HK volume level max?

[Randos]

Does anybody know how HKs determine the maximum volume allowed to be set? On my HK AVR 230 it seems completely random to me. For different recordings and different sources it seems to fluctuate. For example, I have gotten some MP3s up to +10dB yet some limit me to +3dB and all areas inbetween. Movies seem to fluctuate as well around the same area (sometimes allowing a +11dB). There must be some logical explanation. My noneducated guesses are that a.) the receiver senses clipping and will not allow you to continue to turn the volume up b.) recording qualities have an effect or c.) I'm retarded.

 

[MDS]

It's neither A nor B nor C (and really C is being way too hard on yourself. )

It has to do with where your volume trims for each channel are set. From the manuals for HK I've read, it is highly configurable and requires you to set up EACH input. Unlike most receivers where your channel levels apply to ALL inputs. So if different inputs have different channel level settings, that would account for the difference.

My Onkyo uses the absolute volume scale and when the channel trims are all set to zero, the range is from 0-80. After calibration, the front channel levels are set to +5. Now the max volume setting is 75.