How to Add a Turntable to a Stereo System

Most modern stereo receivers are not designed to handle a turntable input. But there's still a vast treasure trove of music recorded on vinyl out there that you can access if you hook up a turntable. Here's a guide to getting plugged in to vinyl.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Get your hands on a turntable in one of several ways. Ask your friends or parents if they have an old turntable they would part with for a small price (or free). Or you can shop for a new or used turntable online or at a local electronics dealer. Try to get a turntable that has a built-in pre-amplifier.
2. Plug the two output cables into your stereo receiver's input terminals marked "AUX." If you don't have those terminals available, use another input pair, such as "TV" or "TAPE." Switch the receiver input to the setting that you attached the turntable to.
3. Put a record on the turntable, turn power on to the turntable and receiver, and cue up the stylus. If the record plays with sufficient volume and sound quality, you're all set. Otherwise, you will have to add a phono pre-amplifier.
4. Shop around for a phono pre-amp, if your records are not playing at sufficient volume. They are available at music and record stores, some electronics dealers, and on internet vendor sites. Prices range from about $30 to more than $10,000 for DJ systems. You may not be satisfied with the lowest-priced units, so be prepared to spend $70 to $100.
5. Plug the output cables into the input receptacles on the phono pre-amp. Plug the output cables from the pre-amp into the 'AUX' input receptacles, or other available inputs on your stereo receiver, and switch the receiver to that input. Power up your system and play a record. You should now have great sounds coming from your classic vinyl.

Tips & Warnings

• Many new turntables in lower price ranges ($100 to $250) have built in pre-amplifiers. If the display information doesn't list a pre-amp, it probably doesn't have one.
• High-priced turntables usually don't have pre-amps because they are meant to be used with high-priced amplifiers which are sold separately.

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