Difficult choices... need help!

[Crashdown]

Hi guys,

I'm a bit confused and dazzled about all gear that has been upcoming these last couple of years.... Amazing, but maybe a bit exagerated?? Been working for 7 years with my old stuff in my attic-studio with some successful recordings!
Now I'm registering my own company, and have rented (expensive...) nice working spaces (not the usual garage-studio)... but after solving all the acoustics (walls,doors,windows...€€€€ etc) I need to upgrade my recording gear:

My (almost obsolete, but all original bought soft) main recording gear:

-Powermac G4 400Mhz 1Gb Ram SATA PCI 2x Maxtor SATA 160Gb;
-DP 3.1 running on Mac OS9;
-Waves Native Power Pack;
-Metric Halo ChannelStrip;
-Antares Auto-Tune;
-PCI-424, Motu 2408mkIII and 24i (older, only-inputs version);
-Mackie HR824 monitors
-Mackie VLZ 32-4
-A few valve pre-amps, compressors and microphones...etc

1st Option:
Now, I was thinking of maintaining all this stuff and buy a Mackie d8b with some ADAT cards, just to mix outside the computer and to monitor the mixes through it. Maybe buy some High-end Stuff (pre-amp, or microphone...)
Spending about 5000Euros.

or

2nd Option:

Buy:
-MacPro Intel Xeon 2x2.6GHz;
-Central Station+Remote (presonus);
-PCIexpress 424 (for my interfaces);
-Upgrade to Digital Performer 5.1;
-Mackie Control;
-UAD-1 Expert Pack;
Spending about 6000 €.

What would you do?

I mean... with the second configuration I loose:
The Original Software I Own and am Used to, and a powerful Headphone and monitoring solution (Mackie d8b).
But I guess, I win a more "up-to-date" system that I can always update with newer plug-ins and other accessories...
But is there any sound improvement?????
For a Starting company as a pro-recording studio what would you suggest for this budget??(If I get a lot of work, and make some more money I will shurely want to invest further €€€ in gear...)

oh and one more thing... curiosity: Can it be, that the old PCI-324 with te 24i, sounds better than the newer PCI-424 with 2408mkIII ??? (am I getting old?? )

Thanks for your attention... and please feel free to sugest, or criticize...

[monobeat]

don't the uad cards also work in the mackie desk?

cheers, w

[Crashdown]

Hello again!
Is anyone outthere that can give me his/her opinion about this indecision?
Thank you.