plugging an old deck into a hi-fi

[kia cat]

We have and old record deck from a separates hi-fi system. I've tried plugging this into our current system, first using the phono socket, then the aux socket. The volume output is so low you can barely hear it, it's just about listenable to when the volume is set to max. Am I doing something wrong?

The record deck has an inbuilt phono lead coming out with red & white phono plugs plus a third wire that's bare [I can't remember where this went into on the original amp]

Below the phono sockets input on the hi-fi; it says "these terminals are for the turntable [with built-in phono equaliser], but may be used for other aux inputs. Any ideas, please? It shouldn't have to go through the old amp then into the new system, I wouldn't think. Thanks

[Fitzer]

Sounds like the amp doesn't have a built in phono stage, it seems to expect one to be built into the deck (unusual). If you want to use this set up you need to get yourself a phono pre-amp, you can get a basic one for about £25 from Richer Sounds or Maplin or any good hifi shop. The third wire by the way is for eathing the deck to the amp, should be a grub screw on the back of the amp to attach it to.

[ChuckFickens]

Record decks output at a very low level and require a pre-amp (or as your amp seems to call it a "phono equaliser") to work when plugged into normal aux/line sockets.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk...s&hash=item2a0b02964a

[rojash]

It's only record decks with a magnetic cartridge that require a "phono equaliser", and the reason it's called that is because it doesn't just boost the output but also corrects the frequency response to compensate for the "RIAA curve" that's applied when a record is mastered. Ceramic and crystal cartridges not only have a much higher output, but also (fortuitously) have a natural frequency response that corrects the output.

Therefore you have two choices: buy a phono preamp, or swap the cartridge for a crystal or ceramic one.

[kia cat]

Thanks, Fitzer, Chuck & Rojash. I'll be off to Maplin then. Cheers