Adding a turntable is a great way to expand your home entertainment system and embrace the growth of vinyl records. It’s also a simple process. Here are step-by-step instructions that will ensure that everything gets connected correctly:
1. Place your turntable directly next to your receiver. Consider an entertainment cabinet or shelving system that can dampen the vibration of both units with minimal shaking.
2. Connect the supplied RCA-type stereo cable to the output of your turntable. (If your turntable didn’t come with them, you’ll need to purchase a quality RCA-type stereo cable, readily available from retailers everywhere.)
3. Look at the back of your receiver and examine the audio input options. Receivers with a built-in phono preamp will have inputs labeled “Phono.” (If the receiver does not have an input labeled that way, jump to step 4 below). If your receiver has such an input, simply connect the output cable coming from your turntable there and you’re pretty much done! (If your turntable is equipped with a GND (ground) wire, you’ll need to connect it to the GND terminal screw on the receiver.)
Note: If you are using a turntable that gives you the option of selecting between “Phono EQ” and “Thru” (such as the Yamaha
TT-S303, shown above), make sure the switch is set to “Thru” so both preamps are not running at once. In most instances, the receiver’s EQ will be better than the turntable’s.
4. If your receiver does not have a phono input, don’t worry – many turntables have their own built-in preamp. (You can verify this in the owner’s manual.) As long as this is the case, you can use any receiver input, such as the ones labeled “Line,” “Audio,” “CD” or “Auxiliary.”
5. In order to hear vinyl playing back from your turntable, be sure to check the input setting on the front display so that its name matches the rear panel input you used for connection.
To summarize, the output/input connections should look something like this:
| Turntable Output: |
AV Receiver Input: |
| Phono* |
Phono |
| Line Out** |
Line, Audio, CD or Auxiliary |
* If your turntable has a Thru/Phono EQ switch, switch it to Thru to turn off its preamp.
** If your turntable has a Thru/Phono EQ switch, switch it to Phono EQ to turn on its preamp.
You might also consider sidestepping cables altogether and going wireless instead. Yamaha provides this capability with the MusicCast wireless multiroom audio system, which utilizes your home’s Wi-Fi connection and allows you to stream music through MusicCast-enabled devices and wireless speakers throughout your entire home. The Yamaha MusicCast VINYL 500 Wi-Fi turntable even lets you stream the sounds of your vinyl!
