So far, the Toft is fine out of the box for most use. If you want more out of the master, you need the Jim Williams mod, which I will prob get somewhere down the line after warranty. The Toft needs to be a Rev 3. Gain staging is very key with this console.
I agree they are over-priced, but so are the new mid-market consoles (2-3 times the price of the Toft, less routing and channels). Even my Neve Centerpiece 5060 is over-priced also. But all the new stuff is. However, for me, adding it all up, it worked out much better and for less money than most new mid priced consoles (API, Trident, Neotek, etc).
Back to the OP though, the Tascam stuff has some great routing features. I liked those features on my M2600 and it was easy to work with the tape integration/cue mixes/returns/inline monitors, etc. I'm sure the 3500 has even more features/better quality that the 2600.
I agree they are over-priced, but so are the new mid-market consoles (2-3 times the price of the Toft, less routing and channels). Even my Neve Centerpiece 5060 is over-priced also. But all the new stuff is. However, for me, adding it all up, it worked out much better and for less money than most new mid priced consoles (API, Trident, Neotek, etc).
Back to the OP though, the Tascam stuff has some great routing features. I liked those features on my M2600 and it was easy to work with the tape integration/cue mixes/returns/inline monitors, etc. I'm sure the 3500 has even more features/better quality that the 2600.