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Preamp help for a noob

H

HoosteenRN

New Member
Hi all, first post here. I’m setting up a new system in a new house and I hit a snag. I got a great deal on new Klipsch RP 600m speakers and decided to start my hifi journey based mostly on how much I could spend on each component without my wife stabbing me in my sleep :)
I bought a NAD D 3020 v2, and connected it to my AT LP60. It sounded pretty good for a small, unassuming-looking little setup. I then got a NAD PP4 preamp hoping to improve the sound and volume a bit more. I know the TT has a built-in preamp, but I had read somewhere that running the signal through an external preamp would be beneficial. When I incorporated the PP4 the volume was minuscule, the audio was scratchy and horrible. I tried toggling the phono-line switch on the TT, and all the different inputs, all sounded identically bad. When I remove the external preamp it sounds fine again. Did I buy the preamp unnecessarily? What am I doing wrong here? Also any suggestions on guide books would be greatly appreciated. I need all the help I can get. Thanks!!
 
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Use the AUX imput on the amp. Nad pp4 is a PHONO preamp . You can't use it for volume control. You need a line stage. If you like the Nad amp just use it and plug your Nad PP4 into the AUX jacks on the amp. PLug the TT into the PP4 with it switched to line NOT phono.
 
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What input on the 3020 are you connecting the PP4 to?

Your usable options are.
1. Use the phono preamp built into the TT and connect it to the aux input on the 3020
2. Connect the line output on the TT into the phono preamp on the 3020.
3. Connect the TT line output into the PP4. Then connect the PP4 to the aux input on the 3020.

Any other way is wrong.
 
HoosteenRN said:
Hi all, first post here. I’m setting up a new system in a new house and I hit a snag. I got a great deal on new Klipsch RP 600m speakers and decided to start my hifi journey based mostly on how much I could spend on each component without my wife stabbing me in my sleep :)
I bought a NAD D 3020 v2, and connected it to my AT LP60. It sounded pretty good for a small, unassuming-looking little setup. I then got a NAD PP4 preamp hoping to improve the sound and volume a bit more. I know the TT has a built-in preamp, but I had read somewhere that running the signal through an external preamp would be beneficial. When I incorporated the PP4 the volume was minuscule, the audio was scratchy and horrible. I tried toggling the phono-line switch on the TT, and all the different inputs, all sounded identically bad. When I remove the external preamp it sounds fine again. Did I buy the preamp unnecessarily? What am I doing wrong here? Also any suggestions on guide books would be greatly appreciated. I need all the help I can get. Thanks!!
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Tell us how it worked out?
 
Double check your connections. You may have the PP4's input and output reversed. Use any line level input like cd, aux, etc. Make sure the Turntables internal preamp is off.
 
Maybe he figured it out. Looks like he hasn't been back to see any of the responses.
One and done.
OR
I've heard some people don't check AK several times a day. Every day.
Not sure how that's possible but I guess it's true.
OR
his widow is now using the stereo and she doesn't know his user name or password.
 
Yea I'm addicted to it. It would be nice to hear about those NAD products. I have some Klipsch speakers that are similar to his and am very impressed with them. Plus they were CHEAP!
 
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