Mixer Setup Suggestions?, not sure what to do now.. Options

[Drifta]

Hello all,

I've come to an interesting point in the growth of my studio and I'm a bit stuck on where to go now. Just a brief rundown of what I've got:

3 mixers:
16 channel which i'm using as my main board (mackie 1604).
24 channel rack thay i'm running all the synths/sampler to (this has a submix bus).
8 channel that i'm going to use for analogue instruments (has stereo out and monitor out).

recording:
ADAT (not in use at the moment)
Mac G3 (yosemite) with M-Audio Delta 44.

Right now I have the mains from the 24ch and 8ch running to 4channels (2 stereo) on the 16ch. I have delta mains (2ch) also to the 16ch.

The problem is that I want to be able to do live jam recording without mixing it stereo first. The same problem occurs with synth recording, I either record 1 synth at a time or mix multiple synths to stereo and record that. I think it would be better to have each source on it's own track.

Is there a way to do this without buying like a 16 input recording interface? If I were to get a more recordable ins, how would I set up the mixers so that I could utilize them? Something like direct outs to a patchbay? I guess I'm just getting confused about what to do now to grow. I'd like to have a drumset somewhere (another at least 4 channels of input needed)..

I'm starting to get a bit tangled here thinking of what/how to write this stuff in an understandable way. Perhaps it would be easiest to stop here and try answering questions you might have. I'll run down what I have as far as sound sources:

approx 32 ch of synth outs
up to 16 ch of analogue outs
the 3 mixers
and 4 ch audio ins from sound card.

...ok. now i'm gettin' batty .

i'll answer any questions you have, and would LOVE suggestions on gear, setup or other that you might have!!!

thanks,
John

[ourmanflinty]

I know someone like this, loads of little mixers all subbing into another mixer an not one em really big enough to handle it all, I have to play at his engineer and it's a pain in the ass.....the answer is to sell the three and get a big one or you'll be forever wishing...a Mackie 32/8 would be good, 64 real channels ( in line console ) each channel has its own aux send pots, direct out, 8 groups, headphones selection, mix b etc etc . Behringer did a cheap copy that was exactly the same if you want a cheaper version, mx8000 or something...I saw one in Roger Waters home studio with a big custom floor to ceiling monitoring system. He didn't have three different mixers and a rats nest of cables and a headache every time he wanted to try delay on one of his synths without re-wiring the whole setup and recording it off first blah blah and he didn't spend a fortune either..Stick em on ebay, I promise you, ebay em a buy a big un.