Contributor I

Vinyl distortion

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
September 8, 2023
22 replies
1302 views

Hi Sonos Timelords. I have a great Sonos system. Connect:amp series 2. player sub mini and two architectural speakers hard wired to the connect:amp. Does everything as promised. I have a massive vinyl collection and purchased Project turntable,Project e pre-amp and Port. Run the TT and CD player through Port as line-in. CD. fidelity is perfect, TT so distorted as to be unlistenable. I lie to vinyl experience. Should I seperate the analogy and digital systems completely or is there something I am missing. I note the TT-Port issue is common. Please help before I have a stroke.

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Roger RamjetAuthor

Contributor I

Hi Jgatie. It is a Pro-ject primary e. Thanks for your interest

jgatie

I don't see anything that stands out. Since the CD player works, I'd consult Pro-Ject.

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Roger RamjetAuthor

Contributor I

Thanks Jgatie. I am going to hardwire the TT and preamp through connect:amp directly and play through the architectural speakers. I am hearing that my system should work, could problem with the TT????

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

Actually, the preamp should be in Line mode. Phono mode is for a phono input.

I’m confused.

Above, he says Phono input is distorted so shouldn’t the preamp be in phono mode to listen to the phono?

The turntable is going into the line-in on the Port, so the preamp should be set to Line, because the input on the Port is line level.

I think we are talking at cross purposes, I (in error) thought there was a switch on the external preamp while you may be addressing the built-in preamp of the E-1 Phono. The OP mentioned “ purchased Project turntable,Project e pre-amp and Port.” but not a specific version.

Went back to the Project website on a larger screen, what I thought was a switch on the preamp is a serial number label, there is no switch.

Looking at the Project turntables, the E-1 Standard requires the external preamp to convert to line levels. The E-1 Phono has a built in (switchable) preamp.

With the E-1 Standard there is no switching and it should be hooked up:

E-1 Standard → external preamp → Port

With the E-1 Phono there is a switch and it should be hooked up:

E-1 Phono (internal preamp set to phono) → external preamp → Port

or

E-1 Phono (internal preamp set to line) → Port Without using the external preamp.

Having two phono preamps would lead to distortion as would having none.

User guide page 8: https://www.project-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/E1_UNI-Userguide.pdf

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Roger RamjetAuthor

Contributor I

Thank you Stanley_4. Your observation is entirely correct. The Project TT is manufactured as Primary-e without onboard preamp and Primary e Phono which DOES have onboard preamp built in . Mine is the model without and I have it configured as you described. The distortion is a kind of “clipping” of signal that comes and goes as almost in a cyclical pattern that makes the audio signal “muffled” I think is the best way to describe it. I still haven't heard from anyone who is completely satisfied with their vinyl through Sonos experience?

jgatie

Thank you Stanley_4. Your observation is entirely correct. The Project TT is manufactured as Primary-e without onboard preamp and Primary e Phono which DOES have onboard preamp built in . Mine is the model without and I have it configured as you described. The distortion is a kind of “clipping” of signal that comes and goes as almost in a cyclical pattern that makes the audio signal “muffled” I think is the best way to describe it. I still haven't heard from anyone who is completely satisfied with their vinyl through Sonos experience?

We've had hundreds of posters here who are pleased with vinyl through Sonos. If they weren't, I imagine there'd be a long running thread. As stated above, if your CD sounds great, there's no reason a turntable wouldn't, as long as the source is clean. Did you contact Pro-Ject yet? Because if the CD player sounds fine, it's obvious Sonos is not the problem.

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Roger RamjetAuthor

Contributor I

With all respect Jgatie the signal from a CD player is digital when presented to Port, it’s been designed for it. The signal coming from the TT via the preamp is completely analogue. Port has to deal with this analogue signal and digitise and present it to the Sonos system for digital audio reproduction I should have realised this prior to my foray into vinyl through Sonos. You yourself on previous communications have commented Sonos is not for analogue. I should have done my due diligence. Mia Culpa. At any rate the digital and analogue are both beautiful in their own environments. Gotta keep ‘em separated. I will on sell port and invest in a nice simple amp and robust speakers for my vinylling pleasure

jgatie

With all respect Jgatie the signal from a CD player is digital when presented to Port, it’s been designed for it. The signal coming from the TT via the preamp is completely analogue. Port has to deal with this analogue signal and digitise and present it to the Sonos system for digital audio reproduction I should have realised this prior to my foray into vinyl through Sonos. You yourself on previous communications have commented Sonos is not for analogue. I should have done my due diligence. Mia Culpa. At any rate the digital and analogue are both beautiful in their own environments. Gotta keep ‘em separated. I will on sell port and invest in a nice simple amp and robust speakers for my vinylling pleasure

You couldn’t be more wrong. The Port has no digital input. The Line-In is analog only. If you are playing the CD player into the Port, it is via analog.