Of course the output of the CD player depends on how loud the recorded music is when you measure it. Two volts is the maximum rms voltage from a CD player when all 16 bits of the CD media are used, and this is called the 0 dB level. 20 dB down from this is an easier-to-use "-20dB reference" level.
A Denon test CD (CO-75046) is very useful for evaluating signal levels. I have been doing this just recently to set up my Behringer DEQ2496 digital equalizers. These have 24 bit A/D and D/A, but if the signal level going through the DEQ is too low you may only be using 8 bits or so...not good. I now have my gains adjusted so that when I play a typical disc the peak level (overall for the whole disc which is loged by the DEQ) is in the range of -6 to -3 dB. In other words, very high but no clipping. This is a lot like setting level for a tape recording.
One track on the Denon CD (#39)is a siren at 997 Hz and recorded at the maximum 0 dB level. My Denon 2900 player puts out 2 volts rms for this track. During most musical passages the player output is only a few hundred millivolts.
A Denon test CD (CO-75046) is very useful for evaluating signal levels. I have been doing this just recently to set up my Behringer DEQ2496 digital equalizers. These have 24 bit A/D and D/A, but if the signal level going through the DEQ is too low you may only be using 8 bits or so...not good. I now have my gains adjusted so that when I play a typical disc the peak level (overall for the whole disc which is loged by the DEQ) is in the range of -6 to -3 dB. In other words, very high but no clipping. This is a lot like setting level for a tape recording.
One track on the Denon CD (#39)is a siren at 997 Hz and recorded at the maximum 0 dB level. My Denon 2900 player puts out 2 volts rms for this track. During most musical passages the player output is only a few hundred millivolts.
