Hi Guys,
The selection of output voltage should be done mainly in accordance with what the connected device is supposed to handle - whether that be a preamp or power amps / active speakers. They will have a maximum input voltage above which their input will be saturated and driven into clipping.
For example. I have a lovely old Krell KSA50 here that I can run with a 6v output but if I go over -10db on the volume control then it starts to clip on peaks, setting that to 2v means that I basically have to go 10db higher on the volume to get the same level but I don’t hit clipping.
If you are going into a preamp then simply set the volume on the (in this case) Rossini to 0db and select the appropriate output voltage so as not to overdrive the inputs to your preamp (some older kit have inputs that saturate at 1v RMS so in that case you might end up using the .6v option)…
Now, you CAN do a bit of tweaking using the output voltage selector too (which is what Jim is doing above) … lets say that you have your lovely setup but that most of the time you have sufficient reserve power in hand that you are listening with the volume well down down at -50db (or whatever) then you can try setting the output voltage to a lower level (.6v or .2v) to enable you to bump your normal listening level further up the volume scale and you MAY feel that you prefer the sound of this.
Ultimately it’s what sounds best TO YOU without overloading the input to your downstream equipment…
(…and yes, I know that in my childlike heart I much prefer seeing my Rossini sat playing at -11db rather than at -1db because it lets me think that I’m not pounding my system as hard as I know that I am doing but knowing that in venturing beyond -10db I’m likely to start clipping the amp on 0db peaks is also worrying.)
Cheers
Phil