And the way you see it is correct - you *can* use *all* the pre-amps in every version.
There is nothing that stops the use of *any* pre-amp.
Fine, John. Replace the "pre" in that (admittedly imperfectly worded) post and replace it with "hardware". I expect to be able to use all of the hardware that is in a box I purchase. If the recorder is in there, and by your previous posts it is, I should be able to use it. That is the error in Snowman's post: if you only buy the mixer, you bought the recorder, too...
You can use all the hardware you bought - there is no hardware that cannot be used.
The "recorder" is just software.
You can use all the hardware you bought if you just use it as a mixer. It's just that you have the option of adding in a software recorder if you want it.
It's not like an analogue recorder that's all hardware - the recorder is all software - so, if you don't want to record, you don't need to buy the software to do it.
To put it simply - you buy an excellent, high quality and versatile portable mixer - then, if you want, you can add on a software package to enable you to record the number of tracks you desire.
So, you are not buying anything you cannot use.