More console emulation questions

Since there's some good discussion about the console emulation, thought I'd throw out a couple of my questions.

If I use it in the chain to master a single rendered track (using the channel on the one track and bus on the master with the other mastering fx), is it having any effect or is the purpose to use in all mix tracks?  The manual says its intent is to use it in a mix with all tracks.  Trying not to spend a lot of time A/B'ing this to a CD to hear if it's doing anything, but maybe that's what needs to be done.

Then there's this from the manual:
Note: The Drive parameter faithfully emulates the behavior of a fader on a real hardware
console when the Drive value is between -6 dB and +2 dB. The Drive range is extended and
goes beyond its hardware counterpart, allowing creative processing when the value is between
+2 dB and +6 dB.



Guess I don't understand the negative value... is this saying that 0 is not really zero emulation but the a neutral emulation and that -6 is like the closest to no emulation?


And I'm still confused on putting the channel as the first or last in the pro channel chain, altho in a master track it won't make a diff cause it's the only thing active.


THanks

Trying not to spend a lot of time A/B'ing this to a CD to hear if it's doing anything, but maybe that's what needs to be done.

+101 Yea, forget about the numbers and just use your ears to to tell you what sounds good.
 
does the CD your A/Bing have the console emulater on it. Just wondering why your comaping the emulater to that CD. If that CD usese it, then just ask the person who mixd it what he did. But if that CD didnt use the console emulater, its pointless A/Bing it using the console emulater. Just go with what sounds good to you.
 
Cj