Receiver, equalizer hookup.

J

jrayton

Enthusiast
Is there any way I can hook up my Marantz Eq-20 to my Marantz AV5003 receiver? Can I go thru my DVD/CD player? Or is there any other options? I lost my owners manual to my equalizer, so I'm unsure about the hookup.
Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
You might not be able to.

I doubt you have a tape monitor (more on that later) but you might be able to insert between the preamp outputs and the power amp inputs if your configuration allows it.

To insert an equalizer or similar in-line processing device, one needs to insert it somewhere in the circuit path. You must break the circuit, send the signal out to the device, and then return it into the circuit exactly where it left it.

In the good old days of analog two-channel stereo, adding an equalizer was as simple as pie. You simply located the tape monitor output on the back panel, ran an interconnect from there to the eq’s input, and then ran another interconnect from the eq’s output back to the tape monitor’s input on the receiver. You turned on the eq, a pushed the “Tape Monitor” button on the receiver in, and, voiola!. Your eq is now in the circuit!

Likewise, to take the eq out of the circuit, you just pushed the “Tape Monitor” switch again to restore the internal signal path.

Essentially, what the “tape monitor” button does can be described in two steps.

1) When the “tape monitor” button is in it’s “out” position, the signal is fed internally from the “tape out” jacks to the “tape in” jacks.
2) When you push it in, that out/in connection severed, the signal goes out the “tape monitor out” jacks, through the external device, and then back into the “tape monitor in” jacks.

This is why pushing the “tape monitor” button in when nothing is connected to the “tape monitor” in and out jacks, the signal will disappear. It’s going out but never returning.

If one is talking about one of the current AVR's, simply having tape out and tape in jacks on the back panel does not guarantee that it will create the needed "monitor loop" configuration of the old days where the signal was sent out and to a device and then returned immediately to the same point in the circuit path where it left via the push of a button.

While many AVR’s might have “tape out” jacks on the back to allow you to send an analog two-channel signal out to an external device, it’s generally a one-way trip.

Likewise, they might have a “tape input” on the back to allow you to play tapes through your system, but odds are it must be selected via the input selector, which makes it worthless for the purpose of inserting an eq into the circuit.

The key is to scour the front panel for a "tape loop" or "tape monitor" button. Without that, these two sets of jacks simply allow a signal to be sent out to an tape deck but that tape deck's input must be selected as another input, not the out/in loop, as many have discovered.

So, if you do indeed have the needed "tape monitor loop" then you're good to go but, be aware that it will only affect two channels, most likely the front two.

One way to verify you do have what's needed is to take one stereo interconnect and connect the tape output to the tape input in question. Switch the receiver to FM, CD or some other source besides tape, and press the tape monitor switch. It should sound exactly the same. If you lose the signal, there's a problem. Likewise, not being able to find the "tape monitor" button/switch on the front panel is a problem also.

But, not all hope is lost. You can use an eq between the preamp stage and power amp, assuming the receiver offers these I/O options. Using this option you’ll need a separate equalizer channel for each channel you want to eq. For a 6.1 channel system (I’ll ignore the sub here), you’ll need six channels of equalizers, or three stereo eq’s. And, unless you can feed it out and back into your receiver, you may need separate power amps for each channel you want to equalize.

But, yes, you can connect it between the two channel analog audio output of your DVD player and a two channel analog input on your receiver. About all it would be good for is two channel CDs, but I don't think that's what you really want.
 
Lordoftherings

Lordoftherings

Banned
No EQ is the best EQ.

I just don't recommend a graphic equalizer with your receiver, period.
It's just bad for everything, the sound quality in particular.

Bob
 
E

Exit

Audioholic Chief
When surround sound (Pro-Logic) began to phase in and tapes began to phase out in favor of CDs, the manufacturers phased out the tape monitor loop in receivers. Apparently the use of an equalizer was incompatible for surround sound in that an equalizer would disrupt a balanced surround sound playback. I sadly got rid of a graphic equalizer and three dBx processors that used the tape monitor loop. Currently people are using parametric equalizers for the subwoofer channel to correct bass balance in a room. You could insert your equalizer in the receiver sub output to subwoofer line. If it is a traditional graphic equalizer, then there may be only one or two bands in the subwoofer output range.
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
Is there any way I can hook up my Marantz Eq-20 to my Marantz AV5003 receiver? Can I go thru my DVD/CD player? Or is there any other options? I lost my owners manual to my equalizer, so I'm unsure about the hookup.
Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
If that is an analog EQ the only way is between a preamp and amp. To do that on a receiver, you need a pre out on the channels you want to EQ and amp inputs, either on the receiver or external amps. I have all 5.1 channels EQed;):D
 
Lordoftherings

Lordoftherings

Banned
Simple request.

I have all 5.1 channels EQed;):D
Mtrycrafts, do you have a place in another thread that list your components and your setup?

I bet they are Digital Parametric EQs with 1/3 octave.

Bob
 
Adam

Adam

Audioholic Jedi
Mtrycrafts, do you have a place in another thread that list your components and your setup?
He's been off for about 20 minutes, so maybe in bed now. Probably the best place to check is his thread about his system here. We all waited a long time for that one!
 
Lordoftherings

Lordoftherings

Banned
He's been off for about 20 minutes, so maybe in bed now. Probably the best place to check is his thread about his system here. We all waited a long time for that one!
Thanks Adam, sounds like an interesting setup.
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
Thanks Adam, sounds like an interesting setup.
I didn't list by name, just pictures:D You may recognize some of them.
The sub has that Behringer digital EQ, a great one with 10 separate settings per channel, or looped for 20 for 1 ch. It is very flexible as to frequency, width of effect and amount. The 3 front has 1/3 octave Audio Control, analog as I had them for some time now;), no need for me to upgrade them:D
The two rears have Audio Control also but only about a 10 band, plenty for the rears:D This one is behind the others, not visible.:D
 
Lordoftherings

Lordoftherings

Banned
I'll say so...

Mtrycrafts is very proud of his system, for sure. :D

And he is also a wise man, that rest to keep fresh and happy, so the basis of his proudness. :D
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
I didn't list by name, just pictures:D You may recognize some of them.
The sub has that Behringer digital EQ, a great one with 10 separate settings per channel, or looped for 20 for 1 ch. It is very flexible as to frequency, width of effect and amount. The 3 front has 1/3 octave Audio Control, analog as I had them for some time now;), no need for me to upgrade them:D
The two rears have Audio Control also but only about a 10 band, plenty for the rears:D This one is behind the others, not visible.:D
Geez, all you need is good turntable and some vinyl to complete the ensemble!!! ;) :D
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
Geez, all you need is good turntable and some vinyl to complete the ensemble!!! ;) :D
I had those, in the past:D Gave up on them. They were fun back then, not anymore.:D
 
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