...but really, what are you REALLY missing with your current setup?
Not really missing anything that even new op-amps/caps would give me. What I mean is, my board is still working fine, and I know of a lot of folks that have modded the 3500 boards to death with only marginal improvements, or at best some slight "changes" to what they already had.
I think you need to consider the whole enchilada if you are going to see any significant improvement, and that's what I would ultimately do...just get a much higher-end console at some point.
The main reason I was looking at that 32-channel was simply 'cuz for $162 it was a tremendous purchase, and if nothing else, just parting out the modules, faders, master section and meters would have brought in 5-10 times that, but that's something I would only have done down the road if I never decided to use it.
The only possibility that I would have actually used it would have been if I redid my studio, which I've contemplated off-on....not that there's anything wrong with the studio either,
...but I thought of simply changing around the layout and how I have my racks set up...and only then would I have considered using the 32-channel, had I purchased it.
Otherwise...I'm not really *uspet*...
...it's more how shocked I am that $162 bucks purchased that console...even without the power supply.
AFA is upgraded consoles....I keep looking, would love a Trident, and almost purchased one on a couple of occasions in the last 3-4 years. Of course, there are many other nice upscale consoles that would be a significant improvement to the 3500.
Some of the Amek stuff is sweet...and just now there a closed down studio just a few miles away from me that is selling a 56-channel DDA DMR12...but they are asking $5k...and at this time I don't need a 56-channel, 7ft long board!!!
I've got this idea, dream, plan...to expand my studio, add another two rooms to the studio proper, and then use my current all-in-one room as primarily the control room but still have space in there for tracking too. It would be just a question of changing the layout of the room. The other two rooms are adjacent/connecting...so the "plan" is actually quite workable...I just don't know if I want to go commercial at this time.
It's been an on going debate in my head for quite a few years now. It's a plan for when I retire from my day gig, as would then want to record full time, and doing commercial work would add some $$$ to the pension plan. If it could be at least somewhat profitable or at least self-sustaining and paying for new toys and what not...then my goal to retire early would be that much more attainable.
OK...there...that's the whole story.
