Hey Norbury,
Over the past 2 years I’ve changed from using external hardware monitor controls to using interfaces with monitor controls built in. So I’ve recently gone through this very same nervous feeling of hoping I wouldn’t regret removing an analogue control from my monitor path.
Unfortunately, I had really bad luck with the MR816CSX and sold it after months of issues so I can’t speak to using it. But I have set up several rigs over the past 18 months using RME and Metric Halo (Total Mix and MIO Console respectively) and have had 100% success on 4 systems now.
I trust those systems enough that I am about to sell my last analog hardware monitor controller. The reason I’ve liked RME & Metric Halo is they’ve never left me unable to control the volume because their volume control for output is so well coded to the driver that even if the Mac or applications “freeze” which has happened a few times, I’ve still been able to hit mute or adjust the volume via front panel knobs and buttons or ext remotes.
Whether or not the MR816 drivers have improved to this point to deliver that level of user confidence I wouldn’t know ( I hope for Steinberg’s sake they have as it would be good for the brand) but I know you can eliminate the analogue controller if you want to from your signal path and have and have reliable monitor control from several products out there.
Hope this helps.
I’ve got to say I’ve had Zero regrets in eliminating a redundant item from my system.