Qute + nDAC - how to most efficiently mute?

Hi, I've got my nDAC yesterday and now I've made the connections b/n the components a little bit different as I had them with the demo nDAC. However, this made some differences in the operation as follow:

My demo setup was - all my dig sources (dvd player + sky receiver) were connected to Qute. Qute through DC1 on nDAC, nDAC with DIN to my Nait XS (hdd input). The Nait XS was set to uniti gain for convenience to control the volume only through Qute. Additionally Qute was connected to AV on Nait XS through RCA-DIN.

Now I changed it, so that all dig sources are connected to nDAC directly, Qute is disconnected from Nait XS and it is not set to uniti gain anymore. The connections b/n Qute - nDAC - Nait XS are the same as in the demo setup.

With the demo setup I was able to mute Qute on all inputs and its volume control was deactivated and set to 0 after enabling the dig out. Now muting Qute with dig input does not have any effect on the dig out anymore (the screen will be turned off), so I have to switch to analog to "turn off" the unit. Opposite to the demo setup the volume control is active, even if it does not have any effect.

Somehow I liked the behaviour with the demo setup more, so my first question is, is the changed behaviour of Qute after changing the interconnections by design (no signal mute + volume control working, but without effect) or do I make something wrong with the interconnections? The second question is, if the first is OK what's the most effective way to "turn off" the components - Qute to analog and mute + mute on Nait xs?

TIA,

Ilko