[hncreature]

Hey Folks...

As I was admiring Hatter313's new turntable / speaker setup I started to get a bug on about what I could do to have a 2nd setup in another room using the same turntable - With my wife home...an apartment...she of course watches TV in the living room where I have my stereo and speakers set up...most of my listening is when she isn't home but I want to listen when she is home - Seeing Hatter's set up made me think I could do something fairly simple to get it set up - I'm going to throw out a couple of ideas and if someone / somebodys would be so kind to give some suggestions - I'm just using examples of the components / speakers and I'm not too concerned about brand names just yet but more about my ideas for the set up


First question...

Is possible to have sort of an A/B switch where I would plug my TTs red/white cables into an A/B switch then run one set into my front room receiver and the second set into the "other" option? So when listening using the front room receiver setup I be on "A" but if the wife is watching TV then I could choose "B" to listen in the other room?


Second...as with the rest...if the above is possible



I'm liking Hatter's sweet set up with the Audioengine 5+ speakers...easy...sleek...but seeing they are powered with an amp / volume control built in...would I just plug the TT directly into the speakers or would I need a pre-amp...or what else would I need to complete this setup? I'm also concerned about the life expectancy of said speakers being powered


Third...

Moving away from the powered speaker option...how would say a digital or tube mini amplifier with some desktop speakers work? I don't have room for large speakers


Fourth...

I've read up on some cheap receivers with phono jacks...and the rest is obvious there


Any help would be greatly appreciated and thank you for your time

[lazyben]

I'm struggling to get my head around the idea of having to go into another room to turn the record over...

Long cable runs also aren't going to do much for your sound.

With regard to your questions:

1 - you can buy things like this but be careful as cheap ones will not do your sound any favours

2 - no idea on those specific speakers but components usually sound better separated. The turntable sitting next to the speakers like that is also a terrible idea but I digress.

3 - I'm copying this from a prior post I made in a thread about desk/second systems or similar (the qinpu is a cheap Chinese hybrid tube/solid state headphone amp):

My desk system has space limitations and consists of the following:

Project debut II
Project Phono Box (I forget which model)
Qinpu A6000 MkII amp
Some tiny Cambridge audio bookshelf speakers

The turntable and preamp are on a rack on the wall to free up desk space.

I also have the project speed box in this system and some other components into a project switchbox (the qinpu doesn’t have many inputs). This is nowhere as nice as my “proper” rig but it does sound pretty musical

4 - I personally won't use receivers for music

My final thought on this - have you considered the headphone route?

[Dollarhyde]

The speaker a speaker b route sounds like the option to go for for me. As long as that cable run is not too lengthy or obtrusive.

I was quite into the idea of a sonos digital streaming set up, after all the hype. Then I saw one in action and for the money was not impressed.

[EvanCampbell]

If the TT has a built in pre-amp you can plug powered speakers in directly if you wanted a very simple set up.

[hncreature]

lazyben - "I’m struggling to get my head around the idea of having to go into another room to turn the record over…"...apartment with no room in speaker room...TT is just around the corner with no really long cords

1 - Check!
2 - Wouldn't be set up the same...TT on cabinet with speakers on stands away from the TT
3 - Project Phono Box & Qinpu A6000 MkII amp? So the Qinpu doesn't have a pre-amp for phono? My TT has a pre-amp built in...would I not need the phono box?
4 - Check!
Headphones...I keep thinking I'm hearing things and it's on...off...on...off



Dollarhyde - Max length for speaker wire before losing quality?

EvanCampbell - It does...so I could go direct into Hatter's Audioengine A5+ speakers then?

Thanks for the help folks!!!

[Hatter313]

Howdy, thanks for the admiration, I'm liking the set up so far very much, in regards to some stuff:

Yeah, that table was far too small and that was just to get things out of the boxes and set up. moved everything to a 2x4 expedit so that things are better spaced.

The table is run through a phono and then to the speakers, so it's 3 components, but as Evan said, no need to have the phono if your TT has one built in

While I agree things sound better separated, the amp built into the audioengines is no joke, and in the 550sq ft room I'm in, sounds very warm and very clear.

Anyway, hope that helps

[Dollarhyde]

Sorry don't know much about loss of quality through long speaker cable. But I would have presumed it would have to be fairly long to notice any loss in quality, especially if you are using a quality cable. I think the issue of cables trailing everywhere would be more problematic.

Good second hand amps with speaker a,b, a+b select I think are fairly common. Also If your TT has a phono stage built in this makes getting an amp even easier.

