turntable preamp question

vizionut

vizionut

Audioholic General
Do i need a turntable preamp if my receiver does have a turntable input?
 
john72953

john72953

Full Audioholic
Do i need a turntable preamp if my receiver does have a turntable input?
NO.

However, you'll find a dedicated Phono Pre-amp will do a much better job than the internal phono pre-amp on your receiver.

John
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
NO.

However, you'll find a dedicated Phono Pre-amp will do a much better job than the internal phono pre-amp on your receiver.

John
I'm debating this very issue myself. I have a phono input on Yammy RX-V1800
and I love the clarity of the sound that I hear. I do however need to turn the voume up to around -28db to get a comfortable loudness. I'm not sure if thats a lot of amplification being applied as the volume control appears to be way different in its action as opposed to my older technics.. Hmm I think I'll open a new post on this in the amp section.
 
vizionut

vizionut

Audioholic General
thanks

I am looking to buy a turntable preamp can someone give some advice to look for when buying my preamp.
 
jliedeka

jliedeka

Audioholic General
A couple of points. With the receiver phono input you are limited to using moving magnet cartridges. I'm not sure if that's a huge deal or not. Many moving coil cartridges are reputed to sound really good but my Grado sounds pretty good to me.

As far as the gain from a phono pre-amp, they vary a lot and you may still have to turn up the volume on your receiver.

I use a Cambridge Audio 640p which has separate inputs for MM and MC. I still have to raise the volume on my receiver at least 6dB higher than for CDs. The manufacturers spec is 39dB of gain for MM.

Jim
 
vizionut

vizionut

Audioholic General
preamp

I did try to hook my turntable up to my aux. input on my receiver but it didn't sound right. I guess I will look into a preamp. Do you guys have any good sugestion on a cheap amp.
 
john72953

john72953

Full Audioholic
I'm debating this very issue myself. I have a phono input on Yammy RX-V1800
and I love the clarity of the sound that I hear. I do however need to turn the voume up to around -28db to get a comfortable loudness. I'm not sure if thats a lot of amplification being applied as the volume control appears to be way different in its action as opposed to my older technics.. Hmm I think I'll open a new post on this in the amp section.
I didn't notice much (if anything) in terms of volume adjustment when I added my Phono Pre-amp, but I did notice a huge improvement in clarity. The soundstage and presence were also more defined. I don't know all of the proper audiophile vernacular, but let me try to crudely explain what I noticed more than anything.

The separate Phono Pre-amp is able to reach way down into the belly of a record and extracts that information for you to hear. I suppose that is what I mean by clarity.

My Yammy HTR-6190B (only sold in Canada) is the RX-V1800 equivalent and I can tell you 3bd that adding the phono stage was a huge improvement.

John
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
I didn't notice much (if anything) in terms of volume adjustment when I added my Phono Pre-amp, but I did notice a huge improvement in clarity. The soundstage and presence were also more defined. I don't know all of the proper audiophile vernacular, but let me try to crudely explain what I noticed more than anything.

The separate Phono Pre-amp is able to reach way down into the belly of a record and extracts that information for you to hear. I suppose that is what I mean by clarity.

My Yammy HTR-6190B (only sold in Canada) is the RX-V1800 equivalent and I can tell you 3bd that adding the phono stage was a huge improvement.

John
Thanks John. I guess I know what to ask for for my birthday gift..:D Either that or a spped box by Project..

I guess the output of the phono amp will be connected to one of the other inputs other than phono since the RIAA equlaization curves have already been applied.
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
A couple of points. With the receiver phono input you are limited to using moving magnet cartridges. I'm not sure if that's a huge deal or not. Many moving coil cartridges are reputed to sound really good but my Grado sounds pretty good to me.

As far as the gain from a phono pre-amp, they vary a lot and you may still have to turn up the volume on your receiver.

I use a Cambridge Audio 640p which has separate inputs for MM and MC. I still have to raise the volume on my receiver at least 6dB higher than for CDs. The manufacturers spec is 39dB of gain for MM.

Jim
I'm using an Ortofon SM20 cartridge which is a MM type. I happy with its sound so far.
 
john72953

john72953

Full Audioholic
Thanks John. I guess I know what to ask for for my birthday gift..:D Either that or a spped box by Project..

I guess the output of the phono amp will be connected to one of the other inputs other than phono since the RIAA equlaization curves have already been applied.
I have mine hooked up to the MD/TAPE input. Never gonna be using that input anyway.

John
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
I did try to hook my turntable up to my aux. input on my receiver but it didn't sound right. I guess I will look into a preamp. Do you guys have any good sugestion on a cheap amp.
I think this one is the best value for money. It seems the phono inputs on a lot of receivers are less than adequate.
 
john72953

john72953

Full Audioholic
I think this one is the best value for money. It seems the phono inputs on a lot of receivers are less than adequate.[/QUOTE]

Very true. And I think that goes for all receivers. Just like a separate Power/Pre combo is usually preferred over a Receiver, a separate Phono Stage should also be considered by anyone who has a TT. Their audible differences are immediately apparent and well worth even a small investment.

John
 
L

lowmileage

Audiophyte
I'm in the process of upgrading my system (a Marantz Quadradial from the
70's:)) and want to use my Dual 1226 TT and was looking at AVR's with a phono input. I'm scraping that idea and buying that AT PEQ3 Preamp mentioned above. I've just saved a couple hundred bucks:cool:.
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
I think this one is the best value for money. It seems the phono inputs on a lot of receivers are less than adequate.[/QUOTE]

Very true. And I think that goes for all receivers. Just like a separate Power/Pre combo is usually preferred over a Receiver, a separate Phono Stage should also be considered by anyone who has a TT. Their audible differences are immediately apparent and well worth even a small investment.

John

Not to be a trouble maker or anything ;) but I think thats kind of a sweeping generalization. The turntable that I play/played through the two receivers I own sounded very detailed to me. I can't understand why manufacturers would scrimp on their phono stages when they pay alot of attention to their pre-amp section as a whole.
 
vizionut

vizionut

Audioholic General
I found that preamp for $99.99 from crutchfield. Thanks for the help
 

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