xdj-rx: What is best for recordings: Gain up to +5 or Audacity "normalize"?

I personally record as close to 0db as possible and then normalize/amplify in Audacity to get a good clean level.

did you compare the 0db + normalize via Audacity-method to the other way of gaining up to + 5db? 

Can post-correction via "normalize" in Audacity worsen the quality of the record? Isn't gaining not the more "natural way"?

If you don't set the Gain to high you have more space during recording to fix error later in audio editor.
Audio Normalization: soundquality wise you should set max peak never to 0db. Set your level to -1dB or lower (-2dB), when you want to encode you recording with AAC or MP3. Because during encoding volume level can get small bit higher, during effect from audio encoder.

@ pulse:

What is this: "volume" function? There isn't anything in Audacity called "volume" function, as far I know.

Do you mean: Use gain knob turning up of your xdj rx instead of Audacity, because Audacity always compresses sound with functions like "normalize" & "amplify"? And compressed sound always is of worse quality? Is this you want to say?

@djfreak > Sorry, it used to be called the "Volume" function, now it's labeled "Amplify."

Your peaks should always be MUCH lower than 0 or -1dB (in recording) as digital clipping is unforgiving. Better to record with the headroom and then amplify it after the fact.