Well, normalizing is not like a peak limiter. A peak limiter sets a predefined limit and squashes anything that exceeds that limit. Normalizing, on the other hand, takes the highest level and DEFINES that as the peak limit. So, with a peak limiter, YOU decide what the highest level is (and it's adjustable). With normalization, the process finds the highest peak, sets it to "all bits on", and adjusts the entire level accordingly.
With a peak limiter, you could have plenty of material that was not altered in the least by the limiter; with normalization, everything is altered by the same amount.
Now, I don't think I've said anything that hasn't already been made clear; just kind of recapping. However, there are some aspects of gain staging that I'm not very well versed in, but I know they could play a part in this discussion.
I think the ultimate conclusion to draw is: improve your recording methods so that normalization is not needed; thereby keeping your noise floor at as low a level as possible.
(I'm drunk right now, by the way, so feel free to disregard any/all parts of this post that are incoherent, wrong, or simply rub you the wrong way)
((I really like making drunken posts, as well. In the future, I will try to increase my ratio of drunken:sober posts))
Lick my love pump....
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