Receiver phono preamp?

[ahblaza]

Hello,
I would like to use my older Onkyo 702 as a phono preamp and compare it to my outboard Music Hall preamp. My table is located away from my setup, I got a good pair of low capacitance IC's from preamp to line level input of my Onkyo 809. To use the Onkyo 702, I would connect tonearm cables to phono input of 702 and (please correct me if wrong) and use the L&R preouts to line level input of the 809, to use I would select phono on 702 and whatever line input on the 809, sound right or am I way out of bounds. Thanks to all.
Jeff

 

[TLS Guy]

Hello,
I would like to use my older Onkyo 702 as a phono preamp and compare it to my outboard Music Hall preamp. My table is located away from my setup, I got a good pair of low capacitance IC's from preamp to line level input of my Onkyo 809. To use the Onkyo 702, I would connect tonearm cables to phono input of 702 and (please correct me if wrong) and use the L&R preouts to line level input of the 809, to use I would select phono on 702 and whatever line input on the 809, sound right or am I way out of bounds. Thanks to all.
Jeff

You have it correct. However that will be a massively energy wasting phono preamp!

 

[ahblaza]

You have it correct. However that will be a massively energy wasting phono preamp!

Mark, I hear you, the receiver draws more current than the new more powerful Onkyo 809, all that for a phono preamp? Thanks for the reply, I appreciate your straight forwardness, I need that at times when I start thinking, that can be dangerous. Take care my friend.
Jeff

 

[markw]

Instead of using the preamp outs, you might try using the tape outs, assuming the receiver has them. This would obviate going through the entire preamp stage of the receiver and you'll be hearing only the phono preamp, not the whole preamp stage as well.

 

[ahblaza]

Instead of using the preamp outs, you might try using the tape outs, assuming the receiver has them. This would obviate going through the entire preamp stage of the receiver and you'll be hearing only the phono preamp, not the whole preamp stage as well.

Mark, thanks for the suggestion, I thought using the pre outs would eliminate the volume control on the 702 and can be contolled with the 809. If I use the tape out wouldn't I have to be concerned with two volume controls the 702 as the preamp and the 809 master volume? I like the idea as you mentioned not using the entire preamp stage and only the phono preamp, that surely would eliminate a lot of components that the signal would have to go through. I look forward to your reply.
Jeff

 

[Grador]

Mark, thanks for the suggestion, I thought using the pre outs would eliminate the volume control on the 702 and can be contolled with the 809. If I use the tape out wouldn't I have to be concerned with two volume controls the 702 as the preamp and the 809 master volume? I like the idea as you mentioned not using the entire preamp stage and only the phono preamp, that surely would eliminate a lot of components that the signal would have to go through. I look forward to your reply.
Jeff

The preamp out designates that it has already passed through the preamp, ready to send to a power amp and is therefore volume controlled. I'm not familiar with tape-out's but I imagine it's being suggested because it's line-level before pre-amp.

 

[markw]

When you use the tape outs, it exits the receiver BEFORE any controls, except for the input selector. Anything before that would be sent out the tape monitor. Anything after that is bypassed.

So, all it would pass through is the phono preamp and the input selector.

As an additional bonus, you also have access to the source receiver's tuner as well. This would come in handy if you were using an integrated amp as the target.

Using preamp outs, the signal passes through everything except the power amp.

 

[TLS Guy]

When you use the tape outs, it exits the receiver BEFORE any controls, except for the input selector. Anything before that would be sent out the tape monitor. Anything after that is bypassed.

So, all it would pass through is the phono preamp and the input selector.

As an additional bonus, you also have access to the source receiver's tuner as well. This would come in handy if you were using an integrated amp as the target.

Using preamp outs, the signal passes through everything except the power amp.

He says, his turntable is a long way from his main system, so using the preouts is very convenient as you have a volume control.

I use quad preamps as my phono preamps, as mine are a lonq way from the main volume controls. It is really handy to be able to turn down the volume as you let the lift down and turn up the volume on the lead in grooves.

 

[Grador]

I use quad preamps as my phono preamps, as mine are a lonq way from the main volume controls. It is really handy to be able to turn down the volume as you let the lift down and turn up the volume on the lead in grooves.

What's the expected quality loss on this? On a scale from None<->not noticable<->possibly noticable<->acceptable but noticable

 

[TLS Guy]

What's the expected quality loss on this? On a scale from None<->not noticable<->possibly noticable<->acceptable but noticable

It actually improves quality. The reasons: -

The tape out is usually 500 mv,

The Quad 44 allows me to send a 2V line out to the studio switch bus. This overcomes the fairly long line to the pre pro and so it greatly improves signal to noise.

The next reason it is a Quad and Quad pre amps, are what Peter Walker referred to as straight wires with gain.

Quad pre amps are the best devices ever built to play vinyl and vintage sources. Peter's unique variable slope controls allow the taping of discs with higher than usual distortion and are just brilliant. The old tube Quad 22 on 1 of the turntables has combination switching to give the correct play back Eq for just about any 78 rpm disc ever pressed.

You can see part of the 78 rpm equalization chart for the Quad 22 here. The cartridge on the card is a Decca 78 rpm cartridge.

 

[ahblaza]

Thanks to both Marks and others for the replies, I have a good idea as to how to approach this, two very good concepts to consider with facts as the basis, again I thank you.
Jeff