Well I only just saw Steve’s link and will check it out shortly. Since I was just checking a few setting on the buffers I thought I would run here and list my findings. Quite possibly Steve’s link will point out everything I’ve just done is incorrect so bear with me.
I still may be way off track in the process but here’s what I did. I reset the MOTU buffers to 64. I then went and recorded 6 audio tracks and 8 midi tracks. Simple stuff and then went in and changed a few additional Cubase VSTi’s to the midi data which were input by the Casio PX 400 keyboard. After recording and playback I reset the buffers to 512. Again recorded 6 audio tracks and 8 midi tracks. Played both back also resetting the buffers to 64 and again to 512. The only indication of additional stress on the system was through the performance meter real-time gauge. In 512 it barely moved , under the 64 setting it moved approximately 25% of the length of the line with peaks to about 35%.
The playback for each of them was uneventful and sounded perfect regarding the quality of the reproduction…not the talent 
so either I still am not pushing the right buttons or this is not enough recording input to throw things into a spiral.