Turntable connection to Play:5--via amp in turntable or via phono input on receiver?

Question

My turntable has a built-in pre-amp which can be turned off if the receiver has an input for the turntable.  My belief (which may be incorrect) is that routing the turntable through the phono input on the receiver will generally result in better sound than using the pre-amp in the turntable.  In that regard, what is the meaning of this sentence on the Sonos website (https://en.community.sonos.com/music-services-and-sources-228994/using-a-turntable-with-sonos-6769426)?: 

"Your audio receiver may have a phono input, which means you can wire the turntable directly to the receiver. To pass the analog signal along to Sonos the receiver should have a Tape/CD Out, Rec Out, or Zone 2 Out. (Note: additional configuration may be required to trigger the audio output on the receiver)"?  

Does this sentence mean that I can use the phono input on the receiver and get the sound to my Play:5 by running a cable to the Play:5 from the receiver's Tape/CD Out, etc.?  And, if that is the case, will I be able to play the turntable output on either (but not both) the Play:5 or the non-Sonos speakers connected to the receiver?

Kumar · Accepted Answer

My belief (which may be incorrect) is that routing the turntable through the phono input on the receiver will generally result in better sound than using the pre-amp in the turntable.
Does this sentence mean that I can use the phono input on the receiver and get the sound to my Play:5 by running a cable to the Play:5 from the receiver's Tape/CD Out, etc.? And, if that is the case, will I be able to play the turntable output on either (but not both) the Play:5 or the non-Sonos speakers connected to the receiver?

Your belief depends on the relative quality of the preamps, and often, the differences may not be audible.

Given what you have, using the receiver's phono socket and wiring the Tape out to the 5 is the only way to hear the turntable on both Sonos and non-Sonos speakers. And the output can be heard on both sets of speakers at the same time, just with one little problem: the Sonos speakers will play after a small delay from the sound from the non-Sonos speakers, with the receiver set to direct/stereo mode. On the other hand, setting the receiver in AV mode will also induce a delay in the speakers wired to it, which may or may not end up with all speakers in perfect sync. But this only matters if both sets of speakers can be heard at the same time - if they are in different rooms, this may not be a problem.

There is a way to get perfect sync with the receiver placed in direct/stereo mode, but that involves buying a Connect. Wire the TT's pre amp to the Connect, wire the Connect to the receiver, which will then get the signals at the same time as all the Sonos speakers, and its non-Sonos speakers will then be in perfect sync with the Sonos ones....unless you take the receiver out of direct mode, where it adds its own delay to the speakers wired to its terminals, which will then play later than Sonos speakers.

michaelstano · Answer

[quote=Kumar] ... using the receiver's phono socket and wiring the Tape out to the 5 is the only way to hear the turntable on both Sonos and non-Sonos speakers.....

Thanks, Kumar, for your quick and very clear response to my question. I sincerely appreciate your help. I won't listen to both Sonos and my wired speakers at the same time, so the delay won't be a problem for me.

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