Soundtracs
I have owned and used both Soundcraft and Soundtracs. We still have a soundtracs in the studio. The Soundtracs mixers are are very good indeed for a budget mixer, deffinately on par with the Souncraft.
If you can find a Topaz 8 buss (project 8) or Solo for that price you will be very happy. The only reason they sell for so much less is people don't know the brand. I prefer the eq on the Sountracs.
The pre's on the Topaz are very useable and will do no harm.
The pres on the solo are descrete and sound very nice.
If you are looking at a Topaz make sure it is an 8 buss. If I remember right the later mixers with the Topaz brand were made in China, and if your looking for that British eq, sound, I would look for something made in England!
For $500-$600 you would be hard pressed to find a single channel pre or eq that sounds better. Great board
