How to connect turntable to audio interface?

[Pancreas]

I'm looking for a turntable that can connect to my audio interface Motu ultralite mk5, so I can use it with my Genelec 8030c

All these turntables only come with RCA. If you use an RCA to TS cable, it would connect and work, but wouldn't the quality be inferior since is unbalanced?

Even the ones that come with a preamp built in only have RCA out, but my interface already has a preamp

Basically I need a turntable with balanced outputs which are considerably more expensive

TN-5BB Manual Belt-Drive Turntable

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[DVDdoug]

You need a phono preamp. A phono preamp as gain of around 40dB at 1kHz (100X) and it applies RIAA playback equalization which is about 20dB more at the lowest frequencies, and about 20dB less at the highest frequencies. It also presents the standard load of 47K Ohms and a couple hundred pF or so.

In the analog days the phono preamp was built into the receiver and some AVRs have phono inputs.

Virtually all USB turntables have line outputs because the ADC requires a preamp be built into the turntable. There are also some non-USB turntables with built-in preamps.

The turntable you linked to has balanced outputs but phono preamps with balanced inputs are rare, and it's not clear if there is any real advantage. It's still not compatible with a microphone input. Phono cartridges are "naturally" balanced... There is no ground until you connect a ground.

There is one interface (made by RME?) that has phono-compatible inputs and MAYBE digital RIAA EQ.

If you don't actually enjoy the "warm crackle" of vinyl, you might look into the Waxwing phono preamp. It should be more of an improvement than going balanced.


P.S.
Here is the RME interface.

I have the ART USB Phono Plus. (But it got a "not recommended" rating from Amir.

 

[Chrispy]

Or use a phono stage with digital output; I have an ART Phono Plus that usb output....believe the Puffin (?) has some nice features for digital connection.

 

[AnalogSteph]

All these turntable only come with RCA. If you use an RCA to TS cable, it would connect, but wouldn't the quality be inferior since is unbalanced?

A turntable is a floating source, and your average phonopre only has a very small transformer power supply either with very little mains leakage... going unbalanced (especially post phonopre) is not a major concern under these circumstances.

Even the ones that come with a preamp built in only have RCA out, but my interface already has a preamp

Probably not exactly the kind you need though. Even if you were to apply RIAA EQ in software (*), the common MM cartridges require input resistance and capacitance to be in a very specific range - roughly 47 kOhm +/- 25% || 50-300 pF (ideally adjustable to accommodate different cartridge types and cable lengths). Generally none of the inputs you'll find in studio gear will fit the bill, although I guess you could make an instrument input work with externally added parallel resistors if it's not too noisy. The RME ADI-2 Pro SE is one exception, even if a costly one.
Now MC cartridges should generally be quite a good fit for microphone inputs and common RCA to XLR adapter cables would be fine in the application, although you would want one with good to very good EIN since typical source impedance is a fair bit lower compared to microphones (think 20 ohms rather than 150)... -130 dBu(A) or better definitely won't hurt.

*) Which is an approach that has its perks, notably frequency response accuracy and repeatability - every time you're relying on the tolerances of capacitors it's a bit of a crapshoot. That's why DSP phono stages like the Parks Audio Waxwing exist. The downside is that you're putting a fair bit of strain on the preamp in terms of required GBW and slew rate. The overall best approach may be of the hybrid variety, e.g. with a basic 1st-order lowpass response in the analog domain and the rest being straightened out digitally.

 

[Pancreas]

Im new at this. Im a streamer and CD fella

I wanted to become hipster and enter the record world but Im more confused than before now

 

[JayGilb]

Purchase a phono preamp with balanced outputs (most likely xlr style) and use xlr to trs cables to connect to your Motu.

 

[staticV3]

Or use a regular Phono preamp with RCA out and connect to your Motu with a cable like this, at no loss in quality:

 

[krabapple]

Or use a phono stage with digital output; I have an ART Phono Plus that usb output....believe the Puffin (?) has some nice features for digital connection.

