What do you have in mind as the benefits of having a digital console in the studio? Is it just to act as a bank of pre-amps and converters with free monitoring mixes? If so, there may be better ways of achieving the result. There are, for example, many interfaces that are better-sounding than the 2626, and it is generally considered good modern studio policy not to have all your channels put through the same type of pre-amps.

If you are considering OTB mixing, you have to ask what exactly is the sonic benefit of digital OTB mixing once the ergonomics of control surface operation are taken into account. OTB mixes can be sonically different from ITB mixes, but this generally comes about through the use of external analog mix equipment.

Basically, I'm more of a hands on guy. I rather use an actual piece of equipment instead of fiddling with the mouse and keyboard so much. Plus this was a huge selling point for me. It has alot of effects/eq/compressions etc that are all in my rack mount. Thus giving me the ability to save space, eliminate rack equipment, and have every thing right at my finger tips. I want to use this for recording, and mixing. Do you suggest I go for it?

there aren't motorized faders on the presonus unit, so unless you want to be hand's on every single time you play back a mix, go with an automated unit, preferably one that can program automation moves in you DAW if needed. Although you could record the mixers moves to a new set of audio tracks, it means you gotta nail the fader moves in one pass, or resort to mousing the software mixer.

Mike Miller, post: 371716 wrote: Basically, I'm more of a hands on guy. I rather use an actual piece of equipment instead of fiddling with the mouse and keyboard so much. Plus this was a huge selling point for me. It has alot of effects/eq/compressions etc that are all in my rack mount. Thus giving me the ability to save space, eliminate rack equipment, and have every thing right at my finger tips. I want to use this for recording, and mixing. Do you suggest I go for it?

No, not on the evidence you have provided so far. You sound as though you have an imaginary pair of these Presonus consoles spinning in front of your eyes and you are stretching your reality to make them and nothing else fit. They are indeed excellent consoles, but, like any piece of gear, they do not fulfill every requirement.

It may turn out that the drawbacks of these consoles are more liveable with than the negatives of the many other solutions you should be looking at. It's a fairly major investment you are considering, and until you have done an objective analysis of the range of options available to you, you really should not be contemplating laying out that sort of cash.

The contributors here on R.O. are quite willing to help with ideas and opinions, but, for the contributions to have any weight, we need more hard facts than you have given us to date.

I've been using the MACKIE MCU with 3 sidecars. Then recording is done through separate Apogee and NEVE pre's straight through to Digital Performer. I have the option of mixing out OOTB or combine for ITB. I will be upgrading soon though to the Euphonix systems for more surround panning control. I would stick with the control units mixers rather than a digital USB mixer that you'll not use much of anyway. There are better plugs and cards (UAD CArd-1&2) for routing signals than any smaller digital mixer can give you anyway. All controllable from a USB control surface.