[maxlevel]

The problem with long cable runs is quite simple really. The distance isn't so much of an issue, live events and studios have huge cable runs with no loss in signal. What they do have is enough power to cross the distances, and thicker rubber covering designed to reduce interference and magnetic induction, which is the biggest problem in a home envoironment. You have electric cables literally in every wall, and they induce a field when crossing a audio cable. Studios and event buildings have very specific cable runs built away from electric runs. They also use balanced cables such as XLR, although even the rubber in these differs according to purpose - mic cables are different (or at least can be) in spec to a domestic use speaker cable because the power driving the mic diaphram must be sent up the cable and the signal returned to the desk.

Also, cabled is always better than via wifi or transmitted signal, unless it is literally impossible to run a cable. Apart from converting the analogue signal to digital, then to radio, back to digital and then to analogue out of the speaker for the sake of a few feet thus destroying the signal through multiple conversions, you are also introducing all sorts of delays. Radio signals work best in line of sight, that's why telecom towers are raised up.

[hncreature]

Thank you all...much appreciated!!!

[lazyben]

Yeah, no phono stage in the Qinpu. Not a problem for you anyway.

I wouldn't use it to drive anything bigger than smallish bookshelf speakers at sensible volumes but it's fine for that considering it's basically a headphone amp. I am pretty pleased with the sound of this setup, it's obviously not in the same league as anything fancy (the whole lot cost less than the last time I replaced the cartridge on my main rig) but perfectly serviceable in a smaller room.

I hear you on the headphones, half the reason I have this setup is to avoid using headphones in the living room.

[hncreature]

OK - So here is what we came up with...

Turntable with built-in preamp turned off...because the receiver has a phono jack so I don't need it on



TT will run into a 4-way...couldn't find a 2-way...Composite Stereo Audio Distribution Amplifier (1-in/4-out)



...then a set of rca cables to the receiver...and another set into a Bellari VP130 pre-amp...a friend is donating one he didn't need to the cause



...then into the set of Audioengine A5+ speakers



Yeh / Neh??? Am I at least in the right direction...

[hncreature]

Hey Folks just wanted to say thanks for all the suggestions - I got it set up...like I showed in the previous post...and it F'N WORKED FIRST SHOT!!! It sounds AMAZING too! Perfect Lp to test the new set up on too





Thanks again all!

[EvanCampbell]

Very cool...enjoy!

[Hatter313]

nice! Glad you are having as much luck with those speakers as I am!

[DrRhythm]

Is volume the only control you get on those speakers? No tone/EQ?

[hncreature]

No Tone / Eq...sounding pretty rich all around but an Eq can always be added if preferred

[monsterworship]

Hatter can you post the specifics of your setup, I was also ogling over it for simplicity.

I need to move my turntable away from my amp and surround setup. As its in a cabinet underneath and I'm getting annoyed with bending over to put records on and turn them over.

I could try to move it about 20 feet across the room on top of an expedit. But am worried that 20ft of RCA will not end well.
I have a 13 ft on it now and it's fine, I guess I could try it out and see.

I have that Denon 300, with an onkyo amp that has phono built in.

[hncreature]

I had a quality 25ft RCA and it worked fine - I had that same set up with TT around the corner and away from receiver...again it was fine - If you'd like to try the length here's a cheap option...

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=1 ... 1&format=2

[monsterworship]

Thanks I'll give that a try. I hope it sounds crappy so I "have to" buy new speakers

[DrRhythm]

On the active speaker front, a friend of mine uses a big pair of Genelecs in his home system and they sound absolutely f**king amazing!!

[static14]

@Monsterworship. The simple solution (though not the cheapest) is to get a stand alone phono preamp. Place that near your turntable and then you can run the 25 foot rca cable from that to your receiver/amp, and since you're sending a line level signal from the phono pre to the amp you no longer need to worry about capacitance issues or nasty signal interference.

In all honesty with a stand alone phono stage you'd likely also notice an improvement in over all sound quality vs. the built in stage in your receiver.

Or you could use the buit in stage in the Denon table (not sure how good that is) and save a few bucks

[Hatter313]

here's the specs:

Pro-ject Debut Carbon DC TT w/ acrylic platter/ Ortofan 2m Red cartridge

Bellari VP29 pre amp

Audio engine A5+ powered speakers

Audioquest Tower RCA cables

[monsterworship]

My weekend project was to run a 25ft mono price cable down the floor through the basement and up the otherside of my living room, so I could put my turntable on top of my record shelf across the room from my amp.

No sound loss that I can tell. Running from my Denon 300F (preamp off) direct to the phono input on my onkyo NR626.

My turntable is much easier to access and more stable on the solid stand with additional rubber shock absorb underneath.

Thanks for the recommendations.

[monsterworship]

Now the problem is I have 24 cubes filled with records, so I need more shelves and a bigger house

[hncreature]

$7.33...a little effort...and all is well - Congrats!

It's this damn obsession...if it's not one thing it's another...