There is a function to put the DAC-mode directly at 0dB output like the old version, it's a hidden menu option (check the manual, I haven't tried it yet)...
Thank you, Hawkeye!
In v2, there is indeed a new option in the setup menus to control the behavior of the remote control's "Line Out" (DAC) button. Paraphrased it says:
"Option 7: Lineout Mode Setting
d-0 : Pre-amplifier Mode (default) [Line output is attenuated according to the current volume setting]
d-1 : DAC Mode [Line output is not attentuated]"
Attached are three pictures showing the new "v2" manual pages (in English). Highlighted in yellow are the things that changed from the v1 manual. (I can compare the manuals because I still have one of the dead v1 units.)
Also highlighted in red is a line that applied to v1, but should have been removed from the v2 manual. Paraphrasing again:
"Repeatedly pressing the DAC button [on the remote control] toggles between DAC mode and Pre-amplifier mode."
This behavior no longer applies to v2. In v2 the function of the DAC button is controlled by Option 7 in the setup menu. Repeatedly pressing the DAC button has no effect.
So, the solution to my nuisance problem of needing to crank the volume knob from -30 to 0 and back again is to just set Option 7 to "d-1".
It works! In headphone mode the volume is controlled by the DX3 Pro, and in DAC mode the speaker volume is controlled by my external amplifier.
Perfect! Well, not quite. It would still be better to remember two separate volume settings. In DAC mode, my amp is now running at just 5% of maximum power. But this is definitely an improvement.
@TP-Wong
I only got a few hours of listening time before my DX3 Pro died, but I already have some suggestions for v2...
(3) I was disappointed that the front panel display does not continuously show the sampling rate. Since this number dominates the D10's display I *assumed* (silly me) that it would also be continuously displayed by the DX3 Pro... Please modify the display in v2 so that it always shows the signal type, sampling rate, and bit depth. Some of us want to know what the input signal is...
As I experimented with DAC mode (Option 7, setting "d-1"), I discovered that it changes the display on the front panel to show the sampling rate instead of the volume (see picture below). Just like I asked for last month. Haha! Turns out this was a feature of v1 all along. I just never got to see it because both of my v1 units died within hours.
Anyhow, Mr. Wong, you can cancel this request. The feature is already there.
Note: The v2 manual explains this in the "Details of output mode" table on page 5 titled (see picture 3 below). You just gotta read the fine print...