Kevin,
Reducing the gain increase the SNR?

Well, I can see how you might think that, and I could also see how you would get there, but I don't think that's true for most cases.

If you reduced all the tracks by 50dB, and then increased the main outs by 50dB to bring the signal up to 0dBFS, then yeah, you're probably decreasing the SNR. But, you aren't. You're decreasing the signal strength enough to allow you the headroom for your effects, which still should bring the individual tracks up to an aggregate output of 0dBFS. If you effects require so much gain that you need to reduce the track level by 50dB, that's going to sound really weird, and probably not good. At least, not for the kind of music I record.

Mac, or some of the other more knowledgeable people may chime in and correct me.

Gary

I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!