Hi,
out of curiosity I loaded a sample kick in ableton and recorded the same sound through AR.
I matched the volume to -2db on both sounds and turned all FX on AR off.
I expected a difference but I was blown away how much louder(perceived) and fuller the recorded sound from the AR is.
I don’t understand why the big difference? is it because Its analog or the interface of AR?
Was the compression still on on Rytm…?
no everything off!
Might be some colouration of the sound.
Loudness perception is so much more, even with the same readout on a meter.
IIRC someone on this board noticed that having the samp volume maxed out in the sample section introduces nonlinearity. So for a more 1:1 sample playback, keep SAMP vol under 100
IF you are an intermediate performer, producer (you probably don’t have to read that)
Also sorry to @mikeO , i make a general mind thinking here so, SORRY
You made a point here @tsutek with “keep SAMP vol under 100” value 100 to me is like 0dB you can go further and it handle it ! But on a gain stage chain with value 0-127 you shouldn’t use the extra 27 (from 100 to 127) additional at each stage otherwise at the end you will probably have some problem (and worst if you record parts to make arrangement in a DAW to make an EP) 27 + 27 + 27 + 27 
So what ? how we mix then ? hahaha sure put your KICK at 100 on every gain stage, crank up you monitors, mixer, main amp (not machine amp) and then mix the other elements… and lower the general master of your machine… headphones and you can’t ? buy a dedicated headphones amp, your headphone will sound better than ever anyway
I really take care of that, i prefer to maintain a clean sounding rather to “analog over coloring” (in digital we would say clipping)… Because you can really make all you want to do THEN because you have a clean sounding with headroom. Also when i use compression i tend to take care to have the same amount dB before/after compression so when i compare i heard exactly what compression add… otherwise compression act only as an extra gain (and it doesn’t make sense except in LIVE configuration, in that case you try to make the most of your master and you should see that with sound engineer who handle the Live show) to coloring i use overdrive, distortion, EQ everything who gives color and same i take care of the extra dB it should inject, same for the reverb… it’s always add something and you usually need to adjust your mixing reference (i mean lower the volume on that part you add reverb because reverb gives 1 or 2db compared to before… otherwise you will up the other parts, and up and up and up it’s just bad audio work).
By the matter of fact i prefer to crank up the main AMP volume, the one give the sound i heard when i’m working. So if headphones i have an dedicated amp headphones on my mixer… and if it’s on monitoring i have amp monitors and mixer and that’s where i will try to get my extra dB. Create is generally ok at medium high level (not too long) but for mixing you really need to force you to mixing at Low level. The quality of the MIX is always better at low, medium level…
NB: when i watch video on you tube guys are all at 127, general volume at MAX… i really find that sad it doesn’t make any sense to me… like DJ all in RED that’s the same. And people who said man this mixer is so nice sounding when over coloring at MAX i said walkman young talked before everything.
Protect your hears too, we all love music so much !!! it will be a shame when at 60 years (or before) old you won’t be able to hear the music you love. (also if your career start late, and you only have 15years to make the most of it, same it doesn’t’t make any sense) you will lose so much ! 
a pitty