The NAIM has a lot of gain so a typical digital source proabably can drive it to full volume pretty fast. With all the preamps I have owned (CAT, ARC, Joule, Lamm, Dodd) I could not turn any of them past 10:00 on the dial - gain + sensitive amps. Only with a passive could I turn to 12-1:00 - I don't think this is of any concern as lons as you have the ability to control the volume level to the way you like it. I can't imagine any reason the Naim would not be a good match for the Vandersteen. It should, on paper, be an excellent match. The homegenization of relative volume levels of the instruments is odd, nit sure why that would be happening - I think that is what you are describing.