What is the difference between line and phono inputs?

N

NEADmike

Guest
Hi, I'm new here, actually new to the whole scene. I just picked up two Technics 1200 MKII's with a Gemini BPM1000 4 channel mixer yesterday. Hooking everything up, I noticed that the back of the unit has inputs for both Phono and Lines. Is one stronger than the other or should I use one over the other ? What's the advantages/disadvantages of using one or the other ? Or are they the exact same with different names? Would it be any advantage to plug my turn tables into the line inputs instead of the phono inputs? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Best regards,

Mike
NorthEast Auto Design
www.ForPerformance.com
www.NorthEastAutoDesign.com
1.800.296.6560 ext. 202
 
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well first off welcome to futureproducers.com!!

turntables put out a very low signal, so low that it needs to amplified with a phono pre-amp... the phono pre-amp amplifies the signal to line level..

a line level is what the outs on something like your cd player at home puts out.. so if you plug your turntable into a line its going to be reaally quiet..

you don't want to plug anything but turntables into the phono pre-amp it'll be bad and could damage thing..

the line ins are for hooking up things like cd turntables and such..

hope that helps!!

have fun with your new decks man!
 
infradead said:
you don't want to plug anything but turntables into the phono pre-amp it'll be bad and could damage thing..
!

So your saying if I have my drum machine running though phono, that would be bad? :( oooops.
 
Welcome to FP!
:cheers:

running hte drum machine thorugh phono is a bad idea!
Hook it up to a line input on the mixer, othewise you'll damage the phono-amp, like infra already said.
 
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Oh phewww! And here I thought I was damaging my drum machine! The mixer isn't mine....its on a "30 day trial" from Guitar Center :D

Thats good to know though.
 
and another thing, make sure you hook the ground wires up.
there should be a post (or two) in the back of the mixer with a screw in it.
each turntable will have a wire coming out of it just all by itself, and it should say ground on it.
make sure you hook those up to those posts if you havent.
if you have, ignore that, but just wanted to throw that out there, we've all gotten new gear at one time or another.
good questions, good luck with everything.
Josh
 
Butthead said:
and another thing, make sure you hook the ground wires up.
there should be a post (or two) in the back of the mixer with a screw in it.
each turntable will have a wire coming out of it just all by itself, and it should say ground on it.
make sure you hook those up to those posts if you havent.
if you have, ignore that, but just wanted to throw that out there, we've all gotten new gear at one time or another.
good questions, good luck with everything.
Josh

Question, I am getting my turntables this week, and I'll get my mixer next week. What should I do to ground my decks before I get my mixer? I want to listen to my records while I'm waiting for mr mixer, can I just not worry about the grounding?
 
Syrophenikan said:


Question, I am getting my turntables this week, and I'll get my mixer next week. What should I do to ground my decks before I get my mixer? I want to listen to my records while I'm waiting for mr mixer, can I just not worry about the grounding?

something solid and metal.
 
AlurOne! said:
something solid and metal.

But you still need a phono amp. As much as it sucks, you just have to chill out for awhile man. The time will come...
 
Peasant Nikon said:


But you still need a phono amp. As much as it sucks, you just have to chill out for awhile man. The time will come...

Well, I tried it anyway. And I noticed one channel wasn't playing at all, and the other deck was skipping. But I only listened to it for a few seconds and decided, "nah, not gonna screwwith it."

So I'm gonna take them in to the shop this weekend and have some guys check out to make sure everything is fine and have it calibrated and balanced.

I bought them used so I just want to make sure nothing is screwed up without my realizing it.
 
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Phono plugs have higher gain and also apply the RIAA eq curve to the signal. Records get cut with reduced bass and increased treble, due to the way the physical medium works and is limited(bass distorts due to huge wiggles and reduces recording time and treble disappears against the noise of the needle). So don't use them for anything but records, as you will likly clip the channel and it will sound bad.

I seriously doubt you will damage anything besides your speakers.
 
Syrophenikan said:

So I'm gonna take them in to the shop this weekend and have some guys check out to make sure everything is fine and have it calibrated and balanced.

Just a word of advice....I bought my tables used also, and wanted them to get checked out by a shop to make sure everything was ok. I knew for a fact that the pitch was a little off, and told the guy they needed to be calibrated. He said "what, you can't do that, you need a whole new pitch slider" and tried to charge me $80 bucks!!
First off, I have seen that part for about $20. Secondly, you can calibrate them yourself at home. It's super easy, and you'll prob save yourself a few bucks too :D
Moral of the story is don't get screwed....(know what your talking about when you go in there)
Let me know if you need a link for a "how to" page on calibration. Or you can have it done.....either way.

T
 
Hyzep said:


Just a word of advice....I bought my tables used also, and wanted them to get checked out by a shop to make sure everything was ok. I knew for a fact that the pitch was a little off, and told the guy they needed to be calibrated. He said "what, you can't do that, you need a whole new pitch slider" and tried to charge me $80 bucks!!
First off, I have seen that part for about $20. Secondly, you can calibrate them yourself at home. It's super easy, and you'll prob save yourself a few bucks too :D
Moral of the story is don't get screwed....(know what your talking about when you go in there)
Let me know if you need a link for a "how to" page on calibration. Or you can have it done.....either way.

T

Yes, any info you can give me would be MUCH appreciated.

My aim contact is BLaC43 and Yeosho. One is for home, the latter is for work. Try both.
 
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