Plus overdriving the mono inputs is like 4 killer dirt pedals for free.
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Is the USB a must for you? Do you already have a 2 channel audio interface? My experience with multitracking USB has been bad, with lots of bugs and time spent troubleshooting the USB features. Maybe things are better now.
I have a Mackie 1202 VLZ4 now like some other users here. No USB - I just route the stereo mix to a 2 channel Scarlett 2i2 and either record the full mix in one track or record tracks individually.
Even recording elektron gear with overbridge usb multitrack has been super buggy for me on a 2015 MBP. Whether I run the USB through a hub or directly into the mac, i get dropouts, have to raise the buffer super high, etc. Not worth the hassle for me personally.
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Yeah, for an affordable mixer the 1202 VLZ is just the right size for a small studio setup.
4 channels of mono and 4 channels of stereo with 2 send FX.
Main drawback: gain knobs instead of faders makes it hard to fade multiple tracks at once. Otherwise I love it!
Also if you have an iPad and going to digital anyway you might want to look hard at the Behringer/Midas XR12.
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I decided to go for the Soundcraft MTK 12 as I would like to have the option to multitrack record with a decent interface built in(According to many reviews). Has anyone had any experience with Soundcraft USB mixers?
Previously on Elektronauts:
Plenty more discussion if you search on Soundcraft MTK.
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I have a MTK22 and so far so good. The only 2 downsides for me are there’s no midi and the multitrack recording is pre fader.
Other than that I’m pretty ok with the mixer .
My brother has the 12Mtk and it’s pretty satisfied too. We both upgraded from old motu mk3 and him a mk2 and sound are pretty much the same or better now.
Hope this helps you to make the right choice
Currently using a Mackie 1402 (20 years old) to sum my HW synths with a stereo pair out to MOTU ULTRALITE MK3.
I am still pondering a 22MTK but not sure of the quality of the onboard soundcard…
Well if your setup works well just keep it.
Don’t try to fix a thing that’s not broken
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good topic, thanks!
I might start a war here but…
Have seen so many setups with amazing (and costly) hardware synths/drum machines/effects connected to poor (quality, not price…) mixers.
People in general have a tendency to forget about how important it is as it is most likely at the end of your “chain”.
On the other hand, spending a fortune on a board is useless if the hardware does not follow the same rule.
Just an opinion, not a rule 
Had a Mackie mixer (made in USA) up until I got a Midas 160 and although it is a more live oriented board, the difference is HUGE in terms of gain staging and EQ, routing options…
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Overdriving the gain stage on the channels, similar sound to abused Boss BX-series mixers. Also easy to set up controlled feedback loops with sends and alt outs. Great for techno/industrial/noise/whatever.
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As a new owner of a patch bay to solve my issues of too many synths not enough inputs I highly recommend it over a mixer. Mixers are more useful if you want to mix out of the box but I do all mine in the box and just had an inputs problem.
Bonus of a patch bay is all the routing you can do on top of the standard into and out of the audio interface stuff.
I have an 8 input sound card and patch bay solves my issues.
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Ahh that’s right, I was thinking 1202 series but the mute/alt out functionality started with the VLZ versions, which had much better preamp specs and not so good at overdriving.
The OG 1604 has a lot more going for it, but might be overkill for some.
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Personally, I would buy a good interface with plenty of I/O over a USB mixer.
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A 1402 can be had for cheap.
Routing helps with “multitracking”.
Decent EQ
6 mono IN
4 stereo IN
2 AUX sends
AltOut 3/4
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I would go the audio interface or even patchbay as well but 4 or 5 mono plus 3 to 4 stereo channels makes it a complicated choice in terms of interface. That’s a minimum of 10 INs based on minimum specs.
For less than 500€.
You simply cannot (yet) get the best of both worlds: good ADDA converters and multiple I/Os.
OP could go the mixer/sound interface route also (MTK12, Model 12 Tascam…) but sacrifices will be made.
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I’m a happy owner/user of Zoom Livetrak L-12. It’s a bit costlier than your budget but I acquired mine second hand (a trade for a guitar pedal +100€). It’s doing everything I need from a mixer/interface and more. A lot of times I’m just toying around with my gear when I stumble upon something worthwhile, a good riff or a great beat, I can instantly record it on the Zoom without even booting the computer or my DAW. If it still sounds good later, I can move it to my computer for further processing.
It’s been a great way to work for me. At some point I wished I had more channels on it but then I bought a patchbay and that kinda solved the problem. The only thing missing from the Zoom is an AUX-send and return but that can be achieved with the five headphone outputs and sacrificing one channel.
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Try an Allen & Heath or the Tascam Model 12. I’ve been looking at the Tascam Model series just for the ability to record to SD and overdub capability.
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How about the Korg MW 2408 or 1608 jobs? They seem reasonably spec’d at least in photos and on paper. No direct outs, there are 8 sub-groups though.