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Contributor I
Aug 10, 2015 11:50 AM UTC

Sonos and Turntables

Hi everyone,

Fairly new to the community but not new to Sonos. Been using it for a while and loving what it lets me do. I've got two play 1s, a play 5 and a playbar and just want more!

I'm massively into my music and have recently been missing the physical nature of having CDs/Vinyl that I can call my own. With this in mind I've been doing lots of research into turntables and have whittled my choices down to three. Pro-ject Debut Carbon, Rega RP1 (w. Performance Pack) and the Audio Technica LP120. I know the first two are supposed to have better sound quality but having read on here that I'd need a phono pre-amp between either of the first two and the Play 5 but wouldn't have that issue if i went with the third one as it already has one built in.

Since reading that I've then come across a number of places where people seem to be saying they have wired their PDCs directly into the play 5 without a pre-amp and have then just turned the 'line-in' volume up to the max. They are all very positive about this in terms of sound level/quality and it has me wondering whether I need to worry about a pre-amp as it's that bit that is preventing me going for the more expensive Debut Carbon.

Can anyone give me some advice? As you might have guessed I'm new to all of this and might sound like an idiot - just want to make sure I get it right and get best value for my money!
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19 replies

chicks
Aug 10, 2015 2:33 PM UTC
Sonos input is line level. Very few turntables have built in preamps, and are usually of low quality if they do.

The old console stereos used "crystal" cartridges, that could be used without a preamp, as they put out enough voltage. Sound quality is poor, however. Very low end turntables, like Crosley, still use these. Avoid them, they are junk, and use very heavy tracking force that will soon destroy your records.

The two primary types (there are many others) of cartridge for HiFi are Moving Magnet (MM) and Moving Coil (MC). Most common is the MM type, which requires a "standard" preamp. The MC type puts out far less voltage, and requires either a Step Up Transformer (SUT) to bring it up to MM level, or a special high gain, low noise preamp.

Audiophiles love all the exotica, complexity and exclusivity of vinyl playback, despite the fact that it is technically far less capable than digital reproduction. It's a hobby, which can be quite time consuming. Nothing wrong with that.
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Belly M
Aug 10, 2015 5:30 PM UTC
Here you go... based on the Rega RP1 http://www.flexson.com/stores/single_product_view.do?pubID=8595&itemID=903497
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Chris
Lead Maestro
Aug 10, 2015 11:02 PM UTC
I just hooked up my 1980's vintage record player to my Play:5. Even with Line in turned to its highest setting of 10 and the volume on the Play:5 turned to maximum - the sound output from the record player was very low volume (I would say equal to about 20% on the volume setting for normal music being played).
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Respect the Queue (2)Move (3)Beam (1) Era100 (2)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1) Roam (2) Ace (1)Connect:Amp (4)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings; (2)Play)
chicks
Aug 11, 2015 1:51 AM UTC
I just hooked up my 1980's vintage record player to my Play:5. Even with Line in turned to its highest setting of 10 and the volume on the Play:5 turned to maximum - the sound output from the record player was very low volume (I would say equal to about 20% on the volume setting for normal music being played).

Yep, and without the RIAA equalization that a phono preamp provides, the frequency response will be way wrong, too.
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Aug 11, 2015 2:02 AM UTC

Audiophiles love all the exotica, complexity and exclusivity of vinyl playback, despite the fact that it is technically far less capable than digital reproduction. It's a hobby, which can be quite time consuming. Nothing wrong with that.

Agreed. And the TT has visible precision engineering, including the nifty damped lever that many like Rega have to lower the stylus into the groove as just one example. Everything about digital systems is hidden from view.

I had to give up on it because I wasn't up to the concentrated effort needed every 20 minutes or so, especially after a couple of whiskies, when precise movement was a challenge!
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Trending Lyricist I
Aug 11, 2015 1:53 PM UTC
I really don't see the issue a phono pre amp of good quality is not costing a fortune.
I would say it's about 10-15% of the Rega RP1 with the performance pack


kind reagards
agron
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Contributor I
Apr 19, 2018 9:09 PM UTC
Does it work to play the turntable through my receiver/amplifier and connect that to the Sonos 5?
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Airgetlam
Apr 19, 2018 9:15 PM UTC
If your receiver is connected to the PLAY:5's input using a line level signal (like a tape out), and the turntable is connected to the receiver's phono input, then yes, it should be just fine. At that point, the receiver is actually acting as the "pre-amp" for the turntable.
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Bruce
Contributor I
Apr 19, 2018 10:23 PM UTC
Thanks much.
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