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Can a pre be plumbed into another pre?


Coytee

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I sold a dbx CX1 preamp to someone. They have a Pass preamp (don't know model).

The question was regarding his turntable. he's got TWO of them (turntables) and the CX1 does not have 2 phono inputs. So, the idea came up of perhaps putting one of the TT's into the Pass preamp and plumbing THAT preamp into say, "AUX" of the CX1. Once the volume is set on the Pass pre, then he'd leave it alone and use the "master" volume of the CX1 for everything.

Question is... would that work? Would it booger up one of his preamps?

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that will work, you would want to set the output of the first preamp to 4/5 the max input voltage the second preamp can handle. that should help keep you out of the noise floor a bit more and allow the most dynamic range possible. Inevitably the system will have more noise in it, whether its noticeable or not depends on how good the equipment is.

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There would be less coloration of sound if he were to just connect the tape out from the extra pre-amp with the extra TT to his main amp to the AUX input or other unsed selector input.

Of course, he could always sell the extra pre-amp and by a TT phono pre-amp.

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Thanks Jay/Mike.

Jay: as an aside, the guy who bought your Heresy's loves them.

Twist on original question. He ALSO has a dbx 200 route selecter (I think it's called a 200, mine is a 400 but mine has a power cord and his doesn't)

Could he plug BOTH turntables into the route selector using say, "Tape A" and "Tape B", then run both grounds to the preamp unit?

I think one failing I see here is I don't know what kind of needles he's using. If they're the same he can keep the switch on the back of the preamp on the same setting. If they are different, he'd possibly have to fiddle with it each time he changed TT's. (mc/mm kinda thing)

Aside from that possiblity, would the logic of using the route selector work and allow him to simplify his setup or would that create unnecessary complications?

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"Could he plug BOTH turntables into the route selector using say, "Tape A" and "Tape B", then run both grounds to the preamp unit?"

is this an active route selector?

keep in mind that TT inputs pass signals in the 2.5 - 5 mv range and active tape input/outputs are in the 150mv range.  

main issues is the noise and hum that could be generated by devices not designed for low level TT use.  

TT pre-amps vary in price from the cheap used radio shack models for 20 bucks (size of a cig pack) to high end tube jobs for 400 (full size componet).



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That DBX 200 Program Route Selector is more versatile than you think. You can connect the output of the DBX 200 into the phono input of the DBX CX-1 and have the turntable(s) connected into the "Tape 1" and "Tape 2" of the DBX 200 and easily switch between them with the router. Ground them to the same point on the preamp. The DBX 200 circuitry is clean and will not introduce any anomolies into the signal.

You can do similar things with cassette decks, reel to reels, CD Players, MD Players, etc. get another 200 or 400 and you can add up to six units. I prefer the XG models over all the predecessors.

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What I have done is this: I have a Carver C-1 pre-amp that has two pre-amp outputs. One output goes to a Carver M400t. The second output has a Yamaha C-50 pre-amp connected to it. The patch cable goes from "pre-amp out" of the Carver C-1 to the "Aux" input of the Yamaha C-50. I have access to three phono inputs in this configuration. Two volume controls. Output of the Yamaha is dependent on the volume control on the Carver. Hope this helps.

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