From: toby@tobiah.org   
      
   I'm intrigued by the new wave of recorders that   
   utilize one ADC set to a low gain, and one set   
   to a higher gain.  Backed by 32bit float, it would   
   seem on the surface that there is no need to adjust   
   gain, and indeed these new models often don't have   
   a way to do that.   
      
   It seems to me though that there might be some   
   compromise there.  Take very quiet sounds - sounds   
   that in this case might only use a half, or quarter   
   or even a tenth of the range of the ADC that is   
   more sensitive.  With a normal recorder, I'd increase   
   the gain to approach the capacity of the ADC.  Now,   
   I get that I don't have to worry about digital noise   
   because of the 32bit float, but on the analog side   
   I'm really just going in with gain set too low for the premp.   
   I mean isn't that why we generally set gain near the top?   
   I generally assume that the best noise performance   
   is achieved at gain levels that bring the signal   
   close to max level for the preamp.  It seems like using the two   
   ADC's is like giving me a low/high gain switch   
   instead of a knob.   
      
   I'm also curious about mid range and high level   
   signals.  Say the signal is strong enough to   
   fill the lower sensitivity ADC half way.  Does   
   the signal use only the output of that one ADC   
   in that case or is the waveform actually patched   
   together using output from both?   
      
   And again, say the signal makes it just 10% of the   
   way into the lower sensitivity ADC.  It seems like   
   this is the same as recording from a regular preamp   
   at low gain levels.  The signal will have to be raised   
   along with the noise floor, which I guess is why we   
   don't usually record with too low a gain level.   
      
      
   Toby   
      
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