Question on component impedance mismatch

@61falcon In the specs, it states that the BDA2 is 2V output at RCA and 4V output at XLR. These are still pretty high values where standard line level can be 500mV. If you are using XLR, try swapping to RCA and see if that makes a difference. If the preamp is on a balanced standard, you should experience less gain (approx -3db) with RCA. 

I recently had this issue with a customer who was pairing their Hifi Rose DAC/streamer to a Margules I-240 integrated amplifier he ended up buying from me. Luckily we learned that though the Hifi Rose was set to 3000mV, output was configurable in 500mV increments in the setting screen. We got it down to 1000mV (1V) and the issues was resolved. 

Wlutke:

There is a volume control and I forgot to employ it. I have a blue sound player that has the option for unadjustable volume, a factory default or variable. when I go to variable the gain is greatly reduced. What's funny is when in the variable volume mode, even at the loudest level, it has much less gain than when it is in the unadjustable volume level(?). 

I am glad to be able to resolve with this simple maneuver, but this raises another question: How is gain adjustable from the streamer when the only thing feeding my DAC is a coaxial digital signal? Less "amplitude" on the ones and zeros? I could understand if I were using the Bludsound internal DAC and then the RCA outs would be adjustable, but I'm not, I've got the external DAC.

Thank you all for your replies.

Glad you got there.