Upgrade mixer Vs Upgrade soundcard

Ok, heres the deal.... Im soon gonna be getting the 8 outs card for my mpc, but my current soundcard only has 2 balanced inputs..I haev a behringer 1604A mixer (16 channel mixer) here are the 2 options I'm looking at:

Upgrade Mixer

Theoretically, I could just run the 8 outs from mpc into my current mixer and into the soundcard, but as I own a relatively low end mixer I'm a lil worried out a loss of quality, so was thinking about upgrading to a 16 channel mackie to insure quality remains un changed (if anybody thinks the behringer will be ok & I wont lose quality, please let me know as it wil save me a lot of money not to have to upgrade.

Upgrade Soundcard

I currently have an echo mia soundcard which has 2 balanced inputs, so I was thinking I could upgrade to a card that have 8 inputs/outputs in a breakout box etc.

Any ideas/comments are greatly appreciated

My first question is what are the specs on your computer? I would hate to see you upgrade your sound card only to run in to a bottleneck issue with your processor. Do you have enough ram? Sound cards are one thing but in the long run what are you truly saving with this upgrade? What about you hard drive, Do you have two of them? If not you better (make sure they are 7700rpms at least, one is for programs and OS, the other is for audio-samples song info and stuff like that).
CDR? Better get one. Check out pricewatch.com you can find good prices sometimes. You were not giving enough info in your post so these are some issues you will run into.

Personally I would make sure that the Berenger EQ's are flat, check for hiss or any noise, and if no noise then keep the Mia and get a Penta by focusrite. Use this to add serious flavor to you sound. Stero sounds use stereo setting then tweek to your likeing. The same for Mono sounds.
And you can use this for vocals. Just my opinon - think about it.
So what you can only dump 2 tracks at a time. What is your rush.
Rushing seems to intriduce piss poor perfomance. Your ultimate mix is only going to be as good as your original signal flow.
Ask your self do you want quantity or quality
8 outs are tempting but if you are not seasond - master what you have or you will end up with alot of gear collecting dust. I have a MPCXL2K/mixer/
MicPre(Penta) & Computer. also a triton but my point is the mix is always tight becuase of the detail I put into each sound.
What program do you use? We can help you optimise your settup only if we are properly informed.
Talk to us, lets go to the next level and out of the basment. I am hungry time to make $ from this music. But save it if this is just a hobby.

OK, heres my whole set up:

PIII with VP6 motherboard (dual processor mobo), running a 1ghz proc

Soundcards - Echo mia and SB live platinum (for midi)

I have an evolution mk-225c midi controller keyboard

Hard drives - 4 7200 rpm hard drives (PC is set up pretty optimally and programs on different drive to op system etc)

Ram = 4 sticks totalling about 1.5 gb

... I also, have the other normal kinda things like CDr, zip drive etc etc

The only upgrade at the moment on my mpc is memory

I'm using cubase sx to track and do final mixing at tweaking at the moment.

Hope this gives you a better picture.....

i use the behringer 1604A eurorack mixer.
i have never had any issues with sound quality.
with my mics, acoustic pickup, j-station (for electric guitars), mpc, bass thru sansamp, it's signal-to-noise ratio has always been more than adequate. like homie said don't eq at the mixer. just track into the computer flat and get as hot of a level as you can without introducing hiss and without clipping.

if you get a good 8 input card you might want to track straight in from the mpc thru that. if it had good a/d convertors, you would definately get a better (less noise) signal going as direct as possible.

i can say though, that I have not had any problems with the behringer being noisey. remember you can always change the output level on the mpc too. +6 and +12db I believe. then lower your trims and levels on the mixer alot. i havent done that since i used to track to tape though so I dunno.

thanks for your help brainwash... basically, I think Im gonna go the route both of y'all suggested (run the 8 tracks into behringer and flatten eq etc) and track 2 tracks at a time until I can eventually save up for an 8 input soundcard (which could take quite a while).

Your computer specs are more than adiquate for PPPPPHHAAATTT!!!!!!
MIXES. The eight output option will come as a benifit after you get something motu 2408 / Layla / or Delta 1010. search thier forums and see what people who use them say about them. Also you will eventually want mic preamps like focusrite or RNP (really nice preamp) or what ever your local music store lets you demo. The preamp is the single most over looked piece of gear in recording. I belive these are critical for great mixes. My sugestion go for a great preamp then find some good powered monitors. Get your mixing skills up, then look in to 8-outputs & new Audio card. just MHO.

^^ Great advise Ron....basically, I was had a bit of a brain storm last night & worked out a way of recording that fits me best.... this is what Im doing for now:

I have MPC hooked up to pc (cubase) through midi, so can basically record the whole track as a midi track (all mixed as per MPC and on 1 midi track)

I then make copies of that midi track as many times as I need to (depending how many separate tracks I need to mix down in audio)

I then insert an audio track underneath each of these midi tracks

Next, I basically solo the things I want on each midi track (i.e midi track 1 will just have kick playing etc)

Then I convert each midi track 1 by one to audio (either by patching lines out of mia back into line in, or I can go through the mixer and back into line in if I need to hear it).

Although this seems a bit long winded, it basically ensures I keep quality (as I dont need to actually go through mixer).

I agree that a decent preamp should be next on the agenda rather than the 8 outs for now, as I dont think I'll get real benefit from them until I actually have a card that has 8 ins (so I can patch them straight into card)..... Im gonna keep my mixer for now as well, and think I'll save towards getting a voicemaster preamp next.

That is prety much how I do it. Glad this works for you. Check out http://www.focusrite.com/products/plati ... akpro.html
search the site and see the differences with other products. i want the best all in one for the money. Your choice will give you great vocal results
but you will need 2 of them for stereo sounds. Try looking at the Penta. It is cheap in price but for the money the quality is banggen. Best of all it has 1 mono input in front for Mic or Guitar/Bass or you can go through the back and use stereo inserts for tracking stereo sounds. The presets are nice but tweeking them givs you great results. I own one an it serves me well.
Pe@ce Ron