Audio output/headroom question

[gamer2600]

Just got my Denon 2309 on Friday and have been spending the weekend messing around with it. I bought new speakers as well Aperion Audio 5.1 setup although I do not have my sub yet cause it is on back order.

I feel like I am not getting the output/headroom I should be getting and maybe it is because I don't have the sub hooked up or maybe it is because I didn't do the Auydessy setup yet. It just doesn't seem like it is as loud as it should be. The receiver goes from -80db to +something (haven't turned it all the way up), but it doesn't get any decent volume until I reach about -10db to -6db. Is that normal? Do you think this will change when I do the auto EQ setup and get the sub in there.

NOTE: Right now I have a Comcast box with HDMI going into the receiver and a PS3 with HDMI going into the receiver and then one HDMI going to TV from the receiver's output. The PS3 is set to output Linear PCM over HDMI.