Ahh, the stealth "what mic pre?" question again!
there's a link at the bottom of the thread page which might steer you to some info -
And yes, it's possible you were hearing a Big with a modded master section
with the exception of the Neotek, which is in a class above all the other boards you listed, most of those fall into the "mid-fi" range of audio gear
Tridents are hit or miss, depending on the model
but back to your point;
I suggest doing a few searches here on frontend options for tracking, get a sense of the whole topic, and currently popular (or unpopular) models -
and then, if possible, rent or otherwise audition possible choices available in your locale.
you seem to be as yet undecided about whether to look into frontends or summing boxes; best to take your time, & figure out what will help you the most, given your budget.
or just go out and drop 8k on a pair of Neve reissues
and have fun with your search!