Sonos amp with Rotel ra-01 pre out

Be sure the Amp is connected from its AUDIO IN to the Rotel’s Pre Out and the Monitor Control on the Rotel is set to Source. Then set the Function Control to the correct source. Start the source, then in the Sonos app, go to Browse and select Line-In.

What is the ROTEL model number? Note that “pre out” often follows the unit’s Volume control.

It's a rotel ra-01. I thought that is what I did because I want to be able to alter the volume using the rotel or the sonos amp. I'll double check.

Also as I'm using an external cambridge audio preamp for the TT I will not plug this into the phono but an uax input instead as it would then be amplified twice!?

Finally then the tape out option this should be ignored?

Are any speakers connected to the RA-01?

This arrangement creates a “war” between Volume controls. If either Volume control is set to zero there will be no output from AMP.

Why not get rid of one box and connect just the TT to the phono jacks on the Rotel?

Then connect the deck and the CDP to the respective input jacks on the Rotel, and wire the tape out to the input of the Sonos Amp.

Toggle the Monitor control once if this yields no sound via the speakers wired to the Sonos amp.

Depending on what source is in use, the function knob will have to be set to the input jacks in use.

There are no speakers connected to the rotel. It's just an expensive source selector.

Yeah I see what you mean- maybe I use tape out and control volume using sonos app.

Thanks for all the great advice.

I'm just thinking the separate tt preamp would be better quality but yes less bits!

Apart from the volume control is there any real difference between choosing tape out or pre out?

I can’t see why the Rotel pre amp would be any less capable than the Cambridge one, but try for yourself.

In using the Rotel pre out, you have two volume control circuits in the signal chain and a purist would not like that. And if I am not mistaken the 01 is the model that does not have a remote control for volume, so why not just stay with the Sonos amp that does have a remote control as well as one on the body of the unit.

When back home will try the different tt combinations and yes the -01 has no remote.

In terms of sound quality is there normally any difference between pre out and tape out?

In theory, the additional analog volume control in the signal chain will have the pre out sounding less clean, also depending on the age of the amp. In practice, this may well not be audible.

Again, something you can easily test at home.