I'm having a bit of trouble understanding why I need to turn down the output level of the "audio source" so much to avoid the yellow LEDs from lighting up more than just occasionally. I mean turning down the output level that much also means the level of the recorded audio is pretty low. Of course you can normalize after recording, but that also raises the noise level.Input LEDs 1-8: These LEDs indicate input signal level for each of the eight channels.
The three colors indicate levels as follows:
Green: -60 dBFs
Yellow: -12 dBFs
Red: - 1 dBFs
Ideally, input levels should be set so that the yellow LED lights occasionally, the red LED seldom or never.
For example I've connected the output of the onboard soundcard of my multimedia pc to the inputs of the Luna breakout box of my other pc (see specs in my signature). I'm playing a CD with the Windows Media Player and I have turned down the volume to 21 (max volume is 100). The meters of the STM 1632 reach about -8, so shouldn't I be able to raise the output level a lot to get closer to 0 dB? But if I raise the volume of the WMP to about 66, then the yellow LEDs are lighting up almost constantly. The recorded audio seems fine though.
Were Creamware being a bit too cautious with that "occasionally"? Will I be fine as long as I avoid the red LEDs from lighting up?