AwesomeSauce2015
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Question 1:
Biamp's Tesira programming software has a way to set the max output level in (I believe) 6dB increments. I am not entirely sure how that works, whether it uses analog pads or if it adjusts the level digitally. I do not notice any difference on headphones in an output from my focusrite DAC through the DSP back to the focusrite headphone amp, vs just listening to the DAC output. Personally I don't obsess too much over SNR, the speakers or headphones will be much worse than any competently-designed electronics in the chain. When building and tuning a system for domestic listening, my goal is to make the system sound good and be psychoacoustically accurate, not necessarily to chase the ultimate in specs.
Question 2:
Last build I did with a Tesira Server IO used 2 Crown 8 channel drivecore 300W amps (Reference). Balanced connections were used even though the cables were only about 3' long, and the amplifiers were calibrated to produce peak output at the full +24 dBu output from the DSP. I did end up running the input attenuators on the amplifiers turned down quite a bit. Personally I would recommend turning down any analog controls on the amp like I did for one good reason: If something happens in the DSP it will limit how much clipping occurs on the amplifier outputs.
(As a note, this was in a house. Four rooms of stereo audio on the first amplifier, and on the second we have 4 JBL commercial speakers for the patio and garage with the spare channels reserved for future addition subwoofers. We already have a few powered subs running over Dante.)
Question 3:
No idea, I have never tried it. I presume that you could load whatever the industry standard FIR format is, but generally I just use the "uber filter" block to implement EQ and then crossover blocks as needed for crossover filters.
In the application I have above, the goal wasn't exactly to have super-duper reference quality audio, it was to have really good (EQ out major resonances and such), properly limited and protected, and most importantly synchronized audio to the TVs around the house. The DSP I have at my computer setup is basically a 3 bus mixer for teleconferencing, music, mixing multiple computers to the outputs, etc.
Another note:
Biamp's documentation is really good, unlike some other companies (cough Crestron cough). I believe there are other places maybe but this one is a good starting point: https://support.biamp.com/Tesira
Does that help?
Edit:
P.S.
If the amplifier cannot handle high input levels then yes turn it down on the DSP, obviously. The Crown amps I was using above will handle the +24dBu output, so long as you turn the attenuators down. My Crown amp handles the +24 dBu input as well, in the low gain setting and with the attenuators turned down because 1200W into a pair of bookshelf speakers would be insane... Not to mention that the neighbors would call the cops.
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