I just ran tests on the input levels allowed for the various gain
settings on an AM-F80 and am happy to report that the clipping problems
previously reported for other devices do not exist.  It can accept a
signal as large as 2 Vrms on line in without clipping and at the other
extreme can boost a .0004 Vrms signal to full scale at the mic-hi
setting (not very quietly but there isn't much that can at that gain.) 
That is a total full scale gain range of 74 dB which is very impressive
and pretty much qualifies this as a portable, metered, back-lit, stereo
pre-amp in its own right used from input to monitor out in record pause
mode.  It would be a perfect front end to a Nomad JukeBox for example.

A summary is as follows:

 Line: ranges from 2 Vrms maximum which is full scale at level 6
       down to .372 Vrms which is full scale at level 20.
       1 dB per level exactly.  No standard line out device should
       clip line-in of the AM-F80

 Mic-low: ranges from 210 mVrms which is full scale at level 5
          down to to 13.2 mVrms which is full scale at level 20.
          2 dB per level approx.

 Mic-High: ranges from 166 mVrms which is full scale at level 0
           down to .4 mVrms which is full scale at level 20
           2 dB per level approx.

From the above it can be seen that if it is necessasary to go below
level 6 set at line (2 Vrms) you will clip but that is a signal from
hell that would clip most gear.  If it is necessasary to go below level
5 on mic-low you will clip and should switch to line.

It should be possible to use this device without an external pre-amp to
cover the entire range of mic sensitivities and recording situations. 
It does get noisy at high gain settings but I don't know much that
doesn't at 74dB gain.

Oh, I amost forgot the best part.  Recording the swept sinusoid signal
used by Acoustic Mirror going round trip through a recording using only
the analog channels shows its response to be down 1 dB at 25 Hz, 1 dB at
20 kHz and ruler flat in between.  It's usable response goes at least to
22050 Hz.  Remarkable.  I don't think I could get better in my chain if
I removed the AM-F80 and wrapped the gozoutas to the gozintas of my
DS2416 recorder/mixer card.


Bob  
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