wrote:

--------------------------


The reason I liked the Sony carousels
is that for several model years they
had variable line output - controlled via
the headphone jack volume. Something
about my music sounded better when
I used variable line out set about 1/2 to
3/4 of the way up, vs. full output through
the fixed outs, and just turned my
receiver volume up a bit higher.


** The max output level of CD players was specified (by the famous Red Book) as 2Vrms to make sure the possible signal to noise ratio was not compromised by noise.

This was 10dB to 20dB higher that most other signal sources, like tuners and cassette decks.

Amps and receivers made since 1983 normally have special CD inputs that accommodate the higher level but earlier stuff often does not fare too well - possibly suffering overload at the input and/or making the normal volume control settings very low.



...... Phil