*If* you use hardware consistently, then yeah, go ahead with it. Unless you can pick up something better used. Preferable with group channels, and assignable auxes, as well as assignable channel strips (group 1,2,3,4, master).

*If* you don't really use hardware instruments often, just get a clean board that does a good job of not coloring the sound. Wire your monitors straight off the soundcard, and set the mixer to the task of HW efx loops only. Purchase a seperate channel strip for recording anything you want to mic.