Marantz 5012 - help please

[NZ Bassman]

Hi all - this is my first post in here so please be gentle with me!

We've got a Marantz 5012 (and Wharfdale speakers) and have had it about 18 + months with no issues and we love it - but I came across a problem in the weekend that has got me stumped

We recently bought a record player that has built in stereo speakers and red / white RCA outputs on the back and in the weekend I tried to plug it into the Marantz but got no sound.
Currently on the Marantz we run a Satellite set top box through the cab/sat HDMI port and a Blu-Ray player through the Blu-Ray HDMI port and we have 3 RCA ports free - DVD, CD and Game - So I connected the record player up using RCA leads from the back of the record player to the Marantz, but got no sound from either of the 3 RCA ports
e.g. I connected the RCA leads to the DVD inputs, played a record, made sure the Marantz was switched to 'DVD' and sound was up - but got no sound. I also tried this with the 'Game' and 'CD' RCA ports - still no sound
The Marantz / Wharfdale speakers work fine with the satellite TV box and the Blu-Ray player

So I then got my small bass guitar practice amp out (I'm a part time bass player) that has red / white aux in inputs on the front and connected the record player to the bass amp and it worked fine - sound came out of my bass amp no issues - so that confirms the record player and the RCA leads are all good and working

I just don't know why no sound was coming out of the Marantz though?? I would have thought if you connected it to a channel / input that is free and selected that channel / input on the Marantz, and had the volume up it would automatically play through that channel / input and sound would come out?
I had a search through the manual but couldn't find any answer to my problem

can someone please tell me what I might be doing wrong, or where I should be plugging the RCA leads into - if indeed there is another input on the back of the Marantz I should be using? as it's got me stumped

any advice would be appreciated

many thanks

 

[lovinthehd]

Probably just need to change input assignment to analog for those particular inputs....altho it's probably from the setup button on your remote > Inputs > Input Assign as I think your Marantz is similar in menus to my Denon....or check your manual....

 

[Just Jan]

The 5012 doesn't have a phono input, so in order to hook up your turntable, you'll need to add a phono preamp.

 

[TLS Guy]

The 5012 doesn't have a phono input, so in order to hook up your turntable, you'll need to add a phono preamp.

Not necessarily, as from the description of that player the RCA outs are probably line. We need to know he details of that player. However he clearly has not assigned those RCA inputs on the Marantz in the set up menu.

 

[NZ Bassman]

thanks for the replies - this is the record player / turntable we bought
hhttps://www.jbhifi.co.nz/headphones-speakers-audio/turntables/ion/ion-audio-max-lp-conversion-turntable-with-stereo-speakers/310515/
although we bought it second hand, it works well and as I mentioned it played through my bass guitar amp fine using the RCA leads

I'll have another read of the Marantz manual because I didn't see anything there that would help me.... but I didn't know anything about 'assigning channels', so I'll look for that in the manual and see if I can work it out

 

[lovinthehd]

You shouldn't need to worry about the "phono" input on the receiver, your tt appears to handle it internally (a built-in phono stage) so you can just use the line outs to any other input, other than the phono input.

Not channel assignment (there is some speaker assignment but that's something else) in the Marantz, but rather the input assignment, i.e. the receiver may default to a type of digital input rather than the analog inputs for the rca inputs you're trying to use.

ps Also check the inputs/input Select settings on that same Inputs menu in setup....

 

[Kevi9590]

Not sure about your tt, but some tt’s with built in phono amps have a switch on the back for turning it off and on. Should be “line — phono” or something along those lines. Set it to line if youre not plugging it into a phono jack on your avr.

Thats just shooting from the hip since I’ve been recently looking into upgrading my own tt and read up on phono stuff.

 

[NZ Bassman]

ok thanks for the replies
I looked at the back of the Marantz and the turntable is connected to the 'CD' input and the CD input has no 4 next to it
So I went into the set-up menu on the Marantz (see picture), selected the CD input and changed the analog to 4
There are 4 RCA inputs on the back of the Marantz with CD being no 4
The printed manual wasn't much help but I'm assuming Analog 4 corresponds with the CD input no 4?

However, this didnt work as I still got no sound out of the Marantz / speakers - I double checked everything, turned it on and off again checked the setup again and it had saved the setting ok but no sound

I don't know if (or what) I'm doing anything wrong or as post #3 suggests I need to buy a phono pre-amp?

anyone got any other ideas?

