So I just got a new receiver, having some troubles right out of the box.  First and most obvious is the lack of volume and wattage this thing claims it pumps out.  Said 800w, lots of volume, blah blah
 
Turn out the thing cant drive earbuds...EARBUDS!  The unit has a media player input as well as SD card and usb, with the volume on high levels on the first source and the volume knob cranked up, you can barely hear anything, it was also heavily distorted.  What could be causing this if the reviews stated it was really loud?

What kind of receiver?

Technical pro rx35u 800w

Said it drives and powers hefty speaker and headphone loads, I get almost no volume out of it on highest volume, can hardly hear music out of earbuds let alone my very easily driven speakers. Not sure what the prob is as other reviewers claim super high volume

Rx35u to RCA cable to headphones or speakers gives me only just audible volume on Max settings

Don't know what type of receiver you have, but maybe you should have gone the vintage route. Many of them puts out anwhere from 3 to 9 full watts out of the headphone jacks. And a lot of them have a mute function that allows you to even drive very sensitive iems from the headphone jack as well.  The only type of modern receivers I've had good luck with are the flagship ones. Most receivers are very, very overated. Some that's rated at specs like 120wpc have been tested at around 40-50wpc. At least some will tell you that their numbers are rated when only two channels are driven. Even if it's only a two channel receiver, many of those are still very highly over rated. But there are so many different types of receivers, with out you tell us what type you have, no one can give you any types of suggestions or anything. Pioneer's upper line receivers have actually been good at providing close to their rated amps with their ice topology amps, but as with most ice amps, the sound is very dark and doesn't  sound good at all.
 
 
Started typing before your post of the kind of receiver you have. Brand name receivers are bad enough. I would never go with a no name receiver or any audio gear of any kind. If you do, you can most definitely expect the results you have. JMO though.

Ya it was on sale lol so I figured why not

Its output is too low to be amped on Max volume, direct connection is like a whispered...I'm sad but happy I can return it, still upsetting though.

I've been there many times in the past buying gear that was really cheap and also had nice looking features and specs. Those were some of the most frustrating days of my life. In some of the cases, I couldn't even return them. So now, if it's a brand I've never heard of, I stay away. at least you can return it which is a good thing.

Lol ya, I've never had a receiver with no volume at all claim such things.

Heh, like saying you've got a million badgillion dollars, basically the same thing here, the ad says high output yet offers hardly enough to drive earbuds rofl