[ardour-users] 16-24 track simultaneous recording - HW recommendations?

[Justin M. Streiner]

I'm looking to make the move from purpose-built DAWs (Korg, Tascam, etc) 
to a computer-based solution to provide more mixing/mastering flexibility 
and a more sane interface to the machine-level guts when it comes to file 
manipulation, import/export/etc.

That said, I need to be able to support recording a minimum of 16 tracks 
simultaneously (24 preferred, or have the ability to expand to 24 later) 
at 48 or 96 kHz.  The primary use for this would be to record live shows.
It looks like hardware either from RME would provide good base for this.
M-Audio also makes some nice hardware, but since the inputs and outputs 
are often combined into the same breakout box/cable, I'd end up paying for 
a lot of functionality that I wouldn't need in the foreseeable future, 
i.e. the outputs.  The fact that the Delta 1010 has a rackmountable 
breakout box is nice though.

Since the primary purpose would be to record live shows, I need to be able 
to handle the appropriate inputs, typically an n x 3-pin XLR-m split from 
the stage snake or a parallel split from FOH in a similar configuration. 
RME makes a breakout cable that includes a mix of XLR-f and XLR-m 
connectors, but in this case, I would need all 3-pin XLR-f inputs.
I'd like to keep the number of converter cables between the computer and 
my XLR input points bays to a minimum.

If you've built something similar, what hardware did you use to handle the 
audio interfaces?

Also, if I'm approaching this from the wrong angle, feel free to let me 
know that too :-)

Thanks
jms