Topic: ARC USB which volume is actually controlled?

Just received my ARC USB- totally great product- thanks RME!
I looked at the block schematic of my FF800 to see where the main volume is actiually leveled. It's after the "Total Mix" block and before the DAC. I reduced the input gain on my active monitors already to min (-15db) and still my mastergain strip in Total Mix is around -40db for my actual listening loudness.
I was just calculating- while listening to 16bit audio with a 40dbfs attenuation before the DAC- does that mean I'm listening to audio with at a resolution of ~9bit? (taking 6dba dynamic range equaling 1 bit resolution depth)
It doesn't sound bad at all, but maybe there's a smarter way to set up my monitoring...
Thanks in advance, Axel

2

Re: ARC USB which volume is actually controlled?

Did you also lower the output hardware ref level of the FF 800 in its Settings dialog?

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=25399

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: ARC USB which volume is actually controlled?

Good read, thanks for your reply Matthias!
My few outboard hardware needs the general gain setting to be "hi gain", so I just ordered some attenuators.