I use an elevated level (+15dbu for digital full scale) on the output of my preamp into my electronic crossover to hit the crossover harder. This is because the crossover uses video buffer ICs with relatively high noise, but they sound wonderful. The inputs to the power amplifiers are attenuated to make up for the increased signal level at the crossover stage.

I don't know if this is what you are doing, but like my setup, if you are presenting a component with a higher than normal input level, that must be reduced later either by attenuation or by the following component having abnormally low gain in order for this procedure to work at all.