Playbar and turntable (with pre-amp)?

  • 26 February 2016
  • 41 replies
  • 18732 views

I have a question for which I have found half the answer, but not all of it so far... Situation is as follows:
- My only speaker at home at the moment is a Playbar, it might get extended with another Play (1/3/5) at some point. I have no passive speakers to use.
- I would like to use the playbar with a turntable, which I would operate as a stand-alone device, i.e. not connected to any further system / receiver. The turntable has a built-in pre-amp.
- I gather I can hook up the turntable with the sonos system using a connect device.

--> Question: does this setup require a connect:amp, or would a connect be enough? Again, no additional passive speakers to use, all I want to achieve is linking the turntable with the playbar.

Thanks for any insights 🙂

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41 replies

Just a Connect.
Userlevel 7
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You could also hook the turntable to an input on TV if you have input with analog audio input (then feed from tv to playbar).

But as LHC said it is the connect if you want a stand alone device to hook up the turntable.

The Connect:Amp is for when you want to hook up wired speakers as well (it has powered speaker outputs).
Another, cheaper, possibility which wouldn't compromise the audio quality.

1/ A simple ADC to convert the turntable output to digital optical stereo PCM
2/ A cheap optical switch in front of the PLAYBAR to switch between TV and turntable

The only thing to watch is that PLAYBAR treats the 'TV' input differently when it comes to grouping other players. See https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1966. Grouped players wouldn't automatically be in sync for 'TV'.
Userlevel 2
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I have a playbar and sub setup and have a romantic notion for vinyl. I was put off by the cost of a connect and flexson vinylplay....I like the sound of rattys suggestion as it would not compromise audio quality....I would greatly appreciate some links to what products I would need to achieve this....don't want to fluff it.

Thanx in advance
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Convert Rca to optical
Example: http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Optical-Converter-Selectable-Sampling/dp/B0055EBH5S

Optical switch to chose optical to the playbar
Example: http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-102946-Optical-TosLink-Bi-Directional/dp/B0097IWZRC
Or, for example:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009K55TJI
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RYCSG2Q
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I like that remote switch
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Ah that's great! thanks a million.... Now any turntable suggestions?
No idea. The last time I had a turntable it was a Linn LP12, twenty or more years ago...
Userlevel 7
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Gleason and audio technica seem popular for turntables with built in pre amp. I think denon makes one too
Userlevel 2
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Many thanks ....by my estimation you guys have saved me £264. I don't like the design of the audio technics or denon turntables (can't find anything by Gleason). Ive narrowed it down to the flexson vinyl play.

Thanks again
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Hey pepperpat sorry for taking over your thread! Guys I since looked at the audio technics lp60 which appeals to me....great price and reviews...before I pull the trigger can I just ask I'll be able to hook this up to my playbar using an ADC and optical switch?
That should work. It has a built-in phono preamp. A preamp is essential, either integral or separate, before feeding the signal to the ADC.
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Trigger pulled...many thanks!
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Many thanks.....got my audio technica up and running today...I took your advise to the letter and setup was flawless....sounds great and had the pleasure of browsing vinyl in Belfast today... I purchased... Nirvana unplugged, Courtney Barnett and The Villager's darling arithmetic. I also dusted off a few albums I purchased in my youth and had the perfect Saturday...thanks again!
I have an LP60(built in preamp) and the Playbar (using a wireless bridge) and I want to play music through the playbar. I see Marky was successful in this set up, would you mind sharing which ADC and optical switch products were used?

What I've tried so far but it's not working; bought a cable with RCA (composite) and HDMI to plug into my Monoprice HDMI switcher(4x1 HDMI® Switch with Analog, Digital Coaxial, and Digital Optical Audio Outputs ), the thinking here was to run the TT through the switcher, which has optical out plugged into Playbar but i'm not getting any audio, so i wanted to try the other method mentioned above.

thanks all in advance for your help!
There's no such thing as an rca to hdmi cable. At least, not one that isn't a complete con at any rate.
hmmm well i gave it a shot and it didnt do the trick...
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I purchased the items suggested by Ratty...ref links....worked a treat.
I have playbar as well and just bought LP60. Can you fully describe in details how you connect LP60 to tv and to Playbar? Thanks
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Hi esusanto. All the info you need is contained in this thread.
I have a playbar and two Play5 linked to the playbar. I used the solution to plug the turntable via the playbar but the sound is as "TV", so no stereo in the play5s 😞 . I assume this only works if the playbase is the only speaker. Correct?
I have a playbar and two Play5 linked to the playbar. I used the solution to plug the turntable via the playbar but the sound is as "TV", so no stereo in the play5s 😞 . I assume this only works if the playbase is the only speaker. Correct?

The line-in on the Play:5 is deactivated when used as surround speakers.
Thx jgatie but I am not connecting the turntable to the play5 but to the playbar directly as is states at the beginning of this threat.
Having the play5s linked to the playbar allows me to play music form the play5s (sonos app, spotify) but not when the signal is from the playbar (with the turntable connected to it)
Hi all, turntable newbie here with a pro ject carbon debut phono usb TT in the line in on my tv, playing through the playbar just as the tv does. However TT is not playing through 2 x play1s as surrounds, which makes the TT sound rubbish compared to a streamed tune. Would Ratty's suggestions above about coverting to optical and bypassing the tv mean that the surrounds would work again? Really cant work out why they are not playing...
Any advice is gratefully recieved!