SONARtist
I don't see why initial levels and setup cannot be controlled thru' the DAW, which is the case with my SSL i/face. I'm not interested in any of the wireless/remote mixing capabilities.
First of all sorry, it can happened I do not know / do not understand something.
But I was so curious that your can control "SSL i/face" from the DAW that I have downloaded all possible docs for SSL Alphalink/MADI Xtreme FO System mentioned in your signature to understand what you mean. My personal conclusions in the area (I repeat again, all that is theoretical, I have never seen/touched these devices):
* I have not seen any evidence there is a solutions which allows control (hardware) input levels or configure routing within Sonar. I must admit I have not checked either something in that direction exists in the Avid world, but that looks like not an option in general
* for that to function, there must be specialized controls within the DAW and specialized protocol which sync these controls with the hardware:
a) Sonar has no such controls
b) I have not found even attempts to define a standard for such protocol
* and so every producer is delivering digital mixers:
a) combined with hardware control surface in one box
b) separated from corresponding hardware control surface
c) controllable by special software
d) combinations of a,b and c
* it looks like with the software solution (c) producers are leaning toward iPads, at most Apple PC. Windows only get mixer control for devices called "audio interfaces", f.e. RME. I have tried hard to understand the difference between a "digital mixer" and a "computer audio interface with hardware mixer". My current conclusion is there is no difference at all (I think before "digital mixers" was only type (a), while (b) and (c) was called "audio interfaces").
* I have made an attempt to write A&H Qu control from Sonar since they (and only they?) have documented the protocol they use. I went up to the point when I theoretically could control the input level by Sonar fader. But then I have understood that is probably not extremely practical...
For SSL, if I understand that right, the combination is digital mixer with analog converters. In other words, there is no input level controls.
Please excuse me, I try to understand the topic myself. May be someone can explain where am I wrong.