Use stereo amp as sub amp & phono pre-amp?

[FVaiden]

I ordered Pioneer VSX-2016, which has no phono input; but I still want to play vinyll. I do have my stereo amp which has phono input. Or I throw it away, or I was considering:

- Connect turntable to phono in, and connect tape out to new receiver in.

Is this possible & does it offer enough quality?

Another consideration: could I connect pre-out sub-woofer to my stereo amp and use my current speaker(s) as sub-woofer? This way, I economize on a new sub-woofer and I can still use my old gear.

 

[markw]

Connect turntable to phono in, and connect tape out to new receiver in.

Is this possible & does it offer enough quality?

Yes, it's not only possible but what you describe is the recommended method of accomplishing this. Just keep the selector of the phono unit on phono and you're good to go.

As for the quality, can't say. You didn't tell us enough about it. But, it's a heckuva lot better than none at all and all it'll cost is a pair of interconnects.

If you want to walk away smiling, don't read any further.

Another consideration: could I connect pre-out sub-woofer to my stereo amp and use my current speaker(s) as sub-woofer? This way, I economize on a new sub-woofer and I can still use my old gear.

Maybe. If your old amp has provisions to separate the preamp from the main amp, then you could feed the LFE out into the main amp input. You don't want to feed it into a line level input into the preamp stage.

But personally, I don't think it'll have enough power to do justice to a good subwoofer. Likewise, full range speakers generally don't make good subwoofers. If they did, we wouldn't need subwoofers.

 

[FVaiden]

Good & bad

Thanks Marc. So it's good & not so good news. I 'll try my stereo amp as phono pre-amp. As for the sub-woofer trick: my stereo amp only has the CD, cassette deck etc. inputs, I guess what you call "line" inputs. I understand this won't do; though I'd hoped it would. Regarding the full range speaker: my current speakers are in fact three-way, and I was thinking: if I only send the LFE only the woofer will do the work...

 

[markw]

Well, technically, yes.

if I only send the LFE only the woofer will do the work...

Remember, you still need a power amp between the LFE output and the woofer*.

But, assuming you find one, you could also paint a VW bug yellow and put flashing lights on it, but it still won't be up to the doing the work of a schoolbus at the expected level.

*Please note I didn't say "SUB"woofer. Although technically they are both speakers of a similar size, they have quite different design parameters. Sort of like a car off the lot and a NASCAR racer that uses the same body style.