Your description of the caveats of 16 tracks outweigh the benefits anyone has listed in any Wishlist request for additional channels. This is especially true in the latest versions of BIAB. Further as Matt addressed, older systems and CERTAIN low powered computers and CERTAIN RealTracks and the high-quality and fast settings in BIAB Preferences can result in overload conditions. In this instance Matt and I are talking about different issues of the same type. There will always be users with computer system that struggles with some aspect of BIAB, be it CPU, ram, RealTracks generations, VST's but my point was more general that users with computer systems that are older and weaker powered, PG Music has addressed these issues in the past and created options to turn off certain processes to lower CPU issues. PG Music has done a tremendous job and accomplished quite a feat in retaining all users to use RealTracks and RealDrums since their inception through this year's version.
What a disappointment it would be for PG Music to add 8 more channels to the BIAB Mixer and doing so deprive a large population of the BIAB community the ability to access this feature because their computer is too old or they have the wrong CPU on their system and no option to upgrade it. It doesn't matter and there's no benefit if 16 tracks isn't something all users can access and enjoy without it choking or crashing their system. I have no idea if adding additional tracks would cause any issues to older and weaker computer systems but this has been a popular request for years so I'm thinking there's likely some type of barrier.
<< The problem is Charlie, you know all the "tricks" to squeeze maximum performance out of BIAB as you've shown in your posts. (including using BIAB akin to an MTR). So do a lot of us. The problem is often new users DON'T. Even some longer time users don't. >>
I don't believe the problem has anything to do with "tricks", work arounds, reading the manual or that producing a BIAB project with 20 or 30 tracks is some advanced hidden feature. It really isn't any more difficult to do than anything beyond what anyone that can program a song and create an arrangement using the Bar Settings to mute/unmute tracks to make a more pleasing and dynamic than just allowing all the instruments to play throughout from start to finish. It becomes a matter of what a user wants to learn and what they want to get out of BIAB before moving tracks to a DAW. It's a simple technique that once the process for a single track is learned, the same steps are repeated over and over until an song arrangement that satisfies the users needs have been met.
Encouraging users to read the manual is beyond the scope of anything Forum members should concern ourselves with and should not have anything to do with any user choosing to learn the steps to a long time existing BIAB feature.
I also believe that it's somewhat easier for new users to apply the multi track and medley features than some long time users that have developed their own very successful workflow over a long period of time. No need to fix what's not broken.
A true benefit of the BIAB Mixer functioning as a multi track recorder is the flexibility of the sound media the BIAB Mixer Channels accept. The tracks accept MIDI, BIAB MST's, RealDrums, RealTracks, and WAV/WMA audio files. Using the Artist Performance Track and UserTrack features, any combination of these media types can be merged and mixed into a sub-mix onto a single mono or stereo track.
It's been another cordial exchange with you and you've raised valid concerns and questions.