nl553
What are you recording? vocals, guitar,electric, acoustic? What kind of mic(s) are you using? Are you using the dolby nr when you record? I bought an x-55 a while back, used it one day because a buddy got a mini disc recorder a few days later, but I got stuff to sound pretty good for a 4 track tape recorder and that was using bottom of the line mics, no preamps or anything. definitely not the best thing to record on, but good to play around with, get ideas down on and such. Try getting you levels up into the +2 area or so. It sounds muddier when you use the dolby, but a lot of extra noise if you don't, but less muddy. R_tikul8