pushbacktosquare Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 So, I'm currently trying to build up my turntable set up from the ground up. Here's what I have so far: Updated 05/02/2012 Receiver - Pioneer Stereo Receiver Model SX-3800 Here's what I still need: Turntable - TBD (Thinking about the Technics SL-DD22 Turntable) Speakers - TBD Not a serious conflict, but could use some recommendations for some speakers in the $200 dollar range that would complement this set up. Also, any word on how the Technics SL-DD22 Turntable would work out for a first turntable? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jase Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 My shitty $20 preamp has two inputs(tv and turntable for you), so I'm sure anythig more expensive should have more features Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingwillow Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 #1: Since I'm going to be investing in some decent speakers, I'd like to use them with my television, as well as my turntable. Will I be able to hook up both my turntable and my television simultaneously through the pre-amp I have selected or will this not be a possibility?? This is mainly handled by a receiver and not a pre-amp. So your setup should go: Turntable -> Pre-Amp -> Receiver -> Speakers Nowadays most receivers are used for home theater stuff and less turntable / music so you'll see them being advertised as such more often. It will still work fine for your uses (and also double as a great all in one hookup for your other devices .. game console, dvd/bluray player, etc). Look for something like: http://www.amazon.com/Harman-Kardon-HK-3390-Receiver/dp/B00198BOAM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1335790030&sr=8-7 #2: Not a serious conflict, but could use some recommendations for some speakers in the $200 dollar range that would complement this set up. Speakers are a whole different beast, as everyone has their own tastes and feeling about what sounds good. Not to mention what style you're looking for (bookshelf, floor units, etc). If you're just looking to start small you can get something as simple as these: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SS-F6000-Floorstanding-4-Way-Speakers/dp/B000OG4E20/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1335790226&sr=1-5 That should serve your record playing and TV audio just fine. Throw a sub in there and it's even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 This is mainly handled by a receiver and not a pre-amp.So your setup should go: Turntable -> Pre-Amp -> Receiver -> Speakers Nowadays most receivers are used for home theater stuff and less turntable / music so you'll see them being advertised as such more often. It will still work fine for your uses (and also double as a great all in one hookup for your other devices .. game console, dvd/bluray player, etc). Look for something like: http://www.amazon.com/Harman-Kardon-HK-3390-Receiver/dp/B00198BOAM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1335790030&sr=8-7 Wait, here's where you lost me: Turntable -> Pre-Amp -> Receiver -> Speakers To my understanding, I would be ok with: Turntable -> Pre-Amp -> Speakers Do I need the receiver in order to connect my speakers to my turntable. Isn't that the purpouse of the pre-amp? Sorry for all the questions, just need to make sure I know what I'm getting into before I go and spend a pretty penny on a set up that's going to be around me for quite a while. I guess I'll do research on some speakers first and then, pick up the Pro Ject debut iii and the "pre amp - receiver" stuff will come last since that's what is throwing me off the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingwillow Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 Wait, here's where you lost me: Turntable -> Pre-Amp -> Receiver -> Speakers To my understanding, I would be ok with: Turntable -> Pre-Amp -> Speakers Do I need the receiver in order to connect my speakers to my turntable. Isn't that the purpouse of the pre-amp? Sorry for all the questions, just need to make sure I know what I'm getting into before I go and spend a pretty penny on a set up that's going to be around me for quite a while. I guess I'll do research on some speakers first and then, pick up the Pro Ject debut iii and the "pre amp - receiver" stuff will come last since that's what is throwing me off the most. The Pre-Amp is basically what is going to convert the Phono signal to a signal that that your speakers will understand. Some turntables have a built in Phono stage which do this before it sends the signal out. Likewise if you have an older receiver it also might include a Phono input which will boost the signal there as well. But in your case if you're buying a Debut III and a newer receiver they will not have a phono stage. So to solve that problem you're going to need an external Pre-Amp (which you'll insert in between the Turntable and the receiver. The receiver on the other hand is what your speakers are going to connect to. You'll see in the back of them a place for you to hook up numerous speakers with the standard speaker wire. Here's the back of a receiver (with a built in Phono stage) for reference: You'd hookup the speakers to the the red/black connectors in the middle, and you'd hook up your turntable output to the Inputs marked "Phono" here (it's the far left input in this picture). In this situation you wouldn't need an external Pre-amp. If you just want to listen to records with the least amount of effort and money you can skip the receiver and floor speakers and get some speakers that accept a dedicated Red/White RCA input. But in that situation you wouldn't be using those speakers to output audio for your TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 