JohnW, yes i would normally listen in that range (-25 to -10db) which is from 'i guess people talking volume to loud music volume) ... the only reason why i mentioned -30db or -35db (below that is too low to hear music really - at -50dB it is like very quiet music and at -60db you can barely hear it and at -70db ear must be on the speaker) is cause at -15db pops are really loud through speakers. louder then music (which usually is silent in between songs).
Now i have just tested via Benchmark DAC2 as a pre and S2 playing at -70dB (cant hear music from 3m) ... it popped relatively loud (volume on benchmark used as a pre is almost at max (3pm)) - which is about the same what i get when S2 connect to poweramp directly.
I think there is no mismatch - Bryston delivers full power at about the same level where benchmark as dac delivers full volume and its about the same where Pro-ject DAC S2 does - about 2V rms according to specs. I realised same volume when going through Benchmark as pre for DAC which means it's all good.
Maybe it is my unit doing something specifically wrong ... as i mentioned earlier - pop click does not happen every time when master freq. gets changed but on average half of the time or more i can hear it.
Hi, I've connected S2 back via Benchmark DAC acting as a pre-amp (volume on Benchmark close to max -about 4pm, and volume on S2 on -20dB) - level volumes are to my ears the same when i connect S2 direct to the amp, but pops/click are wee little easier on the ear when going via Benchmark as a pre (or I am imagining).
I set with my iphone flat in my hand 3 meters from the speakers and played 4-5 songs and am including recording here (should be visible to everyone though you might need gmail account - am not certain) here is the link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_dPoeqDKpbvTV9OcTdDR3RWUjg/view?usp=sharing
If playback does not work from the browser, download the file - it should have . .m4a extension and play more or less in most of players.
Songs played are (each for about 3-4 to 10 seconds)
1. Radiohead/Just, 44.1khz
2. Killing me softly with his song/Robert Flack, 192khz
3. Feel it (in the air tonight)/Naturaly 7, 44.1khz
4. Imagine/John Lennon, 96kHz
5. Avalon/Roxy Music, DSD64, played as DOP/DSD64
6. Liberian Girl/Michael Jackson, 96kHz
7. Madonna something, 44.1khz
... order played 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 and then back each song for few seconds.
In most of the changes you can hear click/pop - some of them very loud some just annoying. The worst one is between 3 and 4 about 18seconds in a sample - it is really loud.
Hope this helps a bit.