I don't think PreSonus will ever release a "better clone of RackMount AI mixer". The 16R/24R/32R rack mixers are integral part of the Series III ecosystem, which is remarkably different to the AI family's console/stagebox and controller/rack mixer concept. PreSonus has kept the idea of using the rack mixers as self-standing units in live sound and studio work, but DAW Mode has NOT been included. There is no CS18AI in the Series III world (for which DAW Mode was invented, a few years ago...). The 16R is a limited version of the rack mixers, so only 24R and 32R will give access to nearly all features of the Series III consoles. The rack mixers are missing DAW Mode and User Layer.
The "ecosystem" is not just hardware and network, it's also software and for recording there is Capture and Studio One, which are deeply (!) integrated to the ecosystem. Nobody needs to "add" third-party software. Do the recording in Capture and the mix and mastering in Studio One - it's all one workflow and you never need to leave the "platform". The DA-3000 looks a little "archaic", when I think of the brillant workflow of PreSonus hardware and software. No, I'm not fanboy, not at all, but Series III has finally made the idea of "Active Integration" come true, and it works phantastic!
I am no specialist for the other audio interfaces and can not recommend a certain product, but all PreSonus hardware shares the same mic preamps, so the audio interfaces must be very good. There is nothing to say against using an external Master Recorder (SD/SDHC might not be too future proof, it's not even a network device...), but seen from the hardware and network point of view, PreSonus offers a very good alternative with the Series III ecosystem. And mixing and mastering in Studio One is also not a "bad" thing... ;-)
