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Originally Posted by csroc /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Quite the pricey cartridge.
Anyway, are you talking about connecting your turntable directly to the Compass? If so the results will be less than desirable, you want to have the RIAA equalization to restore correct tonal balance among other things. A phono preamp is a must then in my opinion.
Since you sound like you're connecting through your receiver you'll want to make sure the phono input on your receiver (if it has one) actually employs RIAA equalization. Although Peete is willing to bet that it does I would not be surprised at all if it doesn't as many receivers do not carry that any more but I didn't catch what receiver you have so I couldn't say. If your receiver does have one it may have an in-built phono preamp which is just fine. If not (or if you want to upgrade phono preamps) there are plenty of options. If it doesn't have one then in my opinion you need one.
I do something similar to what you two talked about using the tape monitor connection. My NAD integrated doesn't have spare preamp outputs but I can and do use the tape monitor output to listen to my CD player or record player on my Starving Student headphone amp. My connection is similar to what you'd need if you don't have a phono preamp in your receiver. My turntable is connected to my phono preamp which is in turn connected to the input on my amplifier.
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Dude, yes it was a bit pricey (the cartridge). But as far as wanting to hook up the Compass to my turntable so I can use my headphones, yes I would like to do that and am trying to learn what my different options are. I currently can't do it at all with the receiver that it's currently hooked up to because my receiver doesn't have a headphone out. However it does have a phono input. It really is a nice and powerful (200 watts rms x 7 @ 8 ohms) all purpose receiver for being one unit rather then separates. However if I knew then what I knew now, I would have probably gone with separates, maybe down the road. Either way I don't regret the purchase at all.
Sorry, I tend to ramble often, very often.
Anyway after reading some other peoples posts about my Compass setup, the phono "preamp" came into question. Well I don't have one and never thought about it since my receiver has the phono input and ground. The only thing it says in my receivers manual about attacking a turntable is to make sure it's either an MM or and high output MC. And as far as outputs like a preamp output, it has a few different ones though they call them just "stereo" outputs. I've never used them so I'm not sure. They do say that they are a fixed output though, so I suppose it would need it's own volume control. Some more stuff I'm not too familiar with.
It doesn't mention the quality of the phono input source and whether or not is has the RIAA equalization like you mentioned. This stuff is very new to me since I've never researched it before, nor was I asked about it when I purchased my turntable. After reading up more this week about phono preamps and the specs of my cartridge, I got VERY curious, then confused. However it was also helpful but actually made me start questioning my the sound quality of my turntable running directly through my receiver. My vinyl will run VERY bass heavy, not to mention I have to turn up the volume control quite a bit more compared to any other input. I just assumed this was do to the nature of being analog. And it might be, I'm not sure. After I make some adjustments it sounds great, but it still got me thinking after reading what a phono preamp is intended to do.
The reason this is important to me and related to the Compass is because I own more vinyl then I do any other source. And the Compass is what I will actually need to be able to use my headphones, plus I want the best possible sound out of my vinyl of coarse. Basically during my research about how to hook up the Compass to my receiver to accomplish this I started to second guess my setup for sound quality. And being new to standalone phono preamps I just became over whelmed with my options and even questioned what my options are due to the type of cartridge I have.
No I don't only want the Compass connected to the turntable, but also my cd player and PC as well. The turntable research just through me for a loop I wasn't expecting. So anyway, if all the "phono" talk is way off topic then I'll just zip it since the last thing I want to do is derail this thread and upset people. I just need a bit more help outside of the Compass now that I didn't think I needed. So while it's relevant to me, it might not be proper for this thread.
Sorry for the rambling everyone. The "strong" pain meds I take for my back really F's with my memory and makes it very difficult to focus. So instead of just "Spitting it out" and getting to the point, I ramble. Again I apologize to everyone for this because I know people don't like to read a wall of text. Thanks you for your help csroc, sorry if my post is difficult to follow. And anyone, please let me know if this is too off topic please, I will kindly take it somewhere else. Thanks everyone for your help, patience and understanding. I'm quite lucky to find such a killer forum with awesome guys and gals here.
