Which is best for my Live Recording and Home REcording Needs?

[sweetspot]

:classic: I will be going there at the U.S. in a couple of weeks from all the way here in Manila, Philippines. I have been researching your sites and reading different magazines which either deal directly or touch on the subject matter of recording, as I am much interested to set up my very own Home Studio. After months of reading and surfing I have narrowed down my choices to a MOTU 896 (maybe with a Mackie controller too) and eventually install Digital Performer for OSX since I have a G4 Powerbook 550. But I am also interested to get a Mackie HDR24/96.

I also already have a Mackie VLZ-Pro, and a n AT3035 condenser mic.

At present I record thru my Athlon750 PC thru a Creative Extigy. Works good but I really intend to move up.

What in your expert analysis would I best get. Yes, I will order thru Sweetwater by the way.

Please help me out. once I get the Motu and Mackie controller. Do I need to get the HDR24/96? Or just get that one instead? I might risk overlapping one of them. Redundant in a way.

I will be using them for the home recording studio and Live Recording as well. Right now, I am poised to be recording a Philiharmonic Orchestra by December and a Professional Chorale Group consisting of 32singers.

Thanks in advance for your advise. More power.

[cmchamp]

You haven't gotten a reply yet, so here's my 2¢.
How many tracks do you need at a time?
I've got Digital Performer 3.1 with the 2408MKII and 24i boxes. I never thought I'd need to record 32 channels at a time, because 90% of my work consists of a simple stereo x/y pair, or 6-8 tracks of a gospel music concert.
I'll be recording on site with the Hillsdale College Jazz Bands and am glad I put for the the $$$ for all 32 channels.
Benefits of the Mackie, you don't really need anything but the mixer, mics and the Mackie hardware in a rack.
Benefits of the MOTU stuff? I guess it 's my preference, even though I'm a Mackie dealer.
Hopefully DP3.1 for OSX will be arriving sometime around the new year. I can't wait.
Don't know how much help I've been.