 

[lovinthehd]

The input situation is separate from needing a phono stage (but your player appears to have a built-in phono stage anyways)...you'd still get sound using any of the analog inputs even without any phono stage involved, it just wouldn't be the right sound, as it would not have the RIAA eq applied and level would be off as well, but you'd get audio. Yes, the numbers near the input jacks should match up to the numbers in the assignment menu and it looks fine in your pic.

In the last 18 months had you used the analog inputs previously at all? When you first got the avr did you run a full factory/microprocessor reset to clear out previous settings? That might be an idea now (but you'd need to reinstate your settings/Audyssey setup after such).

 

[NZ Bassman]

The input situation is separate from needing a phono stage (but your player appears to have a built-in phono stage anyways)...you'd still get sound using any of the analog inputs even without any phono stage involved, it just wouldn't be the right sound, as it would not have the RIAA eq applied and level would be off as well, but you'd get audio. Yes, the numbers near the input jacks should match up to the numbers in the assignment menu and it looks fine in your pic.

In the last 18 months had you used the analog inputs previously at all? When you first got the avr did you run a full factory/microprocessor reset to clear out previous settings? That might be an idea now (but you'd need to reinstate your settings/Audyssey setup after such).

No - we've never used any of the RCA inputs on the back before - only the HDMI and I didn't know the RCA ones could be 'assigned' until I read the replies to my initial post
I just assumed assiging the CD (4) input to Analog (4) that it would work - but it hasn't

We've bought the Marantz brand new, and I didn't think I'd have to do any sort of reset on it

 

[lovinthehd]

Sometimes they just need a reboot or a reset....they're somewhat buggy computers at times I don't have any other ideas for you as it appears you're doing the right thing with input assign....

 

[Trebdp83]

Yeah that should have worked. In settings, check the source input "mode" as well. With analog 4 set for CD, make sure the mode for CD is set to playback analog signal and not HDMI or Digital. It should be set to Auto by default. That should have detected the analog signal but you never know. Still not working, try using the 7.1 EXT. IN FRONT ports and set the input source to 7.1 EXT IN. See if that passes anything. You will only have volume control with that connection and no sound processing or bass management.

 

[NZ Bassman]

Update...
Ok so I went into an audio store and explained the issue and the man there said I did need a phono preamp
so I bought one and connected it up yesterday and success.... well sort of.....
I put a record on and it only came out of 2 speakers (we have 4 and sub connected to the Marantz) and it sounded incredibly tinny like a bad transistor radio.
I tried a different record, but got the same result
I checked the connections and I had the leads from the record player going into the 'input' on the phono preamp and the leads in the 'output' going to the Marantz - I presume that's the right way?

I'm just not sure what I am doing wrong or how to get the sound to come out of all speakers

I have sent a question to Marantz, but I was hoping someone here might have an idea of what else I can try?

 

[lovinthehd]

No, you didn't need a pre-amp from what I saw earlier (see my comment in post 6 and 9 after I looked at some of the literature for your record player, but perhaps they misspoke). Doubling a phono stage could sound odd let alone tripling it due the RIAA eq curve that would be applied at the record player, then your new phono stage, then the receiver.....hopefully you're using a different line in on the receiver (any one other than phono) to avoid the tripling at least.

As to getting more than the native 2ch stereo output, you'd need to use either a surround upmixer (like the Dolby or DTS ones you have in the avr) or at least a multich stereo setting to use all the available speakers. Be sure your speakers are set to small and the sub is enabled in the receiver should you want the sub to play with such content (and I'd recommend starting with an 80hz crossover).

 

[NZ Bassman]

No, you didn't need a pre-amp from what I saw earlier (see my comment in post 6 and 9 after I looked at some of the literature for your record player, but perhaps they misspoke). Doubling a phono stage could sound odd let alone tripling it due the RIAA eq curve that would be applied at the record player, then your new phono stage, then the receiver.....hopefully you're using a different line in on the receiver (any one other than phono) to avoid the tripling at least.

