I'm not sure what "normal-mode" is. I have two options, one being Full totalmix (or whatever its called), and DAW mode. DAW mode is the one that shuts off my audio volume. Makes no sense, at least not yet anyway. Still, I wish there was a very detailed analog summing set up tutorial available.

I finally was able to send the summed outputs to the analog ins, and then send ONLY those to the main outs for monitoring. But now Cubase's stereo out has no signal present, thus no Cubase metering is available. All I have to go on are the tiny meters in Totalmix.

Is there a way to somehow route the main out of Totalmix to Cubase, visually speaking, so I'll have some decent analysis tools available?

Or set loopback on output channel, you will have that output mirrored in DAW on corresponding input. But as Waedi has mentioned, DigiCheck NG is great tool.

I was wondering about utilizing loopback, however, since I need see meters that reflect all 16 channels of summing, as they are recorded back into cubase, so there's not just one output channel to loop back.

doubleclick the icon.
If it does not work try the normal digicheck, not the ng version that needs very recent GFX hardware. But izotope should work fine, even in stand alone. Just select the inputs you rerecord with.
Should also work as an insert in your daw on the track you use for rerecording.
I don't see a potentiol problem. Just send the audio to the 16 adats, sum as usual and record the result with any input you want.
Yes sending to the 16 adats needs some understanding of totalmix, but it is pretty simple. Select adat output in totalmix. Close all output and playback channels (1st abd second row) and open the corrosponding atat software playback channel to 0db, repeat for the next 7 stereo channels, or set them to mono if needed. From Daw send to those adats as you like

More experimentation and I've discovered that I can get audio to my speakers in daw mode, ONLY if I'm in the box, with all subgroups going to the stereo out. If I try to use analog summing while in daw mode, no way.

I loose sound as soon as I try to do an analog summing mix. I guess because then the groups channels are routed out to 8 different (16 channels total) adat outs, which the feeds are summing mixer. I would think since the channel in Cubase that's capturing the summed mix is set to stereo out, I'd at least hear that, but nope, nothing. No leds either.

I am enabling the input monitoring. I'm getting channel readout. My issue now is that while mixing in FULL Mode, I lose Cubase channel solo function and listen function. And the really biggie is also loose the control room features. Yes, Totalmix control room, when tracking, is very capable and I'll likely still use it. But, while mixing I really need the Cubase control room, especially the ability to insert fx there. I insert the Sonarworks, Goodhertz headphone, and various analysis tools, ESPECIALLY the Reference 2 plugin. It's imperative they insert on control room, as they're not in the path of any audio rendering.

I really wish there were a way to just use the DAW mode when mixing, but cannot get the audio to pass to speakers WHILE utilizing analog summing. Granted, maybe Cubase is doing something wonky. I've only tried daw mode and analog summing on preexisting projects, I'll experiment with starting a new project in that mode, then do the routing to the adat outs, and back into Cubase, and see what happens. So very frustrating.

I just created a blank project. Imported an audio file. No analog summing yet, and in DAW mode. Audio plays back as expected. I then created a "print" track, and assigned it to analog in 1&2 for capturing my summed mix. I then change the output on the audio file channel from stereo out, to Fireface 1&2, and immediately loose audio, but can see signal in both the hardware output channel and the input channel. The only way to actually hear the summed mix, is to engage the cue button on the input channel 1&2, where the summed mix is. BUT, I still loose the ability to use the Cubase control room inserts and metering. Surely there's a way to set this up?

You are correct, but I DO have my main monitors connected via the control room. Again, this whole set up worked perfectly when I was using the presonus Quantum and their driver software. This all has me wondering if upgrading to the Fireface 802fs as a bad idea. I've submitted a support ticket via the RME site, no word back yet. Seems to me as flexible as totalmix is, I should certainly be able to also utilize the cubase control room, no?

Literally the same way:

Main speakers are connected via the control room. All the other analog and adat outs are connected via "studio/audio connections" under the outputs tab.

Back then, I was using a Benchmark adc-1 and a Benchmark dac-1 (both are the original versions, so around 12 years old or so). I brought the summed mix back into cubase via the adc-1/spdif in. I would also send a spdif out over to the dac-1 for headphone monitoring. My goal is to eliminate both the Benchmark units, as I felt that the Fireface clock and conversion would certainly be an approvement over 15 year technology.

