If you are talking about the input level to the CMTS it should be 0db. If you are talking about the downstream, or output of the CMTS, then you should set it up with your upconverters to achieve a level equal to other QAMs you may have inserted on your system.
Example: you have a QAM on 651MHz, with a 9db input to your TX, and your modems downstream carrier is at 657MHz, then you can reference your adjacent QAM on 651MHz to set up the split scheme for your modems downstream on 657MHz to get the same input level to your TX's of 9db.