Just wondering what techniques people use with AD2 (or any of the other drum programs that have their own mixer and separate outs) to eliminate peaking.
 
So here is how I am routed:
AD2 separate outs (e.g. Kick to its own track) --> Drum Bus --> Master Bus --> Interface
Note I do not send the AD2 master to its separate outs, I use the drum bus for that.
 
The mixer settings in AD2 almost always send the Drum Bus and Master Bus into the red.
 
When using AD1 in a similar manner, I reduced the levels in the AD mixer.   Unfortunately, that changed the basic balance of the kit.
 
For AD2, I have been using the gain knob with a set reduction -14db across all channels.  I leave the track faders at 0.
 
I am wondering what others do to tame the levels.

Good post Dave.......I too would like to learn some good techniques in using AD2.

I don't know about AD2, but in BFD2/BFD3, I always reduce all of the mixer faders to -10dB before it hits Sonar, otherwise they are just too hot.
 
You can of course also lower the trim at the top of each channel fader in Sonar but if I do it inside BFD, I  don't have to worry about it afterwards.

I bring out the kick and snare to their own mono tracks, sometimes the hi-hat as well.
I remove these from the AD2 mixer.
The AD2 master out is on its own stereo track.
I reduce the level in AD2 of each kit piece to where it does not clip if necessary.
I kill the room and overheads in AD2 to start the mix and bring these back up as req'd.
In AD1 the kit piece levels always seemed too low. I always had to boost the gain trim in Sonar.
AD2 I find are just about right.

I do it the same way I did with Session Drummer. I select all the drums in track view and ctrl click a volume fader and it brings them all down in a quick group preserving the mix but reducing output to the bus. I watched a video somewhere on doing this with Session Drummer so that is how I got used to doing it.