Yep, get a Yammie.
If you have the money, go for a higher-end Mackie, but IMO, the middle of the road Yammies sound pretty damn close to the middle of the road Mackies.
I bought a Yamaha MG12/4 on eBay for about $170 with shipping. Great deal! That particular unit has 6 mic channels -- 6 of which have inserts which can be used as direct outs. As for the remaining two, you can just pan one L and the other R, send them to the Aux Bus, and you have 6 direct outs!
Always check eBay before you make a purchase -- chances are, you'll save a good amount!
- Justin -