If you just want to listen to records with the least amount of effort and money you can skip the receiver and floor speakers and get some speakers that accept a dedicated Red/White RCA input. But in that situation you wouldn't be using those speakers to output audio for your TV. That doesn't seem like it's in my best interest. For one, I'd be sacrificing quality of sound in terms of when I listen to my records. Secondly, I'd like to kill 2 birds with one stone and use my speakers for my turntable, as well as my television. So, it looks like I need to start doing some research on some receivers that would suit my needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 So then, are there any receivers that I should look into that are decent and I won't have to break the bank to obtain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingwillow Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 What are you looking to spend? Also what kind of other inputs do you have that you would like to push through your new speakers? Game consoles? DVD / Blu-ray player? Roku or AppleTV? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 Found this in the Official "What Kind of Turntable Should I Buy" Thread: If you're building from the ground up there's no reason to go for a separate phono pre-amp, and also no reason for buying a receiver or a speaker system. What you need is a decent stereo amp with a phono input and a pair of bookshelf/standmount speakers. Thinking this is the way to go... seems to make sense since I'm building from the ground up. As of now, I still need to buy a turntable, speakers, and a receiver. What are you looking to spend?Also what kind of other inputs do you have that you would like to push through your new speakers? Game consoles? DVD / Blu-ray player? Roku or AppleTV? In terms of what I'm looking to spend, I'm not really sure. I haven't really had any experiences at all with receivers so, I wouldn't know what to be looking at. Here are my current expenses: Pro Ject Debut iii - $399.99 (On Amazon.com) Speakers TBD - $200 (Would like to stay roughly around the 200 dollar range) Receiver - TBD - $??? Pre - amp - Guess I won't need one if the receiver I purchase comes with phono settings. (right?) I just bought a PS3, so I'd like to use those speakers for my gaming habits. Other than that, just the turntable. Speakers are a whole different beast, as everyone has their own tastes and feeling about what sounds good. Not to mention what style you're looking for (bookshelf, floor units, etc). Bookshelf or floor units, doesn't really make a difference. Just want something worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingwillow Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 Probably should have asked this earlier ... How big of a room are your trying to fill? Do you just want to play some audio out of bookshelf units in a bedroom or are you trying to set up an entertainment center in a living room? If you're trying to fill a larger room or handle multiple inputs (TT, TV, PS3) a receiver is your best bet. You can have each input plugged into the receiver and output from there to the speakers. That way you can have quality sound from your speakers when you watch TV, play a record, or play a PS3 game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 Probably should have asked this earlier ...How big of a room are your trying to fill? Do you just want to play some audio out of bookshelf units in a bedroom or are you trying to set up an entertainment center in a living room? If you're trying to fill a larger room or handle multiple inputs (TT, TV, PS3) a receiver is your best bet. You can have each input plugged into the receiver and output from there to the speakers. That way you can have quality sound from your speakers when you watch TV, play a record, or play a PS3 game. I'm in a bedroom. It's a master bedroom if that counts for anything. I think Bookshelf speakers are what fits me as of now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepingwillow Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 Yeah, so bookshelf speakers would probably be good for that situation. If you want to hook up multiple things to the speakers you're going to want an A/V receiver. This will come with HDMI inputs as well as the standard RCA ones that a typical stereo receiver would net you. These are also going to cost a bit more. Examples: http://www.amazon.com/Harman-Kardon-AVR-....8148 60&sr=1-13 http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STRDH520-Chan....581 4899&sr=1-1 Keys: Make sure it has enough HDMI inputs for the things you want to hookup (1. TV, 2. PS3) These will almost always NOT include a phono pre-amp, so you would have to get an external. If you are just looking to listen to music off of the turntable in your bedroom you can get by with just the stereo receiver. This has minimal inputs (usually just Phono, CD, Tape, etc) and will carry the audio to the hooked up speakers. This won't work with your TV or PS3. Example: http://www.needledoctor.com/Teac-AG-790-Receiver-w-Remote?sc=2&category=664 Keys: These will almost always include a phono pre-amp, so you wouldn't have to get an external pre-amp. It's basically a call between what you want to do with your set-up and how much money you want to spend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Dopp Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 I have an Onkyo receiver that I like quite a bit. My setup includes Directv, xbox, ps3, and sometimes my macbook. So I've got 4 HDMI inputs, w/ 1 HDMI output going to my tv. That way everything has the cleanest signal possible (I believe the proper term is HDMI pass through). I also have my Pro-Ject Debut III hooked up, although my specific receiver doesn't have a phono