+1 Shoshaw, a pre-EQ gain would be a really nice feature.
I have also noticed "clip protect" compression, esp. when you raise the bass frequencies through the EQ. Over cheap earbuds that kind of compression helps punch frequency extremes out, aka "loudness" on 80s stereos. But it doesn't sound as good to me over a nice sound system or headphones, I notice a compression of dynamic range.
Could the 64-bit internal volume control could be integrated into new parametric EQ as a gain control?
I'm guessing gain control happens on-the-fly already, but with so many tracks mixed "hot" at 95-100 percent gain, a pre-EQ volume could potentially avoid using clip protection altogether.
(Of course, these type of "hot" tracks often have the bejeezus compressed out of them during audio mastering, but that's a whole other topic.)