Still trying here. Actually, turns out the SPDIF input is white. Trial and error. Not documented anywhere.

If I set the operational mode to DAW, my headphone out goes dead again. In “full” mode I can hear the Kemper through the headphone out. And I can’t turn it down. Logic Pro does not correlate to usable settings. Sounds like the Kemper is just hardwired through to the headphone out with no way to control the input in Logic.
I’m sure there are settings somewhere - but nothing is documented and the software itself is the feat of hardware engineers it seems - with total disregard of the end user.

Two simple tasks so far. Two total failures. Not sure how much time I want to invest in this before it just goes back.

Yup. Took me two hours to find that - since none of this is available in DAW mode. So that’s completely useless. Clicking the headphone output fader does nothing. Until you raise the volume in the “software playback” section (that doesn’t exist in DAW mode).

Got the Kemper connected now. White RCA from Kemper SPDIF out. Here all the hardware faders need to be down. After a restart things started to act more like expected in Logic (silent when channel not selected or when Input monitoring is switched off).

I’ll have to see how to work the latency settings tomorrow. If that is similarly difficult and illogical it goes back to Sweetwater (together with the Made in China Adam monitors). Meh.

Hey, give yourself a chance. You are getting there, I can see little steps of improvement.

you have realized DAW-mode is useless for your usecase. That is total correct.
Forget DAW-mode.
Keep Totalmix in normal mode before trying advanced stuff.

Clicking the headphone fader does nothing ? yes. And no.
Without clicking it you will not have effect of the other faders.
The goal is to have a good mix in the headphone.
And for this the first thing to do is : click on it. It gets highlighted, do you see that ?
Then start moving the faders from the software playback channel, the music from Logic goes to the headphone.
Move the fader of the Kemper input signal, it is mixing together with the music and you can play.

Don't use input monitoring in Logic, it will make a delay by its latency.
Just mix the headphone mix in Totalmix and you can play to the music with zero latency on your guitar.

Yes totalmix is really simple when you understand it. But it connects all inputs and all software playback channels to all outputs. Freely routable! That is a lot of channels and you need to get it before it makes sense, but after that never a problem.

You are on track.
An RME interface is for professionals and beginners.
There is a certain amount of education to get thru but soon it's done and you will be happy.
Post number two has a compressed little workshop in it, beginner-friendly, step-by-step.

But I don't. Blaming the tool and its designer (here comes the saying, "a bad dancer will blame his own balls") and being arrogant is the worst way to ask for help. I really don't understand why people here continue trying to help this person.

Ok. I came in a bit strong because it’s very very difficult to understand. I’m generally not stupid or inexperienced with using this kind of software. I started of by saying that other tools like this can be frustrating as well (never fully figured out the Focusrite software and had to constantly reset it because it would just stop working at times).

So my bad. No need to make this personal. I acknowledged that it’s apparently great hardware and that I’m more than happy to support a small German manufacturer that hasn’t outsourced to China yet. I didn’t send it back and I’m trying hard to learn to deal with it.

But those people over there could use some help. The instruction videos explain some steps - they never explain the WHY. Why do I have to put up with individual mixes for each output? Most musicians will rarely ever use that and they put it front and center. It shouldn’t be hard to use headphones (I’d expect the same mix I get over the speakers by default).

Now I’m sitting here trying to a) reset everything to factory default b) understand what to do with the “snapshots” (it seems they don’t auto save settings, so if you change something and switch to a different “snapshots” you lose everything)
C) understand why “analog 1 and 2” don’t show up in hardware output bottom row
D) understand why I’m expected to route the reverb and echo effects to a loop back on an “unused channel” (what if I use them all?)
E) set up a basic “mix” that I hopefully never have to touch again that covers all
In and outputs and routes to the corresponding channels in Logic Pro X - while avoiding the “DAW mode” (which we have established isn’t really working for using the UCX2 for low latency recording that doesn’t use the software monitoring in Logic.

-or why the TotalMix FX window doesn’t fit the screen of my MacBook Pro when set to 100%. Information at the bottom is cut off and there is no way to adjust the window size manually….

I will figure this all out eventually - but I’m at a point where I feel like I need a class or hire somebody to sit with me for a few hours. And again, I’m usually not all that dumb.

