[ProAudio] Microphones question--Mic preamp gain and optimum mic output level

[Scott Dorsey]

For many years you could make the argument that the lowest level usable
on a typical A/D was limited by linearity problems rather than noise, and
so for a long time people weren't really all that worried about converter
noise since the "correlated noise" which is to say distortion was a more
significant issue.

Times sure have changed, and now linearity is pretty good and an approach
like you describe might actually be workable.
--scott