• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Does running a turntable through a digital pre/amp/receiver defeat the purpose?

SimplyOrange

SimplyOrange

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I'm just curious. Since it's an analog source, does it defeat the purpose to run it through any sort of digital receiver, preamp or amp? Or does the signal stay completely analog all the way through?

(Not trying to start any argument on which is better by the way as far as digital or analog, I'm just wondering.)
 
Register to hide this ad
For turntable playback,I'd recommend a purely analogue amp,preferably from the late 70's.
A turntable will operate on any amp or receiver,as long as it's got a phono input,wherever it be digital and/or analogue.

An older analogue amp is built/designed solely for analogue only input.In other words,that's where all the money went into during it's production/design,with no production costs spent on digital inputs/features etc,as digital wasn't around back then.
Older analogue amps from the late 70's,will more than likely have better phono stages too.
 
Some AVRs have features such as "Pure Direct" that allow you to pass an analog source input (such as a TT) as analog all the way thru w/ no A/D and D/A conversions.

So you would have a choice.
 
Erik Tracy said:
Some AVRs have features such as "Pure Direct" that allow you to pass an analog source input (such as a TT) as analog all the way thru w/ no A/D and D/A conversions.

So you would have a choice.
Click to expand...

+1
Exactly what I was thinking.
 
SimplyOrange said:
I'm just curious. Since it's an analog source, does it defeat the purpose to run it through any sort of digital receiver, preamp or amp? Or does the signal stay completely analog all the way through?

(Not trying to start any argument on which is better by the way as far as digital or analog, I'm just wondering.)
Click to expand...

I'm a little bit unclear on what you're talking about. What is a digital receiver, preamp, or amp? To the best of my knowledge, they're all analog. Even if they say 'digital' on them.

They may have digital input and output connections, complete with internal digital-to-analog (DAC) and analog-to-digital (ADC) converters. And as others mentioned, some support 'pass through' in the digital realm, meaning they come in as digital and leave as digital without the signal being made analog at any point. But those 'pass through' signals also are not being amplified or having tone controls, etc, imposed on them. So in that mode, the box is just an In/Out, not any kind of amplifier, EQ, or preamp.

A TT signal is analog (unless it's a USB TT, in which case the signal is digital, but still converted from analog at the deck itself). In order to hear it, it has to be amplified with a pre-amp and an amplifier. Analog. And the speakers you hear it on? Analog.

So from my way of thinking, there's no such thing as a 'digital' receiver or amplifier or pre-amplifier in the consumer audio realm. I understand that such things exist in the pro recording world, digital mixers and such, but not for home use.

Unless I am very much out-of-touch with current home stereo/theater trends (and maybe I am), your TT signal is analog, the receiver you plug it into is analog, and the speakers you play it out of are analog. No digital in that path at all, even if the receiver has DAC and ADC built into it; your TT would bypass all that unless you're playing your TT out of a digital output to say your TV or something.
 
Some of the new NADs convert the analogue signal to digital and then back to analogue.
Wigwam Jones said:
I'm a little bit unclear on what you're talking about. What is a digital receiver, preamp, or amp? To the best of my knowledge, they're all analog. Even if they say 'digital' on them.

They may have digital input and output connections, complete with internal digital-to-analog (DAC) and analog-to-digital (ADC) converters. And as others mentioned, some support 'pass through' in the digital realm, meaning they come in as digital and leave as digital without the signal being made analog at any point. But those 'pass through' signals also are not being amplified or having tone controls, etc, imposed on them. So in that mode, the box is just an In/Out, not any kind of amplifier, EQ, or preamp.

A TT signal is analog (unless it's a USB TT, in which case the signal is digital, but still converted from analog at the deck itself). In order to hear it, it has to be amplified with a pre-amp and an amplifier. Analog. And the speakers you hear it on? Analog.

So from my way of thinking, there's no such thing as a 'digital' receiver or amplifier or pre-amplifier in the consumer audio realm. I understand that such things exist in the pro recording world, digital mixers and such, but not for home use.

Unless I am very much out-of-touch with current home stereo/theater trends (and maybe I am), your TT signal is analog, the receiver you plug it into is analog, and the speakers you play it out of are analog. No digital in that path at all, even if the receiver has DAC and ADC built into it; your TT would bypass all that unless you're playing your TT out of a digital output to say your TV or something.
Click to expand...
 
crouse said:
Some of the new NADs convert the analogue signal to digital and then back to analogue.
Click to expand...

They do? For what purpose? I'm not sure what would be gained by that. Not arguing with you, I kind of suspected I had lost track of the latest tech, but I'm unclear on what the advantage would be.
 
Mr. Jones...

Some folks are going 'all digital' yet they still want to play LPs

I was reading about how Paul McGowan (ps audio) was doing this a few weeks ago
 
If the purpose is to play your records and listen to them, then I would say "no."

Otto
 
Wouldn't any turntable with a PCB (on the signal end) instead of wire to point circuitry technically be digital regardless of what connections it has?
 
Last edited:
My main system is all analog, but I have a TT hooked into my computer for ripping. Many times I don't want to fire up my main system so I will just throw a record onto the comp system while I browse AK, etc. Always enjoyable. Is it pure analog? No, but who cares?

Pioneer PL516 > Bozak 919 > Creative Soundblaster Audigy Platinum >
Muse 4 x TDA1543 NOS DAC > Back End
 
ra7c7er said:
Wouldn't any turntable with a PCB (on the signal end) instead of wire to point circuitry technically be digital regardless of what connections it has?
Click to expand...

No. A PCB is simply a piece of phenolic or other neutral material with copper traces on it that are effectively very flat wires.
 
My Empire 398 connects to a TCC phono preamp, then to the aux input of my Sonos Connect:Amp. The aux input is converted to digital via an ADC, so that the signal can be routed to any other Sonos device in the system, and controlled via the remote app on my 'droid tablet. It's converted back to analog, of course, at some point in or before the class-D power amps.

There is no perceived loss of audio quality, in spite of the two conversions, as any degradation is well below the ability of the ear to discern.

What I like about this setup is that the Sonos will detect the phono signal, come out of sleep mode, power on its amps, and play. When done, it will go back into low-power mode. No power on-off switch required, just like an old console stereo.
 
Frank Sol said:
Some higher end folks are trying the turntable low level signal ---> ADC --> DAC --> preamp
Click to expand...


chicks said:
My Empire 398 connects to a TCC phono preamp, then to the aux input of my Sonos Connect:Amp. The aux input is converted to digital via an ADC, so that the signal can be routed to any other Sonos device in the system, and controlled via the remote app on my 'droid tablet. It's converted back to analog, of course, at some point in or before the class-D power amps.
Click to expand...


Like I said... higher end folks :D


chicks explained it better than I did
 
To my ears, any digital conversion I've heard ruins what I find appealing about vinyl playback. To quote an older article from Martin Colloms, "From my experience of more than 250 digital products, coherent, expressive, naturally explosive dynamics and the ability to present good musical pace and a confident, upbeat rhythm are areas in which digital is surprisingly weak." http://www.stereophile.com/reference/23

A fairly recent review by What HiFi of a lower-end turntable also indicates that there are some areas of strength in vinyl yet to be equaled by digital, "the Audio-Technica demonstrates the sort of deft facility with timing and rhythmic organisation that makes vinyl many listeners' format of choice."
 
I've heard people say that a needle-drop when done with good equipment sounds better than the original analog playback

OTHO... People like Mikey Fremer (and others) say a LP even when cut from a digital source sounds better than the source


There is NO one right answer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom