Mixing at -17dB is this bad?

[Tarekith]

-17dB is less than 3bits resolution if you're using 24bit files as the output, so the increase in the noicefloor shouldn't be that bad at all. Unless you recorded extremely noisey signals to begin with.

Yeah your correct but i dont see why people need to mix at -17
so your loud elements are at -17 and your quite elements are at -30... seems a bit stupid

I agree, it's not something I'd do or recommend by any means, but I don't think it's a huge issue either.