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Check the Behringer DDM 4000 reviews, people who own it says that it’s the best bang of the buck of the market right now…
And for an audio interface with 4 stereo outs, check M-Audio Profire 610 (firewire)
I will buy both when I get the cash…
I have Vestax PMC-280. I think it’s about $499 in US. Have it for about 2 years now.
It’s an OK mixer and there is a nice review on Skratchworx: http://www.skratchworx.com/reviews/pmc280.php
I like that it’s a 10’’ mixer (compact), it has integrated effects (not the best, but still..) and it feels nice.
Quality wise, it’s a budget mixer, not a top quality one. Feel wise, it’s good and solid. I like it.
… there is a defect which irritates me a bit: assigning the effects processor to any of the channels results in about 3db deduction from the level of that channel (could be assigned to CF A, CF B or Master busses). It’s fine if you keep them on Master bus only and not changing it back and forth.
Wouldn’t be my mixer of choice in 2010, considering that there are mixers like the DN-X1600 these days. Still the PMC-280 has good price for the bundled features.
DJM 600, 800 or Allen & Heath Xone 92 or 464
check out the ddm4000, even though you want external channels, you can still choose which parts of the mixer you want to control midi (like track load or cue points).
i got mine new for $300 w 2 year warranty..
If you are looking for some practice at home the DDM4000 will probably fit your needs
DDM-4000 (and also the Profire 610) is a good choice… The Behringer is a very sturdy piece of equipment… In this german Forum you can read an updated review. The owner of this DDM started to write it in 2008 and uses it every week. Look at the pictures: [Mixer] Behringer DDM 4000 | Deejayforum.de
Buy a DDM-4000. Best money I ever spent.
Audio 8 is good definitely enough, if not better IMO.
But it’s not firewire, doesn’t accept two headphones, doesn’t have two mic inputs and so on…
there are plenty of topics and blog posts about the benefit of using firewire instead of USB, and the best benefit is that you will save a USB to other controllers…
Compare and see what will fit your needs:
M-Audio ProFire 610 Firewire Audio Interface US$359
6 x 10 simultaneous analog/digital I/O. High-definition, 24-bit/192kHz audio.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOFW610
Native Instruments Audio 8 DJ Audio Interface US$399
8 inputs, 8 outputs, MIDI I/O, 1/4 in. headphone connector, and 20 status LEDs for full visual control.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--NINAUDIO8DJ
Does the M-Audio have Cirrus-Logic DAC’s though. This is a huge selling point of the NI interfaces for me.
And if you go with firewire, make sure you have a Texas Instruments firewire chip in your laptop. If not, you’ll probably run into trouble getting it glitch-free…
And when you buy a firewire expresscard for your Notebook - please be careful with the Logilink PC0036A which is recommended in many online portals because of its Texas Instruments XIO 2200 Chipset. The fact is - there is no Texas Instruments chipset in it. I think they discontinued the one with that kind of chip. Nowadays it is a VIA chipset in it. And also be careful with cobined expresscard Firewire-USB adaptors. Mine used to cause sudden freezes in Ableton Live and Deckadance. Now with the PC0036A “only-Firewire adaptor” which I bought because of the Texas Instruments Chipset, what isn’t in it 
it works fine, although the built in VIA in this adaptor isn’t supported officially by the manufacturer.
Firewire connectors are the worst invention known to man! Go USB. I use a firewire interface and had numerous problems time and time again, not because of the card itself but the shitty build of the mini firewire port on my laptop.