Personally I still would not purchase a console without side-chain compression. With it available on the todays cheapest digital consoles that feature being absent on the GLD would be a deal killer for my purposes. I really do like my GLD80 but don’t use it much anymore.
Hopefully a GLD80 MK2 will be modern so just my console needs replacing. I would like to retain the rest of my GLD ecosystem. As soon as a new GLD is announced I guess my present one will go for sale. Feel free to PM me anyone.
As far as the statement of what console sounds better, I am a bit of a Doubting Thomas. I would need a controlled test environment where there is less than a second between listening to the two consoles with the exact same complex sources, room and loudspeakers. Aural memory has a few second half-life. To say that console A sounds better than console B I heard yesterday at the other venue has too many variables and prejudices for my mind. Even when listening to sine waves on the same system, when two bursts are separated by 20 seconds it is rare to have someone tell repeatedly which is louder with a 2dB difference in level.
Good luck with your console of choice. I can’t think of a “BAD” console that is sold today.