My speakers don't have a SAM file, and never will, so I have only tried my 800 once with SAM, with KEF LS50s, and the volume control behaved exactly the same whether SAM was on or off, no pops.
Probably something wrong with the configuration files in your 800, at a guess.
Beware of +5dB though, 0dB is 800 watts with full digital modulation, which many pop CDs are cut up to. With pop CDs +5 dB may be clipping and will certainly be L-O-U-D with any speaker.
FWIW I listen to my Tune Audio Animas at -40dB to -25dB, depending on recording and how loud I want to listen, and with my Goldmund Epilogs -30dB to -15dB.
The little KEFs obviously needed more but I have never needed anywhere near full whack.
