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PD-X303 CD player output too loud

marini

marini

vinyl-addicted
Hi,

I'm a totally newbie around maintaining anything not mechanic (ie: tape decks), so bear with me. :)
I have a PD-X303 CD player that sounds very loud. I've tried different devices connected to the AUX input of my amplifier (SA-608) and the volume then sounds normal.
Is there anything I can do to check what might be wrong with the CD player, assuming there's actually something wrong with it?

Any help is very much appreciated.

Thanks!

PS: As a bonus, if anyone has its owner's manual to share it would be also wonderful.
 
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Is the sound clear or distorted. It may be completely normal for 2 reasons:

1. - CD players have a higher output than a cassette deck, etc.
2. - Newer CDs are mastered with a LOT of compression and sound even louder... Look up loudness wars on Google.
 
redk9258 said:
Is the sound clear or distorted. It may be completely normal for 2 reasons:

1. - CD players have a higher output than a cassette deck, etc.
2. - Newer CDs are mastered with a LOT of compression and sound even louder... Look up loudness wars on Google.
Click to expand...

It doesn't sound distorted, but it's definitely pretty loud.
 
If there is no distortion can't you just reduce the volume level?

But, I agree with previous post; unlikely there is anything broken, per se.
 
Then you may want to consider line level attenuators between the CD outputs and the receiver inputs.

12dB attenuation would cut the signal by a factor of 4 and give you more adjustment range on the volume control. Whether or not that's enough for you is hard to say. 12dB made a meaningfully useful but not huge difference in volume adjustment range of a headphone amp I had connected to a DAC.

If you are handy you can make voltage dividers/attenuators with a couple resistors per channel or a dual-gang potentiometer. If less inclined you can buy inline RCA jack attenuators, Google "Harrison Labs inline attenuator" for example. Or, buy something like the Schitt Sys which is basically a potentiometer and switch in a nice little case.
 
Last edited:
whoaru99 said:
Then you may want to consider line level attenuators between the CD outputs and the receiver inputs.

12dB attenuation would cut the signal by a factor of 4 and give you more adjustment range on the volume control.

If you are handy you can make voltage dividers/attenuators with a couple resistors per channel or a dual-gang potentiometer. If less inclined you can buy inline RCA jack attenuators, Google "Harrison Labs inline attenuator" for example. Or, buy something like the Schitt Sys which is basically a potentiometer and switch in a nice little case.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. I'm gonna check it out :)
 
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