I used to have those needles just floating over into the red, for the maximum dynamic range!
My short story on youngsters and tapes ...
When I was at school I renovated my room and put in, among other things, a built-in stereo cabinet. When I went back some 25 years later it was still there (I'd like to think it was because it was so well built), and the kid who had the room complimented me, but asked, "But what's this rack you built next to it for?" Of course it was for cassette tapes, he had no idea what to put in those slots.
