Gain and mixing

[StylusEpix]

I've got a Behringer UB1002 mixer. I was wondering if I should avoid putting the gain all the way up at any single gain stage. I understand it's not such a good idea to have the mic preamps too high, but what about all the other gain stages: each channel level control, the main mix fader and the headphones control.

Will I get better audio quality if I set each control to give me moderate gain levels rather than having one near maximum and the other much lower ? In other words, is there a sound degradation when adding a lot of gain in a single stage ?

Also, what volume should I use on my sound card, maximum for both inputs and outputs, or a bit short of maximum ? My goal, when recording, is always to get the highest levels without clipping - but I can get to these levels with many different gain structures...

Thanks !

[hasbeen]

I always try to use the trim level to keep my faders at Unity, which should say U or 0 on the console. I start by soloing the channel, setting the fader at unity, and then using trim to adjust the channel's volume just under or on the border of clipping. This way I get a hot signal, and have headroom on the board after it is recorded.

[freak1c]

gain staging,when recording put yer channel faders at optimal level (the zero line) and adjust yer input gain at the preamp, use faders after that if you need to, as a fine adjustment. when mixing down to 2 track put master fader at zero.
if the first gain stage is low for example,and the second is turned way up, it will raise the noise floor because the second gain stage is amplifying that low level ( poor signal to noise ratio), so a lot of what is getting turned up is the noise floor.
i suggest keeping recording levels at -6 digital, not all the way up to zero because that causes the built in (not very high quality) limiter to kick in,and you'll get full depth at that level anyway,you don't need to take it all the way to zero (digital recording,and digital devices in general)

[freak1c]

and of course clipping is less a concern at -6.

[freak1c]

-6 on the meters, not the faders.