I have a 3 head Carver tape deck, and with any tape deck it will work good
to have your level set so that the average hits 0db and the loud parts +3db
maximum. Different manufacturers set different 0db point (db is a relative
measure) and sometimes it's good to go a little above (especially with CDs).
The best in your case, since you have a 3 head tape deck, is to monitor your
output directly (that's the point of a 3 head, to know in real time exactly
what is being put on the tape). You should have a monitor button that says
"source/tape", switch it to tape, and have the OUT of the tape deck
connected to the IN of your amplifier, and blast your amp pretty loud (it's
easier to spot distorsion when volume is loud). Then, use your ears and EQ
or adjust volume adequately, in real time.
About noise-reduction: if you use type IV tapes (metal) on a good deck,
don't use any Dolby NR. Even when making copies I wouldn't use any Dolby NR
either, because lots of people you'll give the tapes to won't bother to
switch THEIR Dolby NR on, and thus will get a bad hiss on the high end...
just talking from experience. If you have Bias control, bump up the bias a
bit on metal tapes (well, at least it works for me).
OBAJ: in the above text, replace all occurences of the word "tape" with
"acid-jazz tape".
later...
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