Perhaps I should have been more clear.
The underlying issue I was getting at is: what is the
resolution of the A/D converter on the JE520 and
how is that affected by adjusting the record level
*after* the signal has been converted to digital?
Let's say you increase it by 12 dB. I think that means
you end up with two less bits of resolution that if you'd
have increased the level by 12 dB *before* the A/D.
My observation to date is that this effect is fairly
subtle on most program material.
Let's say you decrease it by 12 dB. Does the A/D
have enough headroom to sample a signal that's 12 dB
hotter than normal? My observation is that the A/D
*does* clip in this situation; the loss of dynamic range
is clearly audible on just about any material.
My point is this: it seems that to get optimum performance
out of the A/D, it seems best to put a potentiometer at
the analog input of the deck. BTW -- If you use a
pot with a conductive plastic element, this will minimize
any degradation. In my opinion, such a setup would
be far better than operating the A/D at a non-optimum
level.
Digital record level adjustment seems to be the wave of
the future; it's less expensive for the manufacturer since the
hardware to do it is already there. It's a firmware issue.
I'm not so sure that the end user, who just wants to turn
a knob to adjust the level, can understand the tremendous
potential for negative effects without first having an understanding
of the technical aspects of digital audio.
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