Thank you Soundhound for your reply. I agree that +10db is not a realistic volume, but can you please try this on your A/V system and let me know if you also get audible hiss at listening position?

I got this idea of testing from Gonk's 950 User Review, which is very informative and had helped me a lot in purchasing my new HT components, and some messages on this forum. It doesn't seem that there are other people who have the similar level of hiss with 950 after the Blue DOT fix.

I have tried to swap the cables between my CD player, the 950 and the 755 last night, but didn't see any difference on the hiss with all kinds of combinations.

Don't want to panic too much here about this hiss thing because it is not an issue at my normal listening volume, just hate to think I might have got a unit with defect and try to rationalize it.

Any other fellow 950 owners who could share your experience/opinions/suggestions with me? Thank you in advance.