Hi guys:
I was confused about the reference level and am still not sure I fully understand it. I believe that when you play the calibration level (pink noise) through the receiver it is adjusting the 0dB level on the receiver to 75dB sound (in your room). When I play the calibration signals on my Denon, the receiver is automatically setting the "volume control" to 0 dB during the calibration. This is actually indicated on the front display. I never noticed until it was pointed out to me and I had to look closely at the display to see the 0dB setting.
The calibration allows the receiver to detect the recording levels of a DVD, automatically adjust (offset)the receiver for different recording levels and thus correct for these differences.
The 75 dB output of the calibration signal at a volume setting of 0dB is a way of calibrating the receiver. It does not mean that when playing a DVD the speakers will output 75 dB if the volume level of the receiver is set to 0 dB. Far from this, setting the volume to 0dB will generally produce ear-splitting sound.
From what I understand, none of this is applicable to music. This because music recording is not standardized and the level at which any particular CD, SACD or DVDA is recorded is highly variable.
