Connect A/V receiver to Port using speaker wire

It could potentially be doable, but I’d highly recommend against it. The Port is looking for a line level input, no matter where you connect those bare wires, it won’t be a line level output. 

Do not do this. It will horrendously overload the Port input. 

Use the cassette deck RCA input/output jacks on the receiver. 

Ratty, I do not understand. There is no cassette deck in and out. I have a compact disc (cd) in and out but then I won't be able to use the turntable as I understand the directions correctly. Basically I would need two Ports - one for turntable and one for cd player but that is too expensive. 

What is line level input? Don't see the difference between what is being output to wired speakers and what would be output from a turntable or a compact disc player. Output level of each would be controlled by the receiver, correct? 

While not directly answering the question, here is a good reference between Phono and Line levels. All Sonos line-ins are looking for line level data.

Getting a variable output such as a speaker connection as you’re hoping to use to match the standard of a line level input is an extremely hard, well nigh impossible task. And the chances of over feeding the line in on the Sonos is extremely high, which could damage the electronics in the Sonos, as ratty said.

If you’re unwilling to get a better receiver that has more inputs/outputs on it, you could use the tape out to connect to the Port’s input, and the tape in to connect to the CD player’s output. But I’m not 100% certain how the receiver would handle that...would the tape out carry the signal to the Port?

I would be sorely tempted to drop the idea of using that receiver at all, and just put a physical two way switch between a pre-amped turntable and the CD player, and take the output from that switch to the Sonos Port. 

If you need to connect both a turntable and a CD player to Sonos, using that receiver is not a great solution. 

Bruce,

Thanks for all the info.. Finances preclude getting another receiver so are either of the following a viable solution?

1. Buy a switch with two inputs and a single output. Plug that output into either cd/tape/tape2/ phono input on receiver and that output to Port. Would just need to keep the receiver on whatever output I use.

2. Can I use cable with RCA plug in end end and  3.5mm plug on the other and use the headset out from the receiver directly to the Port?

Sorry to be a bother pain but you sure are helpful.

Thanks

@sturg62 I could only find the Pioneer VSX-455 of which I found this picture on eBay:

This does show the Tape in- and output @ratty is talking about. Maybe it is a different model though.

Yea, I found a much older model when doing a Google search which only had one tape, and one phono. It matched the model number as originally posted, but looked a lot like a receiver I had back in the mid 70s, and certainly limited inputs. Based on my looked at pages from last night, I was indeed looking at the SX 450, similar to this one.

To the OP, 1) is your optimum solution, with one addition. You’ll need to purchase a pre-amp to put between the turntable and the switch, to get the signal from Phono level to Line level, as indicated in the link I provided. Your receiver has that pre-amp built in, which is why those phono input jacks are separate,  way off by themselves,  But at that point, I’m not sure what purpose the receiver is serving, unless you’re still using it to drive old speakers. You could just as easily connect that switch to the Port directly, and retire the receiver. 

But things are very different if it is indeed the receiver that 106rallye has posted a picture of. Can you post a picture of the back of your receiver, or a link to a picture online?

Again, 2) is a variable output, controlled by the volume knob, just like a speaker terminal is. So you’re equally likely to ‘break’ the Sonos as previously discussed. 

That receiver likely has a Tape REC Out pair of RCA jacks. If these jacks are free, connect them to PORT’s Line-In. Otherwise, use an RCA-Y cable to connect PORT’s Line-In to REC Out.

Using speaker output is a very bad idea. Headphone jack is very slightly better, but still not appropriate. If the receiver offers a PRE OUT this almost as bad (but will not risk damage) because it will track the receiver Volume control. This will be an operational nightmare. REC Out will send whatever is currently playing to PORT without interacting with the receiver’s Volume or Tone controls.

The receiver is in fact a VSX455, my bad on that one. This is the same as what 106rallye posted. Everything has been unplugged