Dan Gruner

Don't you mean the PHONO (turntable) input? "Phone" applies you mean the
headphone socket, which is of course an output!

In answer to what I think is your question, NO your CD player will not
"work" through a turntable input. I will explain why:

1/. The Phono (turntable) input is of a much lower level (around 2.4mV)
than a line level input (anything up to 4V!) think of it in the same way as
a microphone input - a microphone produces a tiny signal which needs greater
amplification. If you connect your CD player's line output into a
microphone or phono input then you will overload the front-end pre-amp -
result severe distortion and possible damage!

2/. Phono (turntable) inputs are "RIAA equalised" meaning the input has a
characteristic EQ curve applied to it, so as the frequency response is
"straightened out" when a record is played back. I will not go into all the
details as to why this is done - I can do so at a later date is you wish,
but suffice to say that if you were to apply a non-RIAA equalised source to
the phono input of your mixer, it would sound bloody awful! (a large bass
boost and treble cut) This rules out the use of a simple attenuator for the
CD player output.

I have not seen any black boxes on the market which would convert a phono
input back into a line-level input. If you're adept at electronics you can
build a simple "passive" (non-powered) circuit to "reverse" the RIAA
equalisation and attenuate the line-level signal at the same time. However
such a simple circuit would be dependant on impedances and other factors and
the degradation of the signal (sound quality) would be large so stick to
connecting the CD player to the line level inputs. Leave the phono input to
do what it is designed to do - facilitate the connection of a turntable!

If you require any further advice then don't hesitate to ask.

Regards,

Dan




"Tim A" <tim@NOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:6mUXa.578$U_6.17022@eagle.america.net...
> Question:
>
> Will my CD deck work through the phone jacks on my mixer, or only the line
> inputs? If it won't work normally, is there an adapter I can buy to allow
it
> to work?
>
> Tim
>
>

Boyd Speerschneider

"Dan Gruner" <dan.gruner@btinternet.com> wrote in
news:bgpfk8$t2f$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk:

> Don't you mean the PHONO (turntable) input? "Phone" applies you mean
> the headphone socket, which is of course an output!
>
> In answer to what I think is your question, NO your CD player will not
> "work" through a turntable input. I will explain why:
>
> 1/. The Phono (turntable) input is of a much lower level (around 2.4mV)
> than a line level input (anything up to 4V!) think of it in the same
> way as a microphone input - a microphone produces a tiny signal which
> needs greater amplification. If you connect your CD player's line
> output into a microphone or phono input then you will overload the
> front-end pre-amp - result severe distortion and possible damage!
>
> 2/. Phono (turntable) inputs are "RIAA equalised" meaning the input has
> a characteristic EQ curve applied to it, so as the frequency response is
> "straightened out" when a record is played back. I will not go into all
> the details as to why this is done - I can do so at a later date is you
> wish, but suffice to say that if you were to apply a non-RIAA equalised
> source to the phono input of your mixer, it would sound bloody awful! (a
> large bass boost and treble cut) This rules out the use of a simple
> attenuator for the CD player output.
>
> I have not seen any black boxes on the market which would convert a
> phono input back into a line-level input. If you're adept at
> electronics you can build a simple "passive" (non-powered) circuit to
> "reverse" the RIAA equalisation and attenuate the line-level signal at
> the same time. However such a simple circuit would be dependant on
> impedances and other factors and the degradation of the signal (sound
> quality) would be large so stick to connecting the CD player to the line
> level inputs. Leave the phono input to do what it is designed to do -
> facilitate the connection of a turntable!
>
> If you require any further advice then don't hesitate to ask.
>
> Regards,
>
> Dan
>
> "Tim A" <tim@NOSPAM.com> wrote in message
> news:6mUXa.578$U_6.17022@eagle.america.net...
>> Question:
>>
>> Will my CD deck work through the phone jacks on my mixer, or only the
>> line inputs? If it won't work normally, is there an adapter I can buy
>> to allow
> it
>> to work?
>>
>> Tim

Also, with regards to what Dan says:

Most mixers have a couple of different sets of inputs for each channel.
My Gemini mixer, for example, has a line and a phono input for each of its
3 channels. Its just a matter of plugging the right device into the right
input and flipping a switch (from line to phono or vice versa).

- Boyd S.

Boyd Speerschneider

"Dan Gruner" <dan.gruner@btinternet.com> wrote in
news:bgpfk8$t2f$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk:

> Don't you mean the PHONO (turntable) input? "Phone" applies you mean
> the headphone socket, which is of course an output!
>
> In answer to what I think is your question, NO your CD player will not
> "work" through a turntable input. I will explain why:
>
> 1/. The Phono (turntable) input is of a much lower level (around 2.4mV)
> than a line level input (anything up to 4V!) think of it in the same
> way as a microphone input - a microphone produces a tiny signal which
> needs greater amplification. If you connect your CD player's line
> output into a microphone or phono input then you will overload the
> front-end pre-amp - result severe distortion and possible damage!
>
> 2/. Phono (turntable) inputs are "RIAA equalised" meaning the input has
> a characteristic EQ curve applied to it, so as the frequency response is
> "straightened out" when a record is played back. I will not go into all
> the details as to why this is done - I can do so at a later date is you
> wish, but suffice to say that if you were to apply a non-RIAA equalised
> source to the phono input of your mixer, it would sound bloody awful! (a
> large bass boost and treble cut) This rules out the use of a simple
> attenuator for the CD player output.
>
> I have not seen any black boxes on the market which would convert a
> phono input back into a line-level input. If you're adept at
> electronics you can build a simple "passive" (non-powered) circuit to
> "reverse" the RIAA equalisation and attenuate the line-level signal at
> the same time. However such a simple circuit would be dependant on
> impedances and other factors and the degradation of the signal (sound
> quality) would be large so stick to connecting the CD player to the line
> level inputs. Leave the phono input to do what it is designed to do -
> facilitate the connection of a turntable!
>
> If you require any further advice then don't hesitate to ask.
>
> Regards,
>
> Dan
>
> "Tim A" <tim@NOSPAM.com> wrote in message
> news:6mUXa.578$U_6.17022@eagle.america.net...
>> Question:
>>
>> Will my CD deck work through the phone jacks on my mixer, or only the
>> line inputs? If it won't work normally, is there an adapter I can buy
>> to allow
> it
>> to work?
>>
>> Tim

Also, with regards to what Dan says:

Most mixers have a couple of different sets of inputs for each channel.
My Gemini mixer, for example, has a line and a phono input for each of its
3 channels. Its just a matter of plugging the right device into the right
input and flipping a switch (from line to phono or vice versa).

- Boyd S.