I might give one of those Midas boards a shot at some point. They seem like a perfect small solution. Found a deal on an MTK22, which should be fine to mix my synths and whatnot 
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Aha okay,
If I was simultaneously recording on all tracks at once, does that take more CPU?
I’m not sure yet. Hooked up the MTK yesterday and had a little jam with Octatatrack, Model:Cycles, Moog Subharmonicon and some eurorack. Just playing through it sounded very nice. Recorded all the tracks in via USB with zero issues. Then ran it back into the mixer from Logic with zero issues. Gonna test a few other things today
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The lack of equalizers on the SSl Six stereo channels is a big miss
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I don’t really know. I never looked I to it in detail, some IT guy would better know. Of course I guess it takes CPU. I multitrack (heavily-sometimes 6-8 tracks) and never run into problem. I also use Komplete Kontrol and multitracking, without any noticable latency. I’m in windows and I run a I7.
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well for one your converter setup is about $3k. and is mainly geared at having many channels of simultaneous recording. if you’re just using line level, you patch direct to your effects, and you sum and EQ in the DAW… yeah, why buy a mixer? but not everyone has the same use case though. not everyone needs/wants to have that much simultaneous recording, or can afford it. for some it’s best to go with a few channels of good converters and a sub-mixer to get to them. and many want the aux send/returns to route multiple instruments to hardware effects. further still, some like to then sum their tracks in a hardware mixer. these (and more) are all reasons why mixers still exist in 2020.
personally I’m somewhat like you though: I have an RME Fireface 800 plus a patch bay and a Speck X.Sum. I route to effects via the patch bay as needed, and sum line levels with the Speck. I’ll route direct to the RME when recording.
but like I said everyone’s needs and approach are different. I struggled with mixers for years until landing on this setup for a few now. it works well for how I like to write and record.
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the model 16 looks nice on paper but 16 inputs is very limiting. especially when 2 of them will already be taken by fx sends
depends on what you want to do with it i guess
If anyone is interested, I did a basic test. Two different loops recorded three different ways.
RANDOM PATTERN ON MODEL:CYCLES
Into the Soundcraft 22 MTK- out its USB and into Logic
Into Soundcraft, analog out into Lynx Aurora to Logic
Straight from M:C into Lynx Aurora
RANDOM PATTERN ON OT STEREO OUT
Into Soundcraft- out its USB to Logic
Into Soundcraft, analog out to Lynx Aurora
Straight from OT to Lynx Aurora
Did my very best to match levels, but not claiming it to be scientific in any way! Everything recorded 24/48
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DUDE…I like that! two sick loops
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I had Soundcraft 22 MTK before but now I’m extremely happy with Yamaha MGP16X. It’s like a Swiss army knife Also sounds better than Soundcraft
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the only one that standout and kinda sounds like theres some crazy phase shifting is loop 5. all the rest seem real close
Why mixers? Because they are awesome. I have an a&h qu32 and I’ll take it any day over working completely in the box. It is a joy having faders, mute buttons, knobs. You could say the same about elektron gear. Why use any of it when you can do pretty much the same thing in a daw? It’s because it is much more inspiring and fun than using a mouse and keyboard.
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I probably flipped my L-R cables by accident, is my guess
Former user / owner of the Soundcraft MTK 12 here as well. FWIW I sold it off pretty quickly. Didn’t like the fact that the USB send for each channel was pre-fader and pre-EQ. Didn’t like the effects at all. Didn’t like the fact that there were no aux returns and no control room output. The sound of it was also just meh to my ears, fairly neutral but definitely not outstanding in any way.
IMO there’s a big hole in the market for a mixer / interface that fixes these issues. Even the Mackie Onyx series allowed you to select whether each channel went digital pre or post EQ, and those are ten years old now?
Currently testing out a PreSonus StudioLive AR8c, will report back.
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Some interfaces don’t need the computer to be on as well, for example the Focusrite Clarett series. Has it’s own power source and it remembers the latest mix settings. I have all my gear plugged into it and can just jam without turning on my computer. Super convenient.
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ya some [or all…I don’t know] MOTU are standalone.
I believe the one I have is…I won’t know unless I look it up.
I could turn off my computer and use my Tascam to record…but I dont.
I think what ever suits you best right?
and my computer throws up some sick visuals.
wires fuck me…and im a neat freak. less noise, less mess makes me happy.
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Would be nice but a little eq on the synths them selves and problem solved.
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I don’t think you have the same effect of a mxer analog equalizer
Gonna add…you still gotta turn the interface on 
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I seem to manage just fine;)
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