I just hooked up my husband's turntable to our stereo receiver and the volume is very low. Is that inherent in the unit, or am I missing something?

The only output from the turntable is the low-level signal from the cartridge. Most likely, the receiver you've hooked it to doesn't have a phono input. Many receivers today don't come with one, and if you connect the turntable to a line-level input you get either very low volume or none at all, depending on the cartridge. What you'll need is a turntable preamp to boost the output to line level so the receiver will work properly. Radio Shack still carries a preamp, available online and in some stores. You can also find preamps online (here's one at Amazon). With the preamp connected you can use any free input on the receiver.

Speakers direct to a turntable? Was that in the manual? I'd think some electronics with amplifiers and volume controls might be useful.

Some make and model numbers would have helped.

A traditional turntable requires a preamp inline with it to PRE amplify and frequency-balance (*) the minute signal produced by it's cartridge. Most stereo receivers and preamps have Phono connections and internal preamplification strictly for that purpose. Lacking a Phono Preamp you will have unusuable very low, tinny sound.

* Google "riaa equalization" for some background

Some of the newer turntables come with selectable internal preamplification to solve the lack of it in modern equipment.

Volume is always handled at the electronics.

It's the nature of the all-in-one turntable beast to be low fi and low performance. Too much volume and vibration would feed back through the turntable.

It does have a Line Out that you could slave over to REAL electronics and speakers.

Are you feeding the signal into the PHONO input? If not, then the volume will be very low. Make sur it is a PHONO input, not all receivers have them now.

check a button on the front labeled 'straight' or 'direct'

Does your receiver have a dedicated phono input? If not you'll need to use a preamp between the turntable and receiver. Your other turntable may have a preamp built in and the Technics not.

If this does not help, please post the brand and model of both your receiver and your other turntable.

If you receiver doesn't have phono inputs,you will need to buy an inline phono amplifier.Phono inputs have a built in amplifier,all others don't.Try Crutchfield.com.If they don't carry them,they will tell you who does.

You have a VERY nice turntable! TWO quick questions: 1) How do you define "minimal" volume? It is not NECESSARILY unusual that your turntable / receiver combination will have lower volume than your tuner, CD or DVD player. What happens when you CRANK IT UP?! Don't worry about the position of the volume control! 2)Are you changing the turntables output settings via the switch under the platter? Please post a reply and we'll go to the next step! Note: Ceramic cartridges are pretty much extinct. They were strictly low-end, low-cost, low-fidelity devices used in cheap audio systems of "yesteryear". Have you ever seen a BSR or Garrard turntable? Or your grandad's Magnavox Console Stereo? THAT'S where you'd find a ceramic cartridge!