Home Studio going semi pro configuration

Focusrite 24 dsp is good or you can go for the Saphire 40 which has more inputs and outputs and excellent pre's

This all depends on how much money you have to spend and what kind of recording you are doing.  There is much to be said for the A&H stuff for band recording which you are doing.

Another route is separate components.  Lynx is used in pro studios and is a great bang for buck - 16 i/o's over USB (and it supposedly works unlike their FW interface) for $3000.  SSL will give you 24 i/os for about the same.  Neither of those include preamps, so you will have to buy an analog board or outboard.

Cheaper and w/ more features is RMe - well respected.  I use the TC Konneck 48 which sounds as good and some other nice features (remote control, etc.).  I saw one onsale for $800 the other day at one of the online places.

The steinberg/yama interfaces are great buys.  There is a USB model that just came out.  I'd wait for reveiws comments on it, but for $700 it has 8x8 and 2x ADATs.  That would get you to 16 ins w/ preamps for less than a $1000.

And don't forget a nice front end or preamp to do overdubs and main tracks.  Budget as much as you can for that - it makes a big difference.  A thousand gets you a nice preamp and comp combo (ISA, Gap Pre plus comp).  I'd rather have that than spend everything on an interface only.

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