I got rid of my mackie onyx 12 channel board because I was using it as
a front end for a pro tools le setup and once i got some better
preamps, didn't need it for that use anymore. So I've been
console-less. It works great for me when i'm just doing my solo guitar
recordings, but i've been doing more work (both for myself and actual
paying clients) with 8-12 tracks of audio that cann get to be a pain in
the ass to mix with a mouse. First i thought about a control surface.
But I've also started to record more live here, so real console has
some benefits over a control surface, mainly i can set up multiple cue
mixes off the inputs without affect what's going to pro tools. The
other big advantage with an analog console is that since pro tools 7
i've been getting a pain in the ass "bounce handler cannot keep up"
error at random times. It happens with 16 tracks and with 1 track.
And it doesn't happen at all. There's no logical way to see whn it
will or will not happen. So to avoid it, i can mix in a console and
just mix to some piece of hardware like a masterlink or dat or
something. It sounds like a smart and ergonomic way to work. And I've
been convincing myself of this.

So i figure a 16-24 channel console (or 12-16 inline console if they
still have those) with a decent mix bus and decent eq is what i might
want. I can put my inputs in and direct out them to my converters.
And then i can take the converter outs to tape ins as stems so to
speak. So from PT i send either single tracks or submixes. I can eq
in PT or on the board or both. Still use plug ins in PT- it seems like
a smart way to work. Since I don't do pop music, need much (or any)
automation and don't really need full mix recall. I do require a clean
sound, as some of these recordings will make it to radio and commercial
release.

I don't have any experience outside of the little Mackies when they
came out so i don't know what's a decent board. I don't really want to
spend 5k on a board either, but something decent. So i need
suggestions, new or used, what should I be looking at. If i go this
route, then I also need a mix down recorder, is the masterlink the
standard out there? or something else? I'll just end up taking the
discs I burn on the mix recorder and putting them on Peak to arrange
playlists for final cd's. But the whole point of this charade is so i
can mix in real time with real faders and have it work comfortably.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Nate