Simple Question: Help a Noob!

[bradk_1749]

Hey All-

Components:
Yamaha RX-V473 Receiver
Sony PS-x45 Turntable/Record Player

Problem:
Have to put my receiver to MAX Volume to barely hear my Record Player

Reason:
Turntable doesn't have a Pre-Amp, nor does my Receiver.

I've searched the forums and realized I need a Pre-Amp for my Record Player.

Question:
Is it worth spending the money on a pre-amp, can someone help me find an inexpensive simple one? Just need one to power my Turntable

OR

Do I just buy a new turntable? I'm worried these new age turntables aren't going to have same classic wet/rich sound my old one does.

Thanks for the advice Audioholics!!
Best,
Brad

 

[markw]

Just buy a phono preamp. They can be had from anywhere from about $25 on up to several hundred, or even thousands, of dollars.

Likewise, turntableas with built-in phono preamps start at around a buck an a half, maybe lower.

It all depends on what you want to spend and, yes, modern turntables can be quite good. Most likely better than an older, unserviced unit.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

I agree with Mark. You can go to Amazon.com and search for "phono preamp" and find several. I tend to gravitate to the ones that are well reviewed, such as this $20 unit from Behringer.

 

[bradk_1749]

So general consensus is just go with the affordable pre amp- which is what I wanted to do.

It looks like most Phonograph/Record Players under $200 are in general garbage, or only last a few years before falling apart, needing service, or damaging the vinyls.

Thanks Mark & Adam!
Going to give the Behringer PP400 $20 one a shot!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Does the Yamaha AVR have a Source Level Adjustment?

On my Denons I can adjust each source level from -12dB to +12dB in ADDITION to the regular Speaker Channel Level of -12dB to +12dB.

So you could increase both the Speaker Channel Level (SCL) & the Source Level or at least just the SCL.

 

[JerryLove]

I don't know if a simple source level adjustment is enough. I may have a bad memory here, but isn't there also a FR adjust in a phono preamp?

 

[markw]

I don't know if a simple source level adjustment is enough. I may have a bad memory here, but isn't there also a FR adjust in a phono preamp?

Yes, you are 100% correct. Along with extra gain, phono preamps also apply the industry standard RIAA equilazation needed to play records made since 1955 with magnetic cartridges. Oh, before anyone asks, they've pretty much would up with about 47k as the standard load of a modern mm phono cartridge.

The older, higher output cartridges (ceramic and crystal) didn't need this, nor do they need the additional gain.