Question about a turntable was too loud output

[Marcham93]

Good evening everyone.

I recently picked up a Panasonic turntable that I found at a local thrift shop. I picked it up because I wanted to have a cheaper table that I could play 78 RPM records on electronically. I currently have an old Victrola which is very fun to play with and sounds amazing, but it is not so great late at night.

My question is this: the Panasonic record player that I picked up outputs the volume at a very high level into my amplifier. The volume output is so high, but I can't turn the knob up past the second click because it becomes obnoxious. I know that it is a phono out from the record player and not line level. Is there anyway to reduce how loud this table is outputting?

Thanks all.

 

[cratz2]

What knob has clicks? The volume pot?

 

[Marcham93]

What knob has clicks? The volume pot?

Yes, the volume pot clicks between different levels.

Doing a bit of quick research, it seems that since this turntable has an older ceramic cartridge that it outputs of a higher volume. I might just be able to bypass the built in preamp of the receiver and use a external preamp with gain control. Another option seems like I could buy an attenuator, but they seem more expensive than I want to spend.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

No, you don't need a preamp. You need to use a line level input.

 

[vwestlife]

You need an amplifier with an input that is properly matched to the impedance of a ceramic phono cartridge to get good sound from it. If you connect it to an ordinary line-level input, if will work, but the sound will be very tinny and lacking in bass.

Many stereo receivers and amplifiers from the '60s to the '80s had a ceramic phono input. Some of the easiest to find are the small Radio Shack amplifiers (sold under various brand names including Realistic, Optimus, and RCA), such as the SA-10, SA-150, and SA-155 -- the latter two have a switch on the back to choose either a ceramic or magnetic phono input, so even if you upgrade to a magnetic cartridge you can still use it.

 

[Marcham93]

You need an amplifier with an input that is properly matched to the impedance of a ceramic phono cartridge to get good sound from it. If you connect it to an ordinary line-level input, if will work, but the sound will be very tinny and lacking in bass.

Many stereo receivers and amplifiers from the '60s to the '80s had a ceramic phono input. Some of the easiest to find are the small Radio Shack amplifiers (sold under various brand names including Realistic, Optimus, and RCA), such as the SA-10, SA-150, and SA-155 -- the latter two have a switch on the back to choose either a ceramic or magnetic phono input, so even if you upgrade to a magnetic cartridge you can still use it.

Perfect! I will look into one of those units. Thanks! For now, I'm running it on the line input with the bass to max and treble to min. Will see if I can try and find that exact model from RadioShack. This way, I can connect the phono directly and then use the tape out to pass the signal onto my main amp.

 

[revox-b77]

^ Correct

 

[cgutz]

Those ratshack amplifiers are real low power. Perhaps you can use it as a "ceramic phono preamp" and run tape out on the Ratshack to the tape in on your own amplifier.

 

[number13]

If the cartridge is a standard 1/2" mount it would be a lot easier to just install a modern MM cart. The Shure 35C has both Lp and 78
needles available for it.

 

[vwestlife]

Those ratshack amplifiers are real low power.

Yes, a whopping 1.8 watts RMS per channel (at 1% THD)! But with an efficient pair of speakers, you'd be surprised at how far that can get you. This guy had an SA-150 connected to a large pair of speakers (they look like 15" woofers) and with it turned halfway up, it was loud enough to cause his camera's microphone limiter to kick in when the bass dropped (music begins at 0:59):

 

[Marcham93]

Those ratshack amplifiers are real low power. Perhaps you can use it as a "ceramic phono preamp" and run tape out on the Ratshack to the tape in on your own amplifier.

Yea, like I had noted before I don't intend on using the SA-155 for amplification, just for the preamp portion. Will be running the 'tape out' to my nice 200W machine's aux.

I did find one on eBay and ordered it, hopefully it will be here in about a week and I'll let you guys know how it goes.

If the cartridge is a standard 1/2" mount it would be a lot easier to just install a modern MM cart. The Shure 35C has both Lp and 78
needles available for it.

Sadly it's not a standard mount. I'm not too deep in money yet though.

The Panasonic was $25, the SA-155 was $25, and the new needle is $7.

So, I'm hoping this will work nicely for all less than $60.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

You need an amplifier with an input that is properly matched to the impedance of a ceramic phono cartridge to get good sound from it. If you connect it to an ordinary line-level input, if will work, but the sound will be very tinny and lacking in bass.

Many stereo receivers and amplifiers from the '60s to the '80s had a ceramic phono input. Some of the easiest to find are the small Radio Shack amplifiers (sold under various brand names including Realistic, Optimus, and RCA), such as the SA-10, SA-150, and SA-155 -- the latter two have a switch on the back to choose either a ceramic or magnetic phono input, so even if you upgrade to a magnetic cartridge you can still use it.

And yes, he is right as well. Your ceramic will need a proper termination to get the input impedance right.