Thanks, everyone, for your replies.
It sounds like I need two devices, one for powering my turntable and an AVR to take advantage of new technology. (a) Possibly two receivers; one vintage for the turntable and an AVR for my TV, DVD, digital cable box, Bose speakers. (b) Possibly one AVR and a pre-amp for the turntable.
PyschoZX, I will definitely do this, probably when I get my new receiver. I can go to Radio Shack and buy the cables and see what kind of result this yields now, before a new receiver is in the mix. I am interested to see how this will affect my picture since I use a fiberoptics cable box on an analog television. Being very new at all of this, I am hoping I will be able to see a visible difference. (i.e., perhaps I will gain a greater advantage from the cable box's digital channels than I am currently seeing.)
The Smokester, thanks for the recommendation for those two specific phono stages; however, they are definitely out of reach for my budget. I imagine I would be looking for something in the pre-amp/phono stage for under $100. I'd be curious to know what something in the $40-$50 range gets: whether (a) decent performance or (b) noticeable distortion.
joelongwood, I have considered what you have said, since there have been so many leaps in technology since I last acquired a receiver. Heck, my Technics receiver was given to me probably more than 20 years ago. I find the new AVR technology useful and desirable, if my equipment can handle it. Perhaps I could get something like the model you recommended strictly for use with my turntable. Or, if a $40 pre-amp will do the same type of basic, serviceable job, that would be fine with me. However, if I would notice a difference in sound quality between a $40 pre-amp and a vintage stereo receiver, I'd prefer to buy a vintage just to use for the turntable and then an AVR as my primary receiver to take advantage of new technology.
Nak_Man, now that my vintage receiver has failed and I have looked around, I admit I am very curious about all of the newer features, such as DTS. I've read about DTS in some online audio/video glossaries, and I'm hoping my older equipment might be able to take advantage of it and other technologies if powered by an AVR. (Also just FYI, I'm a "she," not a he.
since probably more men than women frequent a board such as this.
) You're correct in your intuition about what I tend to use the most: I watch more TV (sci-fi) and DVDs (Japanese anime) than listen to vinyl. I'm more likely to lean toward spending $ for a low-end AVR than a vintage model (unless I buy a vintage model in place of a pre-amp, but overall my turntable is of secondary concern). I don't have a proper surround-sound system; just a left and right speaker, but I suppose you could say I use my TV for the center speaker, and have no rear speakers. The Bose speakers I have are "direct reflecting," which doesn't mean much except part of them bounces off the wall, creating more bass. I don't have a separate subwoofer. If by an "el cheapo" phono stage you mean something like a $40 pre-amp, I'd be curious on opinions re: whether the quality of a pre-amp at that price range ranks as good -- for purposes of the turntable only -- as the older vintage Onkyos you mentioned, or any vintage anyone wants to compare it to).
lini, you're correct; I used the term stereo receiver, mostly because it's been so long since I've looked around that that was the only thing that was available last I checked! Thanks for clarifying. I'll check the models you mention as possibly an alternative to a pre-amp. I haven't upgraded to a better cartridge; it's the basic cartridge; I don't have the $. If I had the $ I'd spend it toward better TV pic/sound or better DVD pic/sound since I use those more.
immtbiker, thanks for the PM.
Since I grew up on vinyl and am accustomed to its anomalies, for my turntable solution, I don't need spectacular; just something that sounds good will do. Having grown up in the snap-crackle-pop era, I don't expect vinyl to sound perfect. However, having it sound great without breaking the bank would be nice. "Great" to me may mean something different than to someone who grew up in the digital era. Give me an old-fashioned equalizer (not necessary, but fun) built-in to a vintage stereo receiver and something I can crank a little without distortion and I'm happy. For the rest of my home entertainment solution, it sounds like a new AVR receiver would best suit my primary needs: watching TV and DVDs through my Bose speakers, and through my digital hard drive cable box. Live pause is a beautiful thing! I'm wondering if some AVRs have built-in equalizers, like some of the vintage stereo receivers used to. I'd love an equalizer that could work on all of my individual components, but I could always add that later.
Something else I thought of: if the speakers are connected to the AVR, would the vintage receiver handling the turntable need some sort of pass-through device for the speakers? As far as I know, a vintage receiver has no way to pass-through its signal to another receiver so that the vintage one could handle the turntable and let the AVR handle my one pair of speakers ... but I truly have no idea.
Budget: Ideally around $300 for the AVR, and if a $40 pre-amp would do the job, I'd be thrilled. Otherwise I'll spend a bit more on the pre-amp or get a separate, vintage receiver for the turntable.
Thanks, everyone, for making me feel at home here, even if I am not much of a audio technical person, I appreciate the friendly replies.
