Welcome to RO, Sal !
I used to have a Ramsa 8-bus mixer, don't believe that it was a DA-7, but it was pretty clean, great headroom. It ws a BIG jump in audio clarity over the Tascam Model 10 it replaced. Sorry it died, too bad Ramsa has gotten out of the board business.
For what it's worth, the Venice is probably the only choice up there that's worth a crap. I've used one a friend had a few times on live remotes, the pre's are awesome. It has an excellent build quality, and very good headroom, something too many modern desks don't really have. You might want to look at the Verona, with its 8-bus structure. You don't say way you're posting from, maybe it's just too pricey there.
As far as the Toft is concerned, I have their ATC-2, a 2-channel mic pre/EQ/compressor. Visually, it's stunning, looks real cool in the rack. Sonically, it's another story. The mic pre's have a "smeared' harshness to them, and the compressor will crush anything in its' path, whether you want it to or not. Kinda like a JoeMeek. Which is kind of funny, because the Toft stuff is built by the same people who make the "new" JoeMeek stuff... in China. That stuff is getting panned, too. The EQ is pretty nice, but it's overshadowed by the crappy build quality. I've had the ATC-2 a little more than a year, and one of the meters is dead, some of the LEDs are out, and a bypass switch came apart in my hand. I laugh at these people who drooled over the ATB on the internet. Nobody wanted to wait and see how it would hold up, they were going by Malcolm's name. Guess what- I think he sold out, IMHO. Maybe I got a lemon, maybe the desks are great. I wouldn't bet on it.

Mr. Moon, thanks so much for your thoughts...very appreciated.

I get bookings to do the live sound and recording at several different venues on a regular basis. The two that I look forward to the most (from an engineering point of view) are those that are fitted with Midas Venice and Verona desks. They are lovely consoles to use, and very forgiving when something unexpected happens on stage. I have minor operational quibbles - e.g. access to the phantom power switches is not good when fully cabled up - but sonically they are some of the best I have worked with in the price range.

Having said they are great for live sound, I haven't used the Midas range in a studio, so you would have to assess the technical features that may be important to you such as the way the groups are organised.

I have a professional commitment to a friend's band. I had to track their CD on a TASCAM2600. Ugh! Fortunately they now realize how awful it really sounded and procured a Midas Venice from their PA guy for me to do the mix down on. I found it quite usable. Good headroom. Usable, musical equalizer's. What a concept!

Now, they want to track and mix on my Neve. For their next CD. I think I created a monster?? It's amazing what happens to people when they hear this thing.

Visualize world Neve's
Ms. Remy Ann David

Thanks for the responses. I went ahead a got a new Midas Venice 320 for $3700...I couldn't pass that deal up. Now I'm leaning more toward the Lynx Aurora converters over the Apogee Rosetta 800... any thoughts?

-thanks.

Apogee! Better clock.

Poop

Sheet!!! Wrong post!! And you're the FIRST one to point out a mistake...
And as far as as Art goes, you'd let it it go IF they sent you a demo?!?!?!?
LOL!!!! I'm betting that in 5 years, everyone will hate that puppy just like the JM crap. Pisspoor build quality that has wires breaking from vibration; cheesey pots that snap,crackle and pop; switches that stick; dead meters;
and ex-factory workers that are puking in public from some poison in the paint on the control panel!!!LOL!!!!!!

I was wondering if it was something that I had smoked?

Look! A chicken!

Poop again.

Yes.Art, it's a sure bet that we know who you work for!!
I used to work for Peavey when I was about your age (judging by your avatar pic). I spent the summer of '75 beta testing wierd PA speakers and the like at blues festivals around the South. Got to use a huge Stephenson Interface board the size of a Buick. Not to mention being encouraged to kick cabs off the back of the truck to see how they'd hold up. Ever see particle board explode? What a rush!!!!

A little late to the party I know, but...

I've put my grubbies on both the ATB and the Venice...

While I haven't heard the ATB's pre's extensively, the rest of the console is solid as far as I can tell. The EQ's are very musical and clean. The summing is quite good.

The Venice is pretty damn solid too. The pre's are good and while the EQ's are no where near an XL, they're quite serviceable. The summing is not any better, or any worse than the ATB.

INSHO, either one of these consoles are a good 5 year solution.

Can't say that I would expect either one to last much longer than 5-7 years in a day to day operation, but they should last a pretty good while and give good performance.

The weak point for both of these consoles is different...

The ATB's weak point is in some of it's functional ergonomics. No pfl/solo indicator on the strip and channel routing switch position is not easily identified.

The Venice is the PSU... as with many of these little lightweight all in one consoles, and external PSU would definitely improve reliability. I have yet to see a console with an internal PSU that isn't compromising somewhere in the sonics when you really start to load the rails down with mic's.

A common weak point for both consoles is the interconnect. Small footprints are always hateful to deal with. With either console, you better keep a flashlight handy to go through your cabling on the backside of the console. It's much tighter of a fit on the Venice as it's a much smaller console.

Can you build a good reputation with either of these console's?? Sure!

Will either one be the only console in your career? Only if you have a short career.

My .02

(Say like Homer Simpson) "DOH!" Wrong post indeed. What a moron I am.

Back in the day, I was pushing the Midas heartily. They sound nice, and will hold up AS LONG AS you keep them out of the clubs. Those cheese faders and pots will crap out in a year, maybe two in an active club with fog machines, hazers, etc. The Midas is a musical, albeit limited in function.

Oram's stuff has a bad reputation for being poorly manufactured. That is a horse that has been beaten, buried and gone to horsy heaven. The ATB is getting good reviews from well respected inductry folk.

Re: Chinese manufacturing. PMI has been very selective about manufacturing and testing. I don't think that Alan is going to let his investment be a waste.

Fair enough, Sheet. All I'm saying is that the Toft product that I OWN and paid for in sweat equity is a POS. I spend every Saturday night with a Heritage 3000 (granted, no smoke, but...) that's never given me a moment of trouble. In a nasty, humid environment called "Florida".
P.S.: During the weekdays, the humidity here has been enough to send the FORD Motor Company (my former employer many "moons" ago)
scurrying for cover with their "EECV" fuel injection system on the F150/250 trucks...their engineers could never figure this out. "Shit happens" in humid environments. I figured this would be an issue with the Brit stuff FIRST! After all, I went through hell with theiur damned cars-Triumph TR-6, MGB, MGB-GT. Guess what? I was wrong (Doh!!!). NO sticking faders or switches.Stepper motors work! No power supply horror stories. This Brit-basher is one impressed SOB. Just don't get me started on Renaults!