Originally posted by where02190
NO, that's not correct. Again, slamming into the converters as close to 0dbfs is NOT the way to record into digital. Target your nominal, that means average input level at your converters 0dbu reference. that will leave more than sufficient headroom, typically around -6dbfs. Think about it, 24+ tracks, all peaking at -1dbfs, slamming into the summing buss....+18dbu x 24+ tracks....can you say distortion?
There is absolutely no need to be peaking at or even near 0dbfs. all you're doing is eating up your headroom, meaning your faders actual or virtual) will be at the bottom of their throw to prevent summing smashing, leaving you little range of movement.
Uh, maybe when I'm looking at the little meter in Logic and it doesn't go into the red then I figure "great- I'm just under 0db and I have headroom." Besides, those busses at the master section all have meters too, and if you're summing too hot, bring the levels down at the mixer stage, right? I mix through a digi board anyway, so I can see what's going on at every stage. Of course if one is smacking the "0" a lot, that weird digi distortion is audible. So don't do it!