As to getting more than the native 2ch stereo output, you'd need to use either a surround upmixer (like the Dolby or DTS ones you have in the avr) or at least a multich stereo setting to use all the available speakers. Be sure your speakers are set to small and the sub is enabled in the receiver should you want the sub to play with such content (and I'd recommend starting with an 80hz crossover).

ok thanks for that... the man in the Audio shop said that because the record player I got was a cheaper one it won't have a built in phono preamp and therefore I would need a phono pre amp to amplify the signal to the Marantz.
When I connected the record player straight to any of the 4 RCA inputs on the Marantz no sound was coming out and now using the phono preamp I at least get some sound.....

as I mentioned I don't have a phono input on the Marantz and I am using the CD RCA input and I have that set to Analog in the settings as the record player is sending an analog signal.....

the speaker settings are fine and we have a cable TV set top box through it and a Blu Ray player with no issues (both with HDMI), and I don't really want to change with any of the speaker settings if it is going mess up the already good sound I get from these

it took me ages to get the speakers sounding just right and I don't really want to do a reset on the Marantz if I can help it... but I will do if that is the only option available as a last resort

thanks again for your help

 

[lovinthehd]

Well, the bit I saw about your record player's output was that it was a line out. It didn't mention what level. It's not a typical record player for audio systems, either, tho. I was just covering bases with which input thing, didn't go back and reread everything....

No, it's just a sound mode you need to activate if the speakers are already hooked up (and you've told the receiver they're in play in speaker setup). Give a long press on the "music" button on your remote to bring up the menu of sound modes....or look at the Marantz manual for guidance on using the sound modes.

 

[TLS Guy]

After reviewing all this, the problem has to be in the record player. The guy in the audio shop is wrong. You do not need a phono preamp.

It is clear to me that the line out of your turntable is not working properly, and is only outputting an extremely low voltage signal.

Now a phono preamp will provide extra amplification, but it also correcting for the RIAA curve. So you are correcting it twice. That is why it does not sound right.

Having looked at that turntable now, it looks highly suspect. My verdict is that, that turntable is basically junk. I would not trust it further than I could fling it.

If you want to enjoy LPs. then get a basic turntable. You now have a phone preamp, so I would get a turntable with no electronics. That way the cartridge will be directly connected to the phono preamp, and the phono preamp then connected to a line input on your Marantz. Then you can enjoy your LPs and life will be bliss.

 

[NZ Bassman]

After reviewing all this, the problem has to be in the record player. The guy in the audio shop is wrong. You do not need a phono preamp.

It is clear to me that the line out of your turntable is not working properly, and is only outputting an extremely low voltage signal.

Now a phono preamp will provide extra amplification, but it also correcting for the RIAA curve. So you are correcting it twice. That is why it does not sound right.

Having looked at that turntable now, it looks highly suspect. My verdict is that, that turntable is basically junk. I would not trust it further than I could fling it.

If you want to enjoy LPs. then get a basic turntable. You now have a phone preamp, so I would get a turntable with no electronics. That way the cartridge will be directly connected to the phono preamp, and the phono preamp then connected to a line input on your Marantz. Then you can enjoy your LPs and life will be bliss.

thanks for the reply
Yes - the record player is a 'cheaper' model but as I mentioned in my original post, I plugged it into the RCA line in input on my bass guitar amp and it worked ok - so I know the player is not faulty.

I think I will contact the Audio retailer where I bought the Matantz from and ask their advice - as they stock the Marantz range

 

[lovinthehd]

The issue is the record player certainly in any case, not the Marantz. Not that it's faulty per se, just that it seems to have a low output level. There is I'm pretty sure an input level adjustment you can make in your Marantz for the input you're using for the record player, see if that helps somewhat, but sounds like it might not. The sensitivity of your bass amp seems to be more suited to the line out level of the record player in any case. If you really want to get into vinyl I'd suggest a better record player with a more traditional cartridge....

 

[NZ Bassman]

The issue is the record player certainly in any case, not the Marantz. Not that it's faulty per se, just that it seems to have a low output level. There is I'm pretty sure an input level adjustment you can make in your Marantz for the input you're using for the record player, see if that helps somewhat, but sounds like it might not. The sensitivity of your bass amp seems to be more suited to the line out level of the record player in any case. If you really want to get into vinyl I'd suggest a better record player with a more traditional cartridge....

ok thanks for that.... I spoke to the retailer where we originally bought the Marantz from and they said I do need a phono preamp as the Marantz doesn't have a dedicated phono preamp
But because I didn't buy the preamp from them, they suggested I contact the place I bought the preamp from and ask them.... so I'm kind of going round in circles

I might see if I can contact the manufacturer of the record player....