Phono to Preamp to Computer? Will it work?

[phrog]

Thinking of buying a small preamp ($20 on Amazon) to connect my phono to my computer so I won't have to bother with my receiver. If I use the preamp to connect to the audio-in of the sound card, do I greatly risk damage to my computer? Any electrical engineers out there? Thanks.

[big tim]

I don't think there will be any problem with doing that. It has to be a phono preamp because it will have the appropriate frequency response de-emphasizing the higher frequencies. Phono records are cut emphasizing the high frequencies to reduce record noise on playback.
Good luck.

Tim

[lrr]

Thinking of buying a small preamp ($20 on Amazon) to connect my phono to my computer so I won't have to bother with my receiver. If I use the preamp to connect to the audio-in of the sound card, do I greatly risk damage to my computer? Any electrical engineers out there? Thanks.

You should be fine. Phono level output from a phono cartridge is typically run thru a preamp so you can plug it into an AUX input on a receiver not set up for low-level phono use.

If you have a sound card, it would typically recommend that you use the LINE IN connection for external sources like tape decks, MP3 players, and in this case, a phono preamp, rather than using the MIC input. If you have a laptop PC, check with the manual or go online to see if there are any issues with using the MIC input, just to be sure.

[LCHIEN]

you should be OK. A phono preamp has low level amplification since phono cartridge signals are on the low side ( a few millivolts) and the phone amplifier also should have a reverse or playback RIAA curve - cutting the high frequencies which were boosted prior to recording to vinyl for several reasons.

You should put the phono output to the line in or Aux in of your computer.

[phrog]

Thanks to all. That's what I assumed but wanted to make sure.

[gsmittle]

+1 on what BigTim said. Or you could apply the RIAA curve in software if your sound editor can. If you're recording 78s they have a different curve as well.

g.

[JimD]

I did this but I used an old receiver that took input from my turntable. The line out went to the computer and it worked great. Audacity is excellant software to process the resultant signal and it's free! If you look at the Audacity forum you can find recommendations on scratch and pop removal software. I used a shareware product for that and it was also excellant. Audacity has tools for this but doing it for each instance is laborious. Good software will get about 95% of the issues resolved leaving only a few for you to do manually (or just live with). I converted 40+ albums a couple years ago and am very happy with the result.

I was also a little nervous about plugging in the receiver to the computer but it was not a problem. You want a pre-amp output signal, of course, not something intended for a speaker. It is also important that the pre-amp remove the drastic compensation built into vinyl. I think it is low frequencies that are at very low levels with highs emphasized due to the way the grooves are cut. But if you don't "fix" that, you won't have anything worth listening to. So if you buy a pre-amp for this, make sure it will do the necessary correction.

Jim