Hey big Perm,
i suggest cranking your stereo and practicing there. the cal-pots are not calibrated as i understand it so you have to get a feel for it. small turns each side, and i mean small. i ran 118>mme>dap1 for about 3 years. i have never run it out of a soundboard, but i got pretty used to using the mme with mics. take it slow, and remember that banging the occasional reds is actually ok. your deck will show over, when the mme is not clipping. it has a ton of head room. i think the a/d is one of the best, and i understand why you got it. Since i have bought a p2 and went tapeless, i only run it occasionally anymore, like at lobos shows when i have access to sound check. you will get the feel of it, but really small turns, or you will spike one side or the other. good luck, should be a good combo with the v2.
richard