Turntable volume help

Let's remember first that the further a volume pot is turned down, the less linear it is. If you can run the volume pot wide open, that is the closest that you can get to no volume pot at all. So no need to worry about running the volume pot at that top of its range.

The real problem is with the CD mandated output of 2V. They set this as a standard so that the CD would sound louder than other line level sources, such as tuners, tape decks, Elcasette decks, etc. And louder than most MM cartridges played into the standard phono gain of 40db. Why? Louder was better in the showroom. First generation CDs sounded pathetic, but it was one way to showcase "perfect sound forever".

What to do? Simple, turn up the volume, there is nothing wrong with your rig. Most rigs that have both CD replay and LP replay will have the CD sound louder, mine certainly does.

Not sure I'm buying that. My CA 840C CD player had an average output of 400 mV (measured) for most CD program material (single ended). That is on order with a phono stage running 40 dB gain and 4 mV cartrige output.

Thanks again for all of the input! After much consideration & speaking with jolida, I have decided to return the rega & go for a higher quality phono preamp. I ended up ordering a jolida jd-9. Hopefully this should resolve my volume dilemma & get better tone in the process.

Viridian, I fully agree with your post. I believe the digital era is sacrificing music quality for volume. A great example is all of the digi pak remasters of great classic rock albums you'd see at Best Buy & such. I blindly bought a copy of the Police "Zenyatta Mondatta" because it was cheap. Sounded terrible.

But I grew up with CD's & I like my music loud, so there lies my issue. I love the life & dynamics in vinyl that you just cannot achieve listening to a cd or mp3. I would just enjoy it more at a louder volume.

Has anyone else experienced newer pressed vinyls seem quieter than new ones? I recently got some Mars Volta albums that seem really quiet compared to a lot of older stuff that I have.

I have to crank the level for LPs using a pretty standard output SS preamp (Kavent S-33) with a Cambridge 640P phono pre...balanced out into a Jolida 502P. That said, it's the same level adjustment difference as my SS power amp had and I mute when LPs finish anyway. I would worry if I ran out of knob (a highly technical term) on the preamp, but it's still clean. The Adventures of Knob Turner.