A : Totalmix menu on top, menu Options / Reset Mix > Total Reset
B : A snapshot is saving an actual moment, like a photo it freeze a state of mix for recalling it when hit the snapshot button.
They do not autosave changes. This would need to make a new snapshot.
Totalmix is saving the mix situation automatic all the time in the Workspace, you can load different workspaces.
Each workspace can include different snapshots.
C : You did assign the main-out to output 1/2, right ?
Then the Output channels 1/2 vanishes and becomes a new place called main-out.
Same for the Phones. Assigne Phones 1 to output 5/6 will let the output 5/6 disappear and a new channel Phones 1 will appear and having outputs 5/6 occupied in it (assigned).
D : I have no idea why you think the effects have something to do with loopback, you are mixing too much up for the moment.
Don't touch DAW-mode, Loopback, free-mode, etc. Thats all advanced stuff, you will feel when you are ready for those things.
For the effects, every output channel has a little FX-return fader, lift this fader up sends all effects there.
E : Yes, that sounds reasonable. Remember, the inputs are forwarding the signals into the DAW directly, only the gain knob is relevant (and the input level settings of the analog input channels).
The outputs of Logic are sending the signals to the middle row in Totalmix the software playback channels, ready for you to route to your desired outputs.
Right-click onto an output lets you copy and paste a submix to another output.
Otherwise every output has its own mix (unless you use the mirror feature, wich is advanced stuff).

Can you follow ?

to A) those reset options are very useful to start over.
This blog article which I wrote not long ago, gives you a good overview how to backup and restore. Additionally some tips, how to recover a workspace quickly using quick workspace select slots and using key combinations ALT-1..9.
I use it all the time successfully to be able to try something for RME customers on the forum and to recover in a second.
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … nd-backup/

to B) Why should the snapshots autosave? The intention is that you can store and quickly recover a setup/routing for certain use case completely. If snapshots would be auto-updated/saved when they would modify and you would never be able to come back to a defined state for a specific use case.
To put an example, I am using 8 Snapshots for those basic use cases that I have
- Snapshot 1: Monitors - Monitoring through active monitors (via ADI-2 Pro FS R BE in "Recording corner")
- Snapshot 2: HiFi - Monitoring through (high end) HiFi (via ADI-2 Pro FS R BE #2 in "HiFi corner")
- Snapshot 3: PCM81 -14 - Using Lexicon PCM 81 as external FX for my Marshall Amps (using UFX III as parallel effect loop)
- Snapshot 4: PCM81 -18 - the same but litttle lower FX level
- Snapshot 5: PCM91 -13 - the same but with PCM 91 which I use otherwise more for the DAW
- Snapshot 6: Reamping - pluggin guitar into UFX III Inst input to record the "raw" guitar signal to playback through amp for reamping purposes with different amp gain/tone and different FX settings (PCM 81)
- Snapshot 7: PCM4DAW - change routing so that both Lexicon PCM (81 and 91) can be used in DAW as external FX
- Snapshot 8: S-Gear3 - routing to play through Amp VSTi and adding FX from PCM81

I only need to push one of the 8 knobs in TM FX or on the ARC USB, and then I can immediately perform with perfectly fitting routing and settings. Also in terms of monitoring while playing guitar to a backing track. All volume levels are optimized so that it sounds in the headphones like a real recording, but the guitar a little bit louder, which supports the playing.

If you change something on the recording interface and reboot the PC, then the last setting is remembered.
There is a last.* settings file, see my blog article which gets always updated if you either quit TM FX as applicaiton or if you reload the computer.

Of course, if you recall a snapshot or workspace .. then you get exactly those settings .. with good intention, see my 8 use cases / prepared snapshots above.

This functionality / workflow is really excellent and can be further expanded by providing multiple workspaces.
By saving/restoring either the workspace (including all settings) to/from your Apple computer.
Or alternatively, by using 30 Workspace select slots which have 8 Snapshots each (in total 240 snapshots).
And as you can recall the first 9 workspaces out of 30, then you have 9*8 = 72 Snapshots "at your fingertips".
Because you can restore them by using key combination ALT-1 .. ALT-9.
Isn't that great ? ;-) You will learn it .. give it some time.

to C)
Because you seem to have moved it into the TM FX control room (see bottom right).
This happens if you assign HW outputs to certain predefined "roles/functions" like Monitor A, Monitor B, Phone 1 .. 4 etc.
The reason to move those ports to the control room is, to get the typical control room functions for your monitoring.
Like mono, mute, etc ....
For active monitors, headphones this makes sense, for connected FX not really ...
So you use the Assign button and assign the devices for monitors to those roles.
And then they appear in the control room so that you can use control room function in TM FX or via the ARC USB remote control unit.

