The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

>2) What level do you normally set the output volume on your AN1x? I've
always set it on full >and hoped the headroom was sufficient enough not to
clip. I've noticed that on some patches I'm >actually getting extra
(unwanted) distortion. Maybe I should re-save the patch with a lower
>volume-parameter setting so that it doesn't clip from the main volume. What
do you people think >about volume settings on musical instruments? Maybe the
pre-amps on my AN1x are slowly >deteriorating.

This is debateable, but as an electronics person I would recommend pots to
be up 2/3 to 3/4 full.  This provides headroom for the amplifiers due to the
problem that not all line impedances are the same and by limiting the drive
on the final transistors you are preventing them from staring wide open into
whatever impedance is on the line.  Some would argue that providing the most
amount of voltage down the line at any one time is the best way to keep the
signal to noise ratio high.  This is true, but distortion from overdriven
finals or inputs can be nastier than a little loss of signal in the chain.

One further point about the AN1x as well as almost any synth: Signal levels
can be overdriven internally according to patch settings.  Digital or
analog, there are usually some setting combinations that can result in
distortion (the nasty kind).  One of the beauties of digital patch storage
is that you can store all your patches with a similar output level
(usually), this way you don't have to adjust the mixer every time a new
patch is called up.