Getting the perfect output sound can be quite challenging especially if you have multiple devices to connect. If you want to get 100% clear and natural sound then you will have to deal with various cables.
A receiver can be the heart of your system which has all other devices connected to it, so getting the best receiver for turntable is important. There are various models available to you and choosing the one that you need is difficult. You need to understand what you want – how powerful it should be, what features and input ports it has.
Turntable with an amplifier
If you want to enjoy your favorite music and get the 100% natural audio experience then a turntable is exactly what you need. There are various models available to you, but there are two major groups – the models that have a built-in phono pre-amplifier and the models that don’t include it. Consider checking the manual to be sure that you have turntable with built-in phono preamp. Usually, such models are slightly bigger than the models without an amplifier. It is necessary to mention why an amplifier is important. Any turntable has a cartridge which is located on the end of a tonearm. The cartridge generates a very small amount of energy as the needle goes through the grooves on a record. This voltage is the music signal and an amplifier “boosts up” the signal and equalizes it before sending it to another device (in our case to your receiver).
Connecting everything up
The first step is to make sure you have all the cables. The cables shouldn’t be damaged as well. It may be a good idea to buy new, high-grade cables. Therefore you will get no noise. Don’t forget to check all the ports as well – they should not be damaged too. Now, you are ready to connect turntable to receiver – the whole process is fast and easy.
- Check the turntable panel which has all the ports (it may be the back panel) and finds the necessary output ports and plug the cable in.
- Check the back panel of your receiver and find the required input ports. These ports can be marked as “Line In”, “AUX” (which stands for “Auxiliary”) or “Analog In”. Some models even allow you using “CD”-labeled ports. Plug the cable in the according to ports. Consider checking a receiver manual if you have any troubles or you are not sure what ports to use.
- Make sure cables are connected properly and they do not shake.
That is it, you do not need to do anything. You have both models connected and now the signal generated by a turntable is transmitted to your receiver.
What if both devices have preamps?
How to connect turntable with phono preamp to receiver which also has a preamp? Such models have the “phono” input, but you still should use one of line or auxiliary marked ports. Otherwise, you will make two preamps work together.
Make it sound better
Some turntable models with built-in amplifiers have a feature that allows you to disable it. Therefore, if you have a receiver and a turntable with preamps you may consider checking what works better – turn off the turntable preamp and use them according to the input of the receiver. It may happen that the receiver’s amplifier is designed better and the output sound is clearer. There are also turntable models which have Bluetooth modules installed which can be “connected” to a receiver without using any cables.