A phono stage that converts the blessed holy and quite mysterious sound of the vinyl renaissance....to digital.

I love it.

 

[Pancreas]

Or use a regular Phono preamp with RCA out and connect to your Motu with a cable like this, at no loss in quality:
View attachment 391182 View attachment 391183

But that Motu only has 2 XLR microphone in the front, in the back is only TRS 1/4

 

[staticV3]

But that Motu only has 2 XLR microphone in the front, in the back is only TRS 1/4

The cable construction is identical for TRS

T=XLR2
R=XLR3
S=XLR1

 

[Zek]

 

[Pancreas]

My Motu doesn't have XLR input or output in the back. So, it would have to be connected to the front, making things uglier than they already are. My guitar cable is already connected to mic 1.

Phono preamp with balanced outputs would work to keep things tidy considering i have so many line in and out on this interface

 

[staticV3]

My Motu doesn't have XLR input or output in the back. So, it would have to be connected to the front, making things uglier than they already are. My guitar cable is already connected to mic 1.

No. You can connect it to the back using an RCA->TRS cable, with the same construction as shown in the diagrams above, but substituting the XLR plug with TRS.

 

[Pancreas]

No. You can connect it to the back using an RCA->TRS cable, with the same construction as shown in the diagrams above, but substituting the XLR plug with TRS.

So it doesn't matter if is unbalanced? I would need 2 cables? Cause all these phono preamps have left and right out

The phono preamps with balanced outputs wouldn't offer a cleaner sound? They're expensive too at least $500 the cheapest ones like Halfer PH50B

If it this doesn't make a difference as someone here said, then why do these exist and people on this forum have bought them as my search revealed

Wouldn't it be easier to buy a turntable with phono preamp inside to keep a setup cleaner?

 

[staticV3]

So it doesn't matter if is unbalanced?

No. Balanced inputs can take either balanced or single-ended output signals.

I would need 2 cables?

Correct.

The phono preamps with balanced outputs wouldn't offer a cleaner sound?

Depends on the phono preamps in question, the quality of your cables, and how well you have grounded your setup.

 

[DVDdoug]

So it doesn't matter if is unbalanced? I would need 2 cables? Cause all these phono preamps have left and right out

I'm pretty sure the balanced inputs on your interface are high-gain microphone inputs. A TS plug into the combo-jack should work MUCH better as a line (or instrument) input.

The "wrong" stereo TRS adapter WILL foul-up the left-right stereo. I'd use this type of adapter.

The phono preamps with balanced outputs wouldn't offer a cleaner sound? They're expensive too at least $500 the cheapest ones like Halfer PH50B

Probably not. The weak link is usually the record itself. There's always record noise. ...And usually frequency response variations (which can be fixed with tone controls/EQ) and sometimes audible distortion (which can depend on the record and cartridge together).

Wouldn't it be easier to buy a turntable with phono preamp inside to keep a setup cleaner?

If I was buying a turntable I'd look seriously at the AT-LP120XUSB. It comes ready-to-play with a cartridge, built-in preamp, USB, and it's direct drive so no belts or drive wheels to wear out. (My only use for a turntable is occasionally digitizing a record that's not available digitally.) My 40-year old direct drive Technics (not the high-end DJ model) still works fine (although it has had a whole-lot of use for the last few decades.)

To me, the AT turntable doesn't seem "too cheap" or "too expensive". There some correlation between sound quality and price in the analog world but you can spend thousands and you still won't get "digital quality". I realized that and gave-up upgrading when I got my 1st CD player. And once I was able to replace my vinyl, I gave-up on vinyl altogether.

 

[AnalogSteph]

So it doesn't matter if is unbalanced? I would need 2 cables? Cause all these phono preamps have left and right out

Yes, you would need 2 cables (2x RCA to TS or TRS, depending on cable construction). As I previously wrote, there is not much to be gained from going balanced in a phonopre.