.
so it's best to formulate a well rounded diet THEN add how ever much protein powder to a shake that you find is necessary, depending on the amount of macronutrients you require.