hey for the record,

DP does have a master fader option. Its not a default tho, but can use one if you need to.

-chendo

With Cubase SX, the master fader acts sort of like a very transparent limiter against digital distortion, even dry without inserts. I've noticed that I can push my songs a little harder with very rare clipping of about 0.5 or 1.0 db's with absolutely no harmonic distortion or digital artifacts. In fact, SX's built-in channel limiter for the master is one of the more transparent ones out there if you hit it just right. If you go overboard and the clipping is more often than once every few minutes, then you have to re-do the mix and pull down the offending tracks or else deal with digital distortion.