amp sounds better at max gain?

i'm running a steinberg MR816X into audeze MM-500's

noticing that if i turn volume down on quicktime, logic, whatever app
and turn the headphone amp all the way up
it sounds more dynamic and way better at the same perceived volume

in comparison, app at 0db and headphone amp turned down halfway, it sounds "smaller" while being the same perceived volume

how much precedent is there for this? is this common? i'm new to thinking abt/judging headphone amps

 

It depends on a case by case basis as it comes down to quality of the digital attenuation and the analog attenuator in question.

When I used to use the Chord Hugo2 and Mojo2 in my desktop system, I preferred the analog attenuation (Alps RK27 and TDK 601 potentiometers) on my amps over the digital attenuation on the Chord devices, despite Chord’s claim that their digital attenuation is highly advanced and that it would be the better way to attenuate in a chain.

Kind of a similar story when I tried the digital attenuation on different applications like Jriver Media Center, Apple Music etc. I should note the drop in quality wasn’t apparent when attenuating just a little. It was when I started to approach the half way mark that I started to hear the drop in quality.