[Jay Kahrs]

Honestly, you'd be better off working on your engineering and mixing skills then hunting for a "magik box" that's going to make everything 'better'. Try to use as much gear as you can, but borrow, rent or use it at other studios and figure out what's working for you and what sucks. The stuff that I like & use might be stuff that someone else hates...none of it matters in the end as long as the music is good and the equipment doesn't get in the way of your work flow.

They're all just tools...a carpenter wouldn't use a screw gun to drive nails, but sometimes he'll use a #2 Phillips and sometimes it's a #0 or maybe the screwgun IS the best tool for the job. For me ITB vs. OTB is more of a work flow issue then a sonic issue.

In your case, maybe you should spend $1000 on a used Smackie 8-bus and get a couple of great preamps to track everything through and put on the back end of it for make-up gain. That's what I would do...but that might not work for you. That's why we say YMMV. Your Milage May Vary. The first time I mixed on a Big I walked away scratching my head and wondering why a console called "Big" made everything sound "small". But hey, if you like it great! Plenty of people use 'em and make good records on them...so whudda I know? Just that IMO, it sucks.

YMMV.