[LAU] Snare drum mic too hot

[Scott]

I've seen some excellent threads lately on studio recording which reminded me of a 
problem I'm having which I'd like to pose to the list...

My snare mic is way too hot while recording.  I have the preamp turned all the way 
down and it's still coming through nearly saturated.  First of all, is this normal for 
a dedicated snare mic?  Second, should I skip the preamp altogether and plug directly 
into my Echo Audio Audiofire12?  Final recordings actually sound really good after 
minimal mixing.  I only add a slight reverb to the final mix, but otherwise it's got a 
great studio sound.

Any tips to give my snare track more headroom?

My kit:
Dell XPS 1210 (1GB RAM, 7.2kRPM drive)
Fedora 10: CCRMA
Ardour+Jack

Echo Audio Audiofire12 
(http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Echo-AudioFire12-12Channel-FireWire-Audio-Interface?sku=247004)
Nady PRA-8 Mic Preamp 
(http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-PRA8-Mic-Preamp?sku=185277)
CAD PRO-7 7-Piece Drum Microphone Pack 
(http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/CAD-PRO7-7Piece-Drum-Microphone-Pack?sku=270749)

-Scott