[robbo]

Newbie here, Rob.  My wife works on Magnavox Way in Fort Wayne which has led to my justifying increasing amounts of Magnavox furniture in the house much to her chagrin.  I try to explain that it's her fault but...

Anyway, I've trawled the archives a wee bit, seen this touched on by Pat, but can't find the practical solution to my problem, namely how to plug an ipod into the phono input of my Imperial without having to have the changer spin.  I've bought a gizmo that I velcro to the back of the unit that allows two phono inputs (record player and ipod) to one output (into the amp) so I don't need to constantly swapping cables in the back, but I'd really like a hard-wired solution to not having to run the changer.

I've seen plenty of discussion about phono vs. aux. vs. tape and don't really want to discuss that, for me the phono input is obvious.

Anybody solved the problem and is willing to help?  I'm an electrical dunce and would need to convey to my amp man.

Thanks All,
Rob

[electra225]

Would you care to share with us (or refresh memories) as to why you object to using the tape input?

[TC Chris]

Would you care to share with us (or refresh memories) as to why you object to using the tape input?

One reason might be that Magnavox was not big on labels for those RCA jacks, at least on older models like my '56.  I had to figure out where to plug the changer in by trial and error.  Most manufacturers were quite clear about what was what.  Maggie, not so much.

Chris Campbell

[robbo]

The phono input has way more bass and just sounds better.

[TC Chris]

The phono input has more bass because tere's equalization used in LP recording.  The signal put on the disc has treble boosted and bass cut.  Then when played back, the bass is boosted and the treble is cut.  That also cuts higher-frequency noise.  Bass is boosted in recording because that makes for smaller groove modulations on the record--the needle won't leap out of the groove, and the groove takes up less space on the disc.  My old 1956 Magnavox gave me a choice of equalizations because they hadn't settled on a single standardized one (RIAA) in the early days of LP.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

I believe that any digital device that is amplified by the old Magnavox analog amplifiers is not going to sound as good as an analog device would.  That's just me and not scientific by any means.

[19and41]

The easiest way to have the amp man set up a switch on the back that would A: switch the audio inputs to your receiver from the phono pickup to the inputs for your device, (I use a laptop as it's easier to see to navigate) and B: switch off the power to the turntable's drive motor.  I would imagine he would have the parts to make up something along that line.  I grew up about 50 miles south of Ft. Wayne, in Gas City.  Good luck on getting things together.

[TC Chris]

Make sure there's  a way to retract the idler wheel if the changer is in an "on" position, even if the motor power is cut, to avoid flat-spotting the idler.  Bump-bump-bump.

Chris Campbell

[robbo]

Thanks fellas.
Rob

[electra225]

If you would try playing some Patsy Cline material thru the tape input, you might find it sounds pretty good.  Mine sure does!   

[AstroSonic100]

I believe that any digital device that is amplified by the old Magnavox analog amplifiers is not going to sound as good as an analog device would.  That's just me and not scientific by any means.

I tend to agree with what you said.  I have a portable CD player that has a line out jack.  I have it plugged into my '57 Wedgewood's tape in jack.  To my ears it doesn't sound as good as either the radio or phono.

[19and41]

If your console uses the receiver used in the early 60's, the inputs for the phonograph go through a hybrid circuit that is pretty simple.  You could make it on a breadboard and put it on the tape in (aux) line and keep the phono unchanged.  It is shown on the photo fact for the reciever. The hybrid circuit uses 7 parts per channel.

[robbo]

Thanks for the replies, my tech ended up putting a switch on the back of the preamp, I use the tape rec inputs for the ipod to link to the phono preamp.  TT uses normal phono inputs.  So no need to have the TT spinning any more....yay!