3. i want to try it out at home, but the problem is, i wont know what the meter should look like so i wont know how to change it if it is a problem. the bars jump back and forth during loud and soft parts, but what is it supposed to look like? how do i know when i got it where it should be?
4. i have AGC-safety (clip) on. but i still dont know what to set the left and right gain to. you said to put it up to the max? so at 48.0 dB? i saw in this thread: http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,76601.msg1021885.html#msg1021885 where gloco said "I typically never go past +20db of gain when running with a chris church bbox (no preamp) for loud concerts." and thats what im doing. i got the chris church BAT-2B and no preamp, and i will be at loud rock shows. so is +20db a good bet for both left and right gain?
5. you said "You'll want the best gain on both channels." yes, but how do i know what the best gain is? thats my problem, idk how to tell what this stuff should be like
3. Again, how the meters look like is just for your own visual confirmation. If the meter shows enough detail for you, you're good to go. Fiddle around with the settings while playing music on your stereo until you're satisfied. Remember, this
won't change the sound, just the look of the meters.
4. You found the right thread! Starting +20dB is a good yardstick, so you don't risk going into the digital gain range. AGC-safety will adjust each channel for you individually, so there's nothing to worry about. Anyway, it's just a matter of a few seconds until it adjusts the levels below clipping. As I said, if you do this during the support act, you're good to go!
5. If you're uncertain, plug in a set of headphones and monitor a test recording while taping at home. Let your ears be the judge. After running a test tape, transfer the WAV to your computer and look at the peaks in Audacity. Listen again. Does any clipping occur? Are the levels too low? No - then you're good to go!