Can anyone please advise on an appropriate "front-end" for my DAW system.

Up till recently I had a large number of keyboard modules, samplers, drum machines, fx boxes etc which, for convenience, I had permanently wired in to a Mackie 32.8. Now I've updated to a G4 plus loads of software instruments and fx. I've got a RME multiface and ADAT so have plenty of inputs and outputs.

As I now don't need a mix desk I've finally got round to ditching the Mackie and most of the keyboards to make some space, and was thinking of getting something like a Mackie big-knob to take care of external monitoring and routing requirements plus maybe a superior channel strip such as TL Audio Ivory 5052 to provide mic inputs etc plus audio enhancements.

Only problem, as a keyboardist and writer, I like to be able to play some of my keyboards, such as a Wurlitzer and Rhodes, all the time; I don't want to have to go to the trouble of setting things up in the computer just to play an idea, and then maybe also have the problem of possible latency if I wish to play a solo on top of a nearly-completed, processor-heavy track.

So I was thinking of incorporating a small mixer into the setup as well, such as a Mackie Onyx 1602, through which some of the keyboards would run so I can play them all easily, plus this would also take care of mic preamps and routing so in fact maybe I don't need the TL Ivory or the Big Knob at all. However, I'm concerned this not going to give me as good a result from a recording point of view as running stuff straight ino the audio interface inputs and maybe I'm missing out by not getting the TL Ivory.

Is there any other solution anyone has, or a suggestion of a compromise? Maybe i should get the TL Ivory, the Big Knob and the Onyx Mix desk. or is that complete overkill?

many thanks

:D