As stated, back then everything still worked as normal in Cubase, control room and all.

And could someone please explain what and why I'm getting this message?

"Mismatch detected.. mixer state of fireface and Totalmix are different"

And should I choose the interface or Totalmix prompt? Or do I need to change something on the 802FS?

Thanks

Thanks for taking the time. Yes, I can record the summed mix no problem. I can hear the summed mix as well.

As for the control room in Cubase. I really cannot see what I'm not doing. I have the main outs as analog 1&2 selected in the control room. Total mix also has 1&2 as the main outs. So how the heck am I supposed to send the playback channels to Cubase so that I'll see readout on the stereo bus, as well as full control over control room features. I was able to this with no issues with the Presonus interface.

yes

the control room works as expected, but only when i'm in the box, as soon as I start a summing mix I loose the control room functionality.

Edit :
I have an idea :
The Cubase control room seems to be fix connected with the Stere-out channel, is that correct ?

yes, I have to change the output of the grouped channels to their appropriate adat out in order to send them to the summing mixer. When I create a summing mix, I have a preset saved in cubase that loads all of my summing outputs. The "print" channel is set to stereo out, but, since I'm recording it's only showing the input signal, but before, I still had full control room function and metering. To me it seems like it HAS to be something about Totalmix basically taking over the stereo output stage.

True, but I do not have the metering and the inserts are non functional. 

The cubase audio connections has had the main outs as RME 1&2  this entire time. I'm totally stumped, and I REALLY need to use the control room inserts for the aforementioned plugins. I watched the RME youtube video on analog summing, but of course he never mentions much about the stereo out of the daw.

I think the problem is not the ucx and totalmix, these are just inputs and outputs. It's your understanding of the control room and how cubase handels it. The ucx just delivers inputs and outputs.

Make sure if you are on windows, that asio direct monitoring is off, in both totalmix and cubase!

Whoa... I did engage direct monitoring in Cubase when first getting started, obviously for tracking purposes. So this is what has taken the control room out of the loop, so to speak?

I'll get back to the studio a little later, check it out, and report back.

Thanks

Indeed ASIO Direct Monitoring bypasses the Cubase mixer, that's the idea, namely practically latency-free monitoring.
So if by Control Room you are referring to something in the Cubase mixer and not Totalmix, you will need to disable ADM to work with that.

Well sir, unticking the direct monitoring in Cubase solved the metering issue on the Cubase stereo out, BUT, the other cubase control room features are still not functioning correctly. For example, toggling back and forth from main mix to cue mix has no effect. Inserted plugins, while visually appear to be working, are not affecting the audio playback at all??

Yes there is a direct monitoring switch in TMFX too, somewhere.
In cubase your speakers out must be connected to the control room speakers. The cubase main out must be unconnected.

I've now also discovered that plugins are totally not audible no matter where I insert them, e.g., on control room insert, on cubase stereo out insert, or even on the summed mix input channel, which is analog 1&2 on the 802fs. Very strange that I can see the plugins receiving signal, yet, I hear nothing from them. This HAS to be something in Totalmix, as Cubase is set up exactly as it was back when I was using the Presonus Quantum interface.

I really have to get this sorted out, but once again, I'm 100% stumped as to what to try next?

Whatever the reason, it's in Cubase, since neither Totalmix nor the RME driver know what's happening inside your DAW.

No offense, but I can't see how it could be a cubase thing? It's not that complicated. I enable control room, I connect my main speakers there. With my past setup, it all worked perfectly. The only other variable is now Totalmix. I can't even get plugins to respond in the control room (at least not audibly) even if I'm in DAW mode. Cubase is set up exactly the same as has been for the past multiple years. I've no problem changing things up, but for the life of me can't see anything else I could change in cubase.

I understand but if you hear no difference you are obviously listening to something else from cubase. If you change the volume IN THE CONTROL ROOM, does the volume change audibly?

Remember nor the driver nor TMFX do anything else then passing what you send to it (now direct monitoring is off).
Insert something else then sonarworks to see if that changes anything.