What is the difference between line and phono inputs

Earlier on, we learned that phono signals travel through a preamp before it gets played through the speakers. If you plug a phono into the line input, the signal will be too weak to hear. On the other hand, if you plug a line into a phono, the already loud signal will be amplified and will be too loud for the speakers to translate properly. Remember, not all turntables have a built-in preamp. If your turntable struggles to play phonographs, you may need to invest in a preamp.

If your turntable features a phono, line switch, how does it affect the sound played? Turntables with this switch will only have one type of input port. Rather than distinguishing the type of signal being played through the type of port, the switch tells the machine how to read the signal. When the switch is set to the phono, play the audio at the regular phono signal level. This will result in a quieter output that might include significant background noise.

When you change the settings to the line, the signal produced increases, and background noise is removed. This setting runs the signal through a phono stage equalizing the frequencies and preparing it to be played line quality levels. Phono signals need to be boosted between 50 and times to be at an acceptable level of line signal. As record players have had a surge of popularity, many companies have begun to manufacture them again. Many listeners enjoy customizing and upgrading standard phonographs and record players to meet their audio preferences.

To leave room for customization and upgrades, not every record player has a phono preamp built-in. Brands such as Victrola, Yamaha, Technica offer players with and without the preamp.

With prices that range from fifty dollars to seven hundred and fifty dollars. While these brands can get a bit more expensive, their machines have a lot to offer. Not sure what type of turntable or record player you need? Take a look at the following examples to find the right machine for you! The H Turntable Stereo System is a combination of preamp, speakers, and turntable. The preamp on this machine is activated with a line, phono switch. There is little setup for this system, allowing you to start enjoying your phonographs immediately.

As mentioned earlier, not all turntables will feature systems like the one above. If your record player or turntable does not include a phono stage, you will need an external preamp. The Pyle Phono Attachable Preamp is the perfect addition to your turntable setup.

This allows you to play a phonograph through a stereo receiver. CDs and other audio devices are plugged into the normal audio input ports. Add the Sony 2. Stereo Receiver to your audio player collection from BestBuy here. This system will also appeal to listeners interested in upgrading or customizing their listening experience. Now you can transfer all your favorite vinyl to mp3 without a struggle. Because this system has more features than most turntables, it is a bit costly.

While it is not costly to add a preamp to your turntable system, it is just simpler to purchase a turntable with the built-in system. A problem new vinyl enthusiasts often run into is trying to play records on a stereo that does not include a preamp at all. Playing records on a stereo without a preamp result in very low music volume due to the low signal level of the PHONO signal and a very strange sound as well due to the reduced bass and boosted treble.

If you have run into that situation, the solution is usually to buy a standalone preamp and hook it up to the stereo. Or you can buy a new turntable with a built-in preamp. Feel free to have a look at our recommended turntables page to see which turntables we think are the best buys on the market today.

Both with and without built-in preamps. Standard mainstream lower-end turntables almost always come with a Moving Magnet cartridge. So if you are not a hardcore vinyl and stereo enthusiast with a very expensive turntable and stereo, you likely have a turntable with a Moving Magnet cartridge. The main reason why vinyl enthusiasts