I doubt you will ever achieve harmony using one set of controls as the above is correct that LPs signal is more often the weaker and yes, some CDs are louder than others. the above issues don't bother me as much as watching FOX and then a commercial comes on...
I have corrected this a bit with my McIntosh CR12 AV center. It has four preamps built into it and I can pre-adjust the volumn level to match the source. If I want higher volumn from a particular source I increase it at the source so that the CR12's settings remain constant for each source.
The issue with louder CDs is what it is. I can adjust that at my CD player(it has voulmn control) if it is too much of a nuisance.
I have corrected this a bit with my McIntosh CR12 AV center. It has four preamps built into it and I can pre-adjust the volumn level to match the source. If I want higher volumn from a particular source I increase it at the source so that the CR12's settings remain constant for each source.
The issue with louder CDs is what it is. I can adjust that at my CD player(it has voulmn control) if it is too much of a nuisance.