Optical Input Sensitivity
The input signal level specified for the equalizer’s optical-cartridge input, expressed in millivolts.
Input sensitivity describes the signal level for which an input is rated. It is distinct from the maximum level the input can accept before overload.
Optical Input Sensitivity — Optical Equalizer
For a Phono Optical Equalizer, this figure helps relate the input to the output level of a compatible optical cartridge. Different cartridge designs or generations can provide different signal levels, so the named input and its stated conditions matter.
Read the published value for the optical input, including any reference output where supplied. On a hybrid stage, an MM or MC sensitivity figure belongs to a different input and should not be substituted. A cartridge’s own output specification is also a separate measurement.
Compare sensitivity together with the equalizer’s explicit cartridge compatibility and available gain settings. A matching voltage alone does not prove compatibility, and a lower sensitivity figure does not by itself indicate lower noise or better sound.