Once it’s turn off it makes no odds. What you want to avoid is two or more phono stages operating at the same time. So if you get a stand-alone ensure the table one is off and that you plug it into any input that isn’t phono on your amp. The table one must be turned off now anyway if you have it plugged into the amps phono stage otherwise it’d sound horrendous. The standalone one is going to be miles ahead of the one built into the table and likely a fair way ahead of the one built into the amp too.
Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice
- Thread starter Joe Mac
- Start date
Once it’s turn off it makes no odds. What you want to avoid is two or more phono stages operating at the same time. So if you get a stand-alone ensure the table one is off and that you plug it into any input that isn’t phono on your amp. The table one must be turned off now anyway if you have it plugged into the amps phono stage otherwise it’d sound horrendous. The standalone one is going to be miles ahead of the one built into the table and likely a fair way ahead of the one built into the amp too.
Gavaxeman
Well-Known Member
So just to be clear , the amp I’m using doesn’t have a phono stage so I’m plugging into an auxiliary input starlight from the deck via whatever is underneath the deck ..so if I buy a phono stage , I plug from the deck into that and then from that Into the amp ?
This is the downside of buying a second hand deck , I’ve no idea what’s underneath the deck but it has no separate power supply so I assume I don’t have a powered pre amp ! Blimey this is confusing
Gavaxeman
Well-Known Member
Unless the debut 3 came with one built in?
So it wouldn’t. decks with a preamp would use the same power supply for both the preamp and the motor. You would make sure the preamp is turned off. You’d then plug your RCA cables into the MM input on the phono stage box. Then you’d have a new set of RCA cables going from the phono stage box output to the same AUX on your amp.
Some models did, some models didn’t, you had a choice. Much like the debut carbon now pro-ject had a million versions of that table. You should be able to turn it off so that you can use a better one, either on the amp, or better again, standalone. Preamps on tables are notoriously poor, they’re there for convenience for beginners but they limit the sound as you step up.
Gavaxeman
Well-Known Member
Cheers ..I’ll buy one soon , can always send it back if sounds crap !
So @Gavaxeman this is the manual for your table
I’m really sorry but there doesn’t appear to be anyway of turning off/bypassing the built in phono stage on your table so you’re stuck with the onboard one as long as you have that table.
I’m really sorry but there doesn’t appear to be anyway of turning off/bypassing the built in phono stage on your table so you’re stuck with the onboard one as long as you have that table.
Sounds like a fun time to start a wider upgrade process
debianlinux
Well-Known Member
I personally would not buy a table with a built in pre regardless if it were bypassable. Just personal preference. I Actually came here to say an easy test to see if the pre is out of the chain on a table is to plug directly into the line in on the amp. If you get nothing or barely anything then the pre is inactive.
No me neither but once you have it, you have it. @Gavaxeman mentioned that his amp has no phono stage and it’s plugged into aux so I think we can safely assume it’s working, either that or he’s been wondering all this time why vinyl is so quiet
Gavaxeman
Well-Known Member
@Joe Mac ..great detective work ..I thought when I brought it had a built in pre amp... to be fair ...I cranked it up this afternoon and it’s plenty load enough...now I’m currently redoing a room ready to swap music rooms over , and I’ll be looking for a new turntable for “upstairs”.. so I will get one without a built in pre amp ... tubes me thinks ! Thanks again Sherlock MacHolmesNo me neither but once you have it, you have it. @Gavaxeman mentioned that his amp has no phono stage and it’s plugged into aux so I think we can safely assume it’s working, either that or he’s been wondering all this time why vinyl is so quiet
Yeah lots of tables have them built in, most you can bypass if you want to upgrade, it’s weird and unfortunate that yours doesn’t allow that.
By quiet I mean that if it wasn’t working it’s be super quiet, like a whispers, not just quieter than you’d like. A turntable has a really low voltage that the phono stage amplifies to a usable voltage for a standard amplifier.
Gavaxeman
Well-Known Member
Yep, typically compared to the CD player in the other auxiliary input the turntable is about one notch quieter on the volume so the preamp is working . I specially sort out a second hand turntable with a preamp as my main separate system Rotel amplifier didn’t have a phono stage .. to be fair this turntable was a bargain on eBay and owes me nothing really.. I’ve upgraded the cartridge and the platter which have cost more than the turntable. I think the isolation stand cost more than the turntable !
I’ll get a nice project clamp next and then save for a new deck upstairs and will look for a tube preamp system ..or even a new amp
Nice! But get saving! Tube gear that uses the tubes properly, rather than just as a buffer, doesn’t come cheap! (You’ll be into 4 figures typically for a phono stage, multiples of that for amplifiers...)
Gavaxeman
Well-Known Member
Yep, thought I’d treat myself to a nice Mcintosh set up , them I saw the prices !
You can definitely get a nice full tube set up for less than MacIntosh prices but it’ll not be in the hundreds sadly!
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
We're spinning the PLX for a few days and I just wanted to post a little "PSA" for those looking for a new TT. The Pioneer PLX 1000 is such a solid choice for it's price point, it amazes me every time I use it. Well built and versatile, this is every bit of an "audiophile" deck, don't let the DJ tag scare you away. 
debianlinux
Well-Known Member
I seriously struggled with whether to get this deck. I actually envy the spare headshell holder. No joke, I chose an actual 1200 for the hinged dustcover more than anything. If this deck had a hinged cover I would have one of those now instead. I am choosing to believe that the 1200 will demonstrate better longevity in the 30 year time span I'm expecting to use it.We're spinning the PLX for a few days and I just wanted to post a little "PSA" for those looking for a new TT. The Pioneer PLX 1000 is such a solid choice for it's price point, it amazes me every time I use it. Well built and versatile, this is every bit of an "audiophile" deck, don't let the DJ tag scare you away.
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One niggle that I kept running acrosst was that the shorter tonearm made achieving certain geometries very dependent on specialty headshells.
Chucktshoes
Well-Known Member
That’s something that so many have gotten messed up and confused and it irks me. That style of deck that was born with the Technics SL 1200 was designed for audiophile purposes. It was the ability of it to produce such great sound in admittedly less than ideal conditions, that led to it being adopted by DJs. A well-built DJ deck is an audiophile deck because those qualities are what makes it valuable to the DJ.We're spinning the PLX for a few days and I just wanted to post a little "PSA" for those looking for a new TT. The Pioneer PLX 1000 is such a solid choice for it's price point, it amazes me every time I use it. Well built and versatile, this is every bit of an "audiophile" deck, don't let the DJ tag scare you away.
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