to D), sorry I do not get the point. To what part of the manual (is it from manual) do you refer. Please tell the source of the information or your use case why you want to use this.
Be informed upfront, that the FX are useful for example to give a vocalist a little reverb, without its monitoring having to go go the longer way over the DAW to use DAW reverb and for similar things.
But you only have one FX settings and in each channel you can determine the amount of FX level.
If you need more flexibility and individual settings for each channel -> DAW.

to E) maybe have a look at may step by step primer which I already mentioned in the sticky forum post of subforum.
I gave you the link already. I understand, that it is difficult to "digest" all information at once, maybe you didn't have
time yet to look at it, see here: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … rnal-equi/

Basically .. assumed you route everything in the DAW to one stereo sum.
What do you need for monitoring / what use cases do you have?
Well .. to route Audio from Apple / from DAW to either active monitors or headphones.
To break that up in steps
1. assign your HW output where you connected active monitors using assign button to "main out"
    by this you see this output channel in the control room
2. assign your HW output where you connected headphones also using assign button to "Phones 1"
3. check that you are in TM FX Mixer view (M) and in Submix mode (see upper right, blue area)
4. Select Active monitors in the control room (click with left mouse button)
    Now you see according to fader position the submix / the input and sw playback channels that send audio to this particular output, therefore you see the channel name at the base of each fader at top and middle row.
   Turn down all fader in top and middle row.
   Only raise the fader to 0 dB from the middle row (SW playbacks) to hear audio from the PC.
   This will usually be the first pair of (stereo) channels AN1/2. If you play music you can see it according to metering activity.
   But you might send in DAW or other application audio to a different channel, then it is one of the other channels of middle row.
  This is the patchbay character, in TM FX you determine finally on which output you want to listen the submix of "this and that" input or sw playback channel.
5. Store the routing in Snapshot 1 as "Main Out" or whatever you prefer
6. Store the workplace as backup of this to your PC (it contains window position, routing, snapshots, ...
    Everything but certain more generic  TM FX settings see my blog article about backup and restore of settings
7. As an option save this also to Workspace Quick select slot 1, to be able to recall exactly this settings at any time with
   the key combination ALT-1

Well now the same for routing to headphones, select the other HW output (in the control room), phones 1.
And then also create proper routing, as you like, see template steps above, then store the settings
(backup to workspace and update your Quick Workspace Select Slot).

to F)  DAW is only for people who want to do everything in the DAW and do not care much about latency.
You can get the same routing as DAW mode in TotalMix FX full mode.
This has been explained a few times in the forum.
In TM FX click: Options -> Reset Mix -> straight playback.
Then you have DAW mode pluse the flexibility to add some additionally needed stuff to avoid latency for some flows, e.g. for monitoring.
There is a variant which routes additionally audio from PC (middle row) to "Main Out", where your monitors are connected.
Might be useful as well ...

to G)
TM FX uses Bitmaps, not vector graphics. In the old days PC and GPUs were not so powerful.
Using Bitmaps is faster and lag free (other vendors do not care so much about this level of quality).
It also provides best backward compatibility to older simpler GPUs which are often being used for DAW setups.
We saw it now that the new DIGIcheck NG (using more modern graphic) didn't run on older more limited GPU cards.
So the intention here is speed, lagfree and to support best backward compatibility to older HW which is still in use.

A "quick" rewrite of TotalMix FX is not possible, its would create massive amount of work as RME already explained in the forum.
What you can so is to use the fix resizings, for those Bitmaps had to be created, also a time consuming process.
Sorry, no other / better news about this.
Some people use TM FX 2-column mode of the window is too tall (in the y-axis). Check out 2-column mode,
then the top and middle row are collapsed into one top row.
In the bottom HW outputs and the Control room.
You find it as button "2ROW" (a toggle) on the upper right in the blue area.

to H) I am sure you will like it and get used to it.
Simply give it some time, its completely natural that such things need some time to settle.
Also Rome has not been built in a few days.
Your main problem is maybe expectation how you think it should work for you personally and based on your experience (be it good or bad) with other vendors.
Please be patient and stay open minded, RME has the best concept here.
As I and some other gents from forum mentioned, you need to know only a few things  .. some little basic concepts of TM FX.
Once understood you will never want to go back to something different.
I also came from Focusrite ...

If you are in the mood, look at my setup here, even if it is already quite complex for a guitarist.
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … iii-en-de/

With TM FX I have everything under control and feel confident and am excited how easy it is finally to work with FM FX.
Otherwise I could not build something like this in my spare time. Music is only my hobby.

And here the documentation of it:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … tup-en-de/

Here the evolution of my setup (little older state with UFX+ and amp mono setup, I have now a stereo setup with two marshall combos, because the Lexicon PCMs are stereo units (without mono presets, or only very few):
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … -DURec-DE/

Thanks vinark, very kind from you :-) Wish you merry X ...
Good idea to mention Layout Presets, to reduce the channel jungle if it should "hurt".
I am using this extensively with UFX III for a few purposes:

1. to get a more to the point display of the channels that I need every day
2. to make matrix view more useable
3. like a magnifying glass to see only the channels of certain devices of interest like preamps (Octamic XTC, 12Mic).
    the channels in the control room for monitoring are always there, in each Layout Preset.
4. I retain the default settings by storing them in the last Layout Preset as "factory".

BTW .. the fastest way to come back to TM FX factory defaults and to "start over" is to remove the last settings file like described in my blog article:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … nd-backup/

If you want to see what Layout Presets I use, check my Excel Doku, TAB "Channel Settings" Columns D-I.
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … tup-en-de/

Thank you Ramses and others.

It's a lot to take in and go through so looking forward to some time off from work over Christmas and New Years.

To your question regarding my use case(s):

Overarching goal here was to replace my old (2012) MacMini with a current Mac (and dealing with the fewer ports on those...) which will require to either retire my Focusrite Pro40 - or set it to standalone via ADAT to a new device. That boiled it down to the UCX2 and the Apollo x4 since I liked the idea of having a small portable unit to bring with me to practices/song writing sessions/record live shows. The UCXII is the clear winner in input connectivity that I would use:

Analog ins for 1-2 vocals, analog ins for 1-2 acoustic guitars (I may buy one or two nicer separate mic pres at some point), SPDIF in for my Kemper for all things electric guitar, analog in for our bass player (he has a good preamp/DI). Only downside I see with the RME is that has only one headphone out. I bought a 4ch headphone amp to connect. I don't expect a situation all too often where the three people in our band will need different headphone mixes so I'll keep that simple. My expectation by default is that a headphone mix is the same as the one that goes to the active speakers via out 1/2 (that was one of my initial frustrations since I don't see the point in different mixes for different outputs in most of my practical situations, but the instructions/reviews over-emphases this capability of Totalmix FX).

I will skip any options for outboard hardware routing for now. I have some but it's really not necessary as I usually find default plugins within Logic that work just fine. Same with the DSP effects in TM FX. I'll stay away from trying to record any of the effect routing as that seems quite involved/error prone. I see how I can add reverb for a vocalist if needed while tracking the clean signal. Another selling point was the midi in on the UCX to connect a midi keyboard for virtual instruments in Logic (while saving USB ports on the new MacMini...)

Other than that I'm hoping to set up my Focusrite as a standalone unit and connect it via the optical In/out to retain the 8 Preamps via adat (for example when we play/record with a drummer, which happens occasionally).

The next level up will be to see how usable the DuRec feature is as I may be able to record live shows that way (running separate channels from our small digital mixer and record to USB stick without the need of having a laptop on stage)

Most common use will be connecting the Kemper and a Mic for acoustic guitar for latency free recording/overdubs in Logic. I got that working.

You're welcome.

As you seem to need 2 mic, 2 Instrument inputs and want 2 headphone outputs I would have considered the purchase of an UFX II. Additionally it gives you 2x ADAT I/O and a lot of analog inputs maybe to add a 4-port mic preamp via the analog INs, alternatively through ADAT.

TotalMix FX supports to copy a submix to another one, then you have exactly the same submix with the same levels etc.
This is documented in the manual.

There is even a more clever way to "mirror" a submix, then all the changes that you perform in the mirrord submix (the source) are automatically applicable for the other submixes, the destination outputs for this mirror functions. Can be one or more ports as you like. Its worth to take the time to have a closer look to the manual.

See manual chapter 25.2, on page 58
https://rme-audio.de/downloads/fface_ucx2_d.pdf
https://rme-audio.de/downloads/fface_ucx2_e.pdf

Sure, why not.

You need to look for suitable pen devices, as the recording interface has no memory to buffer the controller on the USB stick needs to be of good quality to write sustained to the stick without interruptions.
For this reason some USB3 sticks with good controller are the way to go, although the DURec port is USB2.
See this thread about pen drives: https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=11257