Many multi-track recorders mount in conventional computer systems as bunches of stereo tracks. I’m more than half-way convinced that this is a marketing and publicity thing. When you take the mixer out of the box, it does “something.”
Anything to prevent you from sending it back. You always think you’re doing something wrong.
There’s usually driver software or other configuration changes to reveal multiple tracks. Audacity will not record from more than one “thing,” but it will totally record one thing multi-track under the right conditions.
https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/multi-channel-recording-in-audacity/15644/1
Koz