There just doesn't seem to be a perfect hybrid yet. Here's an off the top of my head example.
New / Retail pricing:
Mackie MCU Pro-1,099
8 fader extension- 749 (x 3)
= 3,346 (32 faders / transport)
= 2,597 (24 faders / transport)
Focusrite ISA 824-2,000
=8,000 (32 ch pre amps)
Totals.
= 11,346 (32 faders / 32 ch pre)
= 10,597 (24 faders / 32 ch pre)
You could also swap out 2 isa units and add a true systems precision 8 preamp (2,700) and a focusrite octopre mk2 (500).
= 10,546 (32 faders / 32 ch pre)
= 9,796 (24 faders / 32 ch pre)
If you substitute the octa pre with an audient ASP 880 (1,400)
= 11,446 (32 faders / 32 ch pre)
= 10,696 (24 faders / 32 ch pre)
Do an asp 800 instead (850)
= 10,896 (32/32)
= 10,416 (24/32)
The octa pre and asp pres have built in ad via adat/lightpipe channel counts vary depending on unit and sample rate. The ISA has the option card for $500, but you immediately give up channel count about 44.1k sample rate.
Now none of these are what you call 'character pres' but none of them are junk. Even the octa pre which I've used along side Manley and Eureakas for a few years for drums. They're clean high headroom units.
I have no experience w the asp but would imagine they're likely better or just as good.
In my experience it's the first 16 channels that get used the most. Typical drum setup would be 14 pres.
So maybe you swap in a couple Api 3124+ (5,500) ISA 828 (2000) the true pre 8 (2700) and an asp800 (850)
For 11,050 in pres + 2,600 for 24 faders/trans
= 13,650. (Ouch / yay)
= 14,400 (32 faders)
That's 24 ch of solid pro pres no compromise. Bring it to 20 ch by removing an API and your around 11,550. 12k when you ad an octa pre to get (past)32ch.
There's certainly nothing to be shy about 4ch api, 8 ISA, 8 precision, and 8 ch asp, and 8 ch octa. All for around 12k w the control surface.
When in the api price range for 4 channels the options open up wide. So you could really swap in quite a few units in the example that has 8ch of api.
Things like the octo pre are plenty fine of handling the DI side of guitars and basses, hi hats, things of that nature. Although their used regularly on kick and snare like I said next to a Manley for OH at one of the studios I work at.
Overall a console will give you more channels and eq for the similar money, but perhaps less integral pre amps and certainly less colours to choose.
basically in those examples sonically it's
Pre 8 - very clean
ISA 828- clean
API 324- color transformer style
Asp/octa- utilitarian
There's nothing about this that's cheap, and there's certainly a ton of options. There's so few options for control surfaces it's absurd. The avid artist mix is a $150 or so more per 8ch unit, but uses a eucon protocal not hui. It seems that the berringer x32 only does 8 faders of control in hui mode.
The artist mix also connects via Ethernet so it's going to be more responsive than the mackie mcu, which uses midi. The artist mix is compatible with most, not all software. It's on sale at vintage king right now for 1k.
Having used the MCU for many hours I can say they are decent. They have a slight lag to them enough to notice, but not be truly obtrusive. The readout on the pan knob is not very accurate but you can see your daw mixer.
Personally I'm interested in the artist series stuff. It's a decent price point, good reputation, expandable, and uses Ethernet which is undoubtably the future of connection, especially for data.
Anyways man not trying to hog the thread but I figured I'd illustrate some stuff in the price range of the gsr (motorized). I literally just went through this type of gear spec'ing for my own potential setup.
Fwiw my money is on the Orion 32+ Thunderbolt/USB for a multichannel interface. I am spec'ing a multiple surround refernce system, and it ticks the boxes for pro quality (not boutique) and channel count. It's got great latency spec via TB. Dsp can be useful for some.
The best thing about the Orion is even though it's 32x32 into / out of the daw it's adat can be used seperately to pipe channels somewhere else like a redundant computer, or a set of speakers elsewhere. So that's another 4-16ch that can be used as well, depending on sample rate.
That's gonna get you gear that ranges from 'out of the way' to quite good. Nothing that will deliver less quality than a 10-15k desk. And while maybe the octa and asp800 won't win any awards, how many times are you be up above 16-24 channels at once.
A lot of work gets done 1-4ch at a time, and drums are a real drain becuase they are arguably the most important besides vocals for pro production, and require the most mics (or not 4-6 goes a long way) in a room like yours, but they're usually recorded fairly quickly, relative to the rest of the project. So it's a lot of money for the gear for the first few days of every new tracking session. The rest of the time most of the pres just sit there. Especially the 8ch units. That's said there's always DI and room/distan mic duties and quality makes a difference there too for gtrs keys percussion.
Rant done.
