by default the last position when lowering the gain is: Mute.
Well this is not really what i want.
I never use ALC because i use my eyes and experience to predict (the right word?) what the next part of misic will be.
Loud chord of orchestra followed by solo-violin?
Sure.... but NO MUTE, please.
(And i prefer a wheel-type gain-control above the Plus/Min push buttons, because they produce contact-noise.)

But: After all/ this little machine is a nice recording device.