Once again, I got to go with the E-MU 1820, 1820M or their best value the EmulatorX Studio. As this moment in time it just can't be beat for price, performance, power, flexability and quality.

for 8 channels, i would look at the Lynx Aurora series. if you can get buy with six inputs, the Lynx Two is an excellent option. very clean and clear - with good depth.

for the money, i'm convinced it's hard to beat.