that makes me convinced i got it wrong !
anyway, standing my ground
use a patch bay or splitter cables to send the audio direct to input 1+2 and also record the OT feedthrough on 3+4 so both recordings are contemporaneous - i also had a quick listen to A4 and OT dir’d A4 w same headphones, until I added a big dollop of gain the OT sounded limp, so I think the DIR passthrough at 127 still leaves the signal short by 12db - based on headphone evidence, but once gain was evened out iit sounded less alarming but there was more airiness to the A4 direct, it was a rushed 2min test so not thorough or blind - i do hope these reports of squashed sound people are reporting isn’t just because the level has dropped, it does sound underwhelming as well as quiet at -12db !
Edit : Inputs not attenuated on OT, see here