pre-amp so I have the pro-ject pre-amp powering the Debut III and that plays through the "CD" channel on my receiver. If you're looking for inexpensive but still good quality, I'd definitely check out the Onkyo line. I've been VERY pleased with mine. Also, most Best Buys with Magnolia Stores inside of them would be more than happy to help you understand all of what you need. Even though you wouldn't be buying their crazy expensive stuff, you could talk to someone and have them show you exactly what you'd need. Just another option for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted May 1, 2012 Author Share Posted May 1, 2012 Decided to pick up a Pioneer SX-3800 Vintage Stereo Receiver that someone on the board was selling. I figured I didn't need anything TOO fancy just yet, so I decided that a good vintage receiver with phono built in was going to suit me well for the time being. So, now the journey begins to find some speakers and a turntable. Here's a pic of the Pioneer SX-3800 receiver I just bought: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Congrats! It's a good piece of kit for the money, definitely far better than every new receiver mentioned here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 Man, from my understanding this particular receiver was made in the 1980s. It's astounding that some of the reviews that I've read that took place in 2011 / 2012 were so positive for a receiver that's so old. What makes these vintage receivers so distinct and desirable? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 Also, thread is updated. Any word on how the Technics SL-DD22 Turntable would work out for a first turntable? This is more than likely be my next purchase and from the research I've conducted, it seems to be a reliable turntable. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 What makes these vintage receivers so distinct and desirable? Just curious. Vintage receivers have nothing in common with today's receivers. Back in the 70s/80s, a receiver was basically an integrated amp with a built in radio tuner. For the most part, in the same price range they were on par with integrated amps quality-wise. Some even better (due to much higher demand). Today an average receiver has a completely different purpose than an average integrated amp, and is also aimed at a different type of consumers. Buying multichannel receivers for stereo use is completely insane, and I am amazed how often this is the case. Stereo receivers however are a slightly more logical choice, though still not the most rational one, at least where sound quality is a priority. It's basically a lot of eye candy, tons of gadgetry, and little reward. The advantages and drawbacks with buying vintage were mentioned here many times before, but this is still the most cost efficient way to acquire good sound. Buying new equipment is just as risky though, mostly due to how overwhelmed the marked is with bad products, simply because the average consumer does not know better/doesn't care. How much is that Technics going to cost you? It is a good starter table if you get it for cheap, but not the best investment if you're looking for something for the long run. As for the speakers, check audiogon for options in your preferred price range, and if something catches your eye, you can post it here. You can always use ebay and craigslist as well, but it's much riskier. Some nice examples: http://app.audiogon.com/listings/psb-image-b4-monitor-bookshelf-speakers http://app.audiogon.com/listings/audioengine-p4-carbonized-bamboo-speakers http://app.audiogon.com/listings/psb-stratus-bronze (if you don't mind the cosmetis problems, these are really great) http://app.audiogon.com/listings/aperion-intimus-5t-speakers-speaker http://app.audiogon.com/listings/paradigm-mini-monitor-v-6-rosenut Some are over your mentioned budget, but in case you can afford to extend it, I'd strongly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 If I were to pick up the Technics SL-DD22 Turntable, it would be 85 bucks shipped. Thanks for answering the receiver questions and the speaker recommendations. I'll definitely keep an eye out on that website for some nice bookshelf speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Also, is Audiogon an eBay ish type of site? Never been on it before, but it looks like one could score some pretty cheap / quality stuff on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 Also, thread is updated. Any word on how the Technics SL-DD22 Turntable would work out for a first turntable? This is more than likely be my next purchase and from the research I've conducted, it seems to be a reliable turntable. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Audiogon is more a classifieds type of site, not really many auctions there. The prices aren't as low as you might find on ebay, but still usually very reasonable, and most importantly, most sellers are pretty knowledgeable. There's definitely less chance of getting crapped out equipment than on ebay for example. That table is by no means a bad choice, just (in my opinion) not the best one for $80. Especially if the condition of the arm/cart is unknown. A solid buy at $30-$40, but not worth the risk at the asking price. Though this price range again is a pretty tough one. You can score something really god for <$50, but usually from someone that doesn't know exactly what they're selling, which is always a big risk if you don't really know a lot about the equipment. On the other hand, a knowledgeable seller most likely won't go through the trouble of checking and making sure that everything is in good working condition for a piece that will fetch them only $100 or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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