Hi John, just found this out for you, looks as though the front right panel knob is digital in the way it send the coding onto the analog side of things. "maybe"
Quote from "The Ear" review
"Mostly the output mode is chosen with the use of DIP-switches or through software. Volume control takes place in the analogue domain within a special chip driven by impulses from the front panel rotary knob."
Maybe you can set this front panel vc low for your max you want (preset), then use the remotes vc as the master vc, if indeed it is analog??
Like I said before Mac can do some crazy things.
Cheers George