Matt -
Thanks for bringing this up.
Using the internal volume control of MC 17 with somewhat sensitive speakers(94dB), even with a poweramp sporting only 22dB gain, I've effectively reached my listening level limit with a volume setting slightly above 20%(already at 10% one senses a "looming tsunami" of SPL..!), and I'd therefore welcome a lower output in the first half of the volume slider. With MC's internal volume control as is I have so far seen it necessary to bypass it, and instead (successfully) uses my nuForce DAC-9 volume control(which is "digitally controlled in the analogue domain," whatever that means).
However, I'd like to experiment more with the internal volume control of MC17(in bypassing the one in my DAC), if a finer "granularity" of the first half of the meter(volume slider) is implemented.