I own a nice turntable but I really do no tuse it anymore, so I have just replaced by old Quad 33 pre amp with phone input with a modern DAC with volume control and only digital inputs. That is fine with me, but my wife wants to keep the vinyl option. I have found the Pro-ject Phono Box E phono pre amp with optical output. However I also notice that they have a similar Phono Box USB. Just like with turntables with usb output the specificatiosnh only refers to connection to a computer (for ripping). Are there two kinds of usb output, and will this not work into the usb input of a DAC?
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usb turntable output
- Thread starter Willem
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- Thread Starter
- #2
Nobody? It would seem to be such a common problem. Or do people who have bought into modern DACs with volume control for digital sources avoid vinyl completely? I admit I would if it were not for my wife, and the traditional mechanical beauty of an SME 3009ii arm.
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At the basic level, both devices are controlled by a host. One provides - to the host and under its control - the service of receiving (music) data, the other one provides the service of sending (music) data. So even if you could physically connect them (not necessarily easy), there would be no host controller to initiate and synchronize stuff.
Some patience please, this is not a payed service.
As @PierreV wrote, you need a PC to connect this type of devices, and then run some software which reads the music stream from the record player and feeds it to the DAC. In your case it makes much more sense to get the E phono pre amp and connect its optical output to the optical input of the DAC (if it has one of course)
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
So you still have the Quad 33? Why not just use it for switching and phono RIAA duty?
- Thread Starter
- #6
Then I would have to channel the signal from my digital sources through the aux input of the Quad, and I have the distinct impression that the Quad degrades the signal somewhat. I admit I have not been able to try the various potential combinations, but using an AD converter for the phono signal seemed the easiest way to to have a tidy system that has optimal SQ for the digital sources.
Thanks everyone for the info on usb from turntables. I was puzzled.
You could use the Quad as a phono stage, then get a simple ADC to digitise it, you don't want USB out. This will keep the sound of your existing TT + Quad stage.
- Thread Starter
- #8
Yes that would be posible, and I did consider it, but my current alternative to the usb route is a Pro-Ject Optical Box E Phono, a cheap (120 euro) and cheerful phono pre amp and AD with optical out all rolled into one for not that much money. I may also need the automatic optical input switch that I mentioned in another thread. The good news is that these little boxes can be hidden out of sight.
- Thread Starter
- #10
The Quad 33 was very good for its time (it was first introduced in 1967), and had a very clever phono input board, but it really does not measure that well compared to what is possible now. http://www.hembrow.eu/personal/quad33-303.html Feeding an external DAC directly into the power amplifier gave an audibly better result , I believe compared to using the Aux inputs of the Q33. I would like to do a proper test but I am not in a position to do so. I have not seen measurements on the Pro-ject box, I am afraid.
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