Its controller digitally via TotalMix FX.
By this you can store and recall settings in so called snapshots.
You have 8 Snapshots per Workspace.
You can save/recall as many workspaces as you like on your PCs filesystem.
Additionally TM FX offers 30 Workspace Quick Select Slots which are easily to recall.

The input sensitivity of the rear inputs can be changed in TotalMix (Input Channel Settings, LoGain / +4 dBu and Gain), assuring the highest signal to noise ratio will be achieved. Also try to achieve an optimum input level by adjusting the source itself. You won't miss the gain knobs. Is much nicer to be able to save and recall the settings as well as the routing.

IMHO the RME product offering is much better / advanced compared to the competition (TotalMix, ARC USB, Durec, Digicheck Tools). There is nothing comparable.

If you need an even more scalable solution, get UFX+ and add up to 8 Octamic XTC via MADI.
Remote control works via MIDI over MADI (no additional MIDI cables required).
And all up to 8 XTC can run as so called AUX device in the same TM FX instance of the UFX+.
Then you can store the settings of UFX+ and the 8 Octamic digitally.

Only to put examples whats all possible.

Another thing. I had approx 5y ago the Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56 and the Octopre Mk II. The Poti quality was very bad. On the 1st ~75% of Poti doesn't have any effect, the real gain adjustment then happens on the last 25%.

On the RME you choose between 2 Reference Levels, LoGain and +4 dBu depending what input sensitivity is required depending what type of signal the source delivers, more consumer levels or studio levels which are higher.

The additional Gain knob is additionally to the reference level setting to fine tune line inputs 1 to 8 from 0 dB to +12 dB.

Regard the 1st as a general settings for consumer or studio level and then additional fine tuning to add some gain if required to find an optimum level.

The TotalMix faders are simply for creating the submix for each output.
Every output is a submix of its own.

The concept of operations in TM FX is very logic and structured, the best I ever seen from operations and feature wise.
In submix mode you click to an output, phones or main monitors for example, and then you simply adjust the faders of HW inputs (what comes from the inputs of the recording device directly - top row of faders) and the SW playback channels, whats comes from either DAW (RME ASIO driver) or OS/Applications (RME WDM driver), this is the middle row of faders.
As you can easily see where a signal is, you can very quickly create the routing / submix for each of the output channels.

Another things .. With the introduction of the Scarlett Series the Focusrite drivers do not support loopback operation anymore, bummer !

With RME Loopback operation is easy .. you route something to an output of your choice, i.e. ADAT1/2, press Loopback there and you have the desired submix on the corresponding HW input ADAT1/2 and can record it with either DAW or another PC application, if you created the WDM device for ADAT1/2. In the driver settings dialog you can choose for which channels you wish to have WDM devices, so that non-ASIO aware applications can make use of those channels. If you have Speakers conntected behind a channel, i.e. Analog 1/2, then there is a second Tab in the drivers settings dialog, where you choose Speaker channels. This creates then an ouput in the Windows Sound settings.

Everything very flexible, reliable, logic. Never saw something better. Try both you will see and find out yourself.

Focusrite and many other companies simply are missing time, engagement and passion to deliver better quality products.
On the other hand one simply must say .. they deliver cheap devices for "the masses" you can't deliver RME quality for such a low price. And some of their more expensive products are simply too expensive if you compare this them with RME (how less they deliver).

In terms of preamp sound. I think the sound has to come from the artist / room / mic.
I don't think its a good idea if preamps have a sound on their own.
They should IMHO be transparent and simply record what comes in in the best possible way.

In terms of gain, I really love autoset to find the proper gain and then store it and then deactivate autoset.

JM345 - good luck with your new device.  The community here is super supportive and when you have questions, lots of people are eager to help out.  Your first stop when getting your device should be the manual.  It is long and dense but the definitive source for all you need to know.  And..... everyone here will tell you to RTM

As a side note, I did end up keeping my Fousrite Saffire box.  I agree with Ramses that it is good to have clean transparent preamps (RME) but I also do like preamps with character.  If you have kept your Clarrett box, you may be able to connect it to the Fireface (via adat) and have both worlds (RME and Focusrite preamps).  In my setup, I have fireface with Focusrite Saffire input through adat and then a presonus M80 (8 channel preamp) coming into the Fireface via analog inputs. 

I am a drummer so I have at times needed more than 4 mics.  I also use my gear (some or all) at times for live shows I do with my musician friends.  The RME gear is so stable and reliable, it's easy to take and run a show from stage with a laptop.

R

Look here, wrote a little TM FX setup primer.
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … rnal-equi/

Collection of RME video tutorials here:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … al-Videos/