Split the signal from a turntable to two inputs?

dwaller131

dwaller131

Well-Known Member
So, is such a thing possible? Like, if you had two receivers and only one turntable (I mean, that's only hypothetical, who has just ONE turntable??), is there a good/decent/not terrible way to split the signal coming from the turntable and send it into two different receivers? Just so you know, y-connectors do NOT work :)
 
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Not advised, although you might be able to get away with it.

For turntables, cabling is all about accumulated capacitance. You're dealing with a very low level signal. That (and matching your cartridge) explains why a lot of phono stages have multiple capacitance settings. Also why phono cables should be kept to the shortest possible length of quality low cap cable if you replace the old ones.

For your "not terrible" option, RatShack makes a decent little RCA switch box for low bucks. I ignored my own prior advice and installed one so I can switch my table between direct input to the receiver OR an ADC I use when I'm ripping vinyl. Works pretty good ... I expect I'll get rid of that once I'm done ripping, but then again ... never know when I'm gonna stumble across some gotta have vinyl that needs to be added to the digital catalog ... ;-}

EDIT >> Looks like RatShack has discontinued audio only switches. No problem ... just use one of their AV composite switches, and ignore the video connections ...
 
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The signal is too low to be split or run through a switch box. Don't even think of it.

The best way to do what you want to accomplish is to take the line level output signal from one receiver and run it into a line level input on the other one. That would have limitations, in that both receivers would be needed when you are playing records through receiver #2.
 
v1: I wouldn't quite concur, 'cause in a lot of phono stages (integrated or separate) you can also find input selector switches, so a phono level signal can very well be switched. Splitting is a different case, though - 'cause in that case the cart would see both input impedances in parallel, so in case of the usual 47 kOhm for each, the cart would then be loaded with 23.5 kOhm only, which would typically already suffice for a pretty severely altered frequency response even without the extra capacity on top...

dw: The most recommendable solution would depend on the particular case - foremost on whether the two receivers would only need to play one at a time or at the same time, on the distances both between the two receivers and between the turntable and the two receivers and finally also on the available inputs on the receivers (as well as possible extra features). So in some cases a switch-box can be an attractive solution, in other cases one might rather go the way vinyl1 has suggested above and deliver the output of the phono stage of one of the receivers to the other via tape-out to line-in, and then there are cases in which using a separate phono stage close to the table and splitting its line-output to a line-input on each receiver would seem the best approach. And then one could think of even more sensible solutions, depending on the particular case - e.g. via pre-out/main-in loops and possibly an additional full-featured pre-amp or pre-ceiver (pre-amp with integrated tuner) or prosumer mixer, so that one or even both receivers could serve as power-amp(s) only. So, as you can see, there's no general answer to your question, but that's pretty normal in the realm of hifi (or audio in general), as there rarely ever is just one road to Rome...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
It's not impossible but could be problematic. You could use a switching device to send the signal to one amp or the other (rather than split it and send to both simultaneously), but you would probably have to switch the grounds as well as the signal to avoid hum problems.
 
One turntable and two receivers sounds like the perfect excuse to buy another turntable.

I agree with the consensus it's doable but not the best idea. If it were a line level inputs would be no problem but a few mV meh.
 
What about if you 'Y-cable' it after a preamp? Let the preamp deal with the impedance. Seems to me that might work.

That might be what lini was explaining, but I'll admit I got kinda lost in there. LOL
 
How about a microphone splitting transformer? They are designed to handle very low level signals with minimal degradation.
 
rdlp: Yup, that was the third option I've listed above.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Thanks for all the help, I think I'm going to just go the two turntable route, seems to be the easiest (and I've got 3, so no worries there!).
 
It is possible, but not easy. Some years ago I came across a Sansui System Selector JB 200. It is a commercial product intended for stereo businesses back in the day to have multiple components connected. It was a rare find. I can run 11 amps, 11 TT,11 sets of speakers, 11 Auxiliary units through the device. I currently have 4 TT, 3 amps,2 preamps, 1 RR , 2 cassettes, 2 tuners,1 eq, 1 dynamic expander, and 3 sets of speakers. I just switch between the components I want to listen to. the only draw back is that I can only run 1 set of speakers at a time with my current set up
 
vinyl1 said:
The signal is too low to be split or run through a switch box. Don't even think of it.

The best way to do what you want to accomplish is to take the line level output signal from one receiver and run it into a line level input on the other one. That would have limitations, in that both receivers would be needed when you are playing records through receiver #2.
Click to expand...

I think what Vinyl 1 says is your best bet. TT gets hooked up to a receiver. Run interconnectors from the tape out in that receiver to aux. in on the other receiver. There is no other practical solution.
 
Just run a tape out from the first receiver into the second one. The receiver already splits the sound for you.

Whoops, I see others have already recommended this. They are correct.
 
Anyone have any experience with the Rek-O-Kut low noise stereo switch (designed for phono level use as switch or splitter) used as a splitter? I only wish to play one output of the splitter at a time, the box allows this with the button (only one output at a time when splitting). I am trying to figure out if it affects the capacitance but it seems to work just fine - I'm guessing it's a mechanical switch/split, as in it's just connecting the input to one of two potential outputs (only one being able to be used at a time).
 
I do it all the time. I have 2 amps and 1 cd player and 1 cassette and 1 turn table. I just use a spliter for each set of wires ( pig tail out from red other white. then send to amps just like you were doing one) and run ground to ground to each amp and the turn table.Works perfectly and now I can have better sound different ways.
 
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