just need advice on levels for fast track pro and BX8a speakers

[sibby]

I am new to the computer recording world and getting overwhelmed at all of the level settings. Can anybody tell me what should be used as a main volume control on the fast track pro (basically the 3 knobs on the right and the two buttons on the right). Also can anybody tell me what the levels on the BX8a speakers should be at on the back? Should programs like Winamp and Media Player levels be up all the way when making these adjustments? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[AndyH]

Input controls are set to give the proper levels in your recording program. If that program provides for floating point files (either 32 or 64 bit), that is what you should be selecting to create new files. With 24 bit A/D you can normally set maximum peaks at -6 to -12 dB, or sometimes lower, and get excellent results, but not all recording is 'normal.' If you are recording something with occasional peaks 40 or 50 dB above 98% of the rest of the input, you probably want to get those peaks as near 0dB as possible. This is the purpose of any gain and level controls on your soundcard box.

Medial Player and Winamp are hardly representative of what you would be playing through to your monitors if recording and then working on those recordings. If you are adjusting a mix in a multi-track program, you set the individual tracks at appropriate levels for your intended results. I've always kept the soundcard mixer at maximum and adjusted the external amplifier (which means the speaker input controls in your case) as necessary. If I play back music through a player program (e.g. Winamp, foobar2000 (I wouldn't touch Media Player with gloves)) I still do all adjustments externally.