How do the inputs on the windows mixer work?

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

I'm trying to give advice on gain staging for people who do not have actual recording interfaces, but normal PC soundcards, USB mics, etc. I'm telling them to keep windows mixer volumes (for inputs) at 100 in order to record using the maximum word length, but I just realized this advice is based off an assumption that the windows mixer (again, for inputs) isn't controlling the gain in the analog stage before the ADC.

Does the windows input mixer somehow digitally control preamp gain on these shitty soundcards, or does it simply control gain after it's been turned into a digital form? I know for a fact that output volume should be at turned to 100 (all the way up) and they should use their speakers volume knobs to adjust volume, but for input this is kind of a mystery to me, and I hope I'm not giving bad advice.

 

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

I'll condense my questions down for clarity: Does the windows mixer gain for "mic in" control anything pre ADC? If a USB mic doesn't have a volume knob, does it have a preset preamp gain, or is the preamp gain controlled with the windows mixer?

 

[Uhdinator]

Get a cheap recording interface thats 24 bit. thats why they make them. Computer sound cards are 16 bit crap. You will have nothing but Latency issues trying to record with the onboard sound card.

 

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

Get a cheap recording interface thats 24 bit. thats why they make them. Computer sound cards are 16 bit crap. You will have nothing but Latency issues trying to record with the onboard sound card.

It sounds like you failed to even read my question. Thanks for your answer that has nothing to do with my question though. I already have a 24 bit recording interface.