I’ve been trying to understand what the actual performance is of my Bartok as a pre into my Bryston 3B3. (Low setting is rated at 100W for 2V 200W at 3.4V). I Listen in near field at .2V out from the Bartok at 0dB for most chamber music and .6V @-5-0dB for orchestral. For some older very dynamic recordings I occasionally bump up to 2V out at -13 to -5dB.
Subjectively, if you asked me what was better: 0dB @ .2V out, -10dB @ .6V out, or -20dB @ 2V out; I’d have a hard time identifying which is better.
However Objectify, I would like to know which volume setting actually measures better.