[LAU] Snare drum mic too hot

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-Fir…) 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-Microphon…) -Scott