upgrading home studio

[happy_days]

I've been using a TASCAM 4 - track and Cakewalk Pro Audio for the last number of years to do my home recording. I varied between using two techniques to do all my recording. The first technique used the TASCAM when the number of instruments was small, and then I transferred the tape recording to pc using a single Pro Audio channel. So the entire mix was on one channel. The second method involved using the PC only when the number of instruments got too large - the disadvantage of this technique is the likelihood of a PC crash as the number of instruments gets too large increases dramatically. Here's my question after the long rambling intro.... I am looking to upgrade and buy an 8-16 track digital home recording studio. The only thing I want to end up using the PC for is the final mix where I want to splice and add effects at certain places in the recording. Hence I want the external hardware to be the workhorse as it were. I want to avoid using tape and am looking for something with a substantial storage size. With so many models on the market I need some advice on what is "good" and what is not. So any recommendations (assuming you've read this far) would be most welcome.

[chris-from-ky]

An Alesis HD24 and an Alesis Fireport is the only reasonably priced, rock solid choice. (IMO)

Of course you'd need a mixer for monitoring. One with good pres to boot. Many people like the Mackie Onyx. I can't recommend it because I've never heard it. Still anything Mackie is better than Behringer. Yamaha makes good boards too. Just stay away from Behringer and Nady when it come to mixers.