Outboard phono stage or not?

[ahblaza]

Hello,
I would like to hook up my Sota table into my HT setup. The problem is I can't get it close enough to Onkyo TX-SR702 to use the onboard phono stage, I have never used the 702's phono input and don't know how good it is. I have constructed a fairly rigid support platform for the table and would like to locate it near a side wall away from mains. I am thinking of the Cambridge 640p phono pre of which I will connect the tonearm cable to and run a decent set of interconnects to a line stage of the 702. Besides putting the TT where I want it, will there be any sonic benefits using the 640p over the 702's stage. Thanks in advance guys, as always best regards..Jeff

 

[MDS]

I doubt you'll notice any difference between the 702's phono input and using an external phono pre-amp. The only negative might be the long run of cable but phono inputs on receivers nowadays are pretty much an afterthought and the phono pre may actually be better despite the long run of cable.

 

[WmAx]

I am not familiar with the 702's phono pre - but as long as it's competently designed, it will perform transparently. I use an external pre, but that's only because I needed some additional gain due to my cartridges low voltage output, and the built in phono pre in my RX-V2600 was just a little lacking in voltage gain. Otherwise, it has a great phono pre built into it.

In your case, you may need to use an external pre because of the distance between the table and receiver. Remember that you have to keep cable capacitance very low when connecting a table to a phono pre input. So in your case, it would be wise to use a short low capacitance interconnect between the table and an external pre and run the line level output from the pre to the line input on the 702.

-Chris

 

[ahblaza]

Chris,
Thanks for the reply, I purchased a short low cap. cable to connect from table to use either with the receiver's phono input or an external preamp. My cart. is mm 4.0mV output, I believe it would provide more than adequate gain for the receiver's input, and after doing some research the receiver's stage should match well with it. I don't see any reason for external phono pre except location of table. The tonearm cable I have is about five feet long, if i plug this into external phono pre, I would need about six to eight feet of interconnect cables to receiver's line level input from where I want to put table. So if I keep the tonearm cable short to external phono pre would a six to eight foot set of interconnects to receiver be ok without much signal degradation? Thanks my friend.
Jeff

 

[WmAx]

The line level output is not very sensitive, unlike the phono level output/input interface. As such, you can use a 20 foot cable with no problem if so desire. So a 6 foot cable will certainly not be a problem.

-Chris

 

[ahblaza]

Hey Chris,
Thanks a lot for your input. I've been following alot of your posts and agree with your rationale about amplification and speaker loads. I like the idea of using the Yamaha receiver as your preamp and correct me if I'm wrong, the Berhringer amps. I would like to do the same thing without spending so called HIGH END money on external power amps and snake oil ads. My speaker loads do not present much of a challenge, I just need some high current affordable amps for ht and stereo listening. You can PM me if you so desire or we can discuss this in open forum. Thanks again Chris, I look forward to your correspondence. Sincerely....Jeff

 

[WmAx]

Hey Chris,
Thanks a lot for your input. I've been following alot of your posts and agree with your rationale about amplification and speaker loads. I like the idea of using the Yamaha receiver as your preamp and correct me if I'm wrong, the Berhringer amps. I would like to do the same thing without spending so called HIGH END money on external power amps and snake oil ads. My speaker loads do not present much of a challenge, I just need some high current affordable amps for ht and stereo listening. You can PM me if you so desire or we can discuss this in open forum. Thanks again Chris, I look forward to your correspondence. Sincerely....Jeff

Well, the particular receiver I used (Yamaha RX-V2600) has a very clean look (almost no exposed buttons - just a couple of dials and few small buttons visible), has a nice looking thick aluminum front, and it's pre-amp section measures excellent.

I'll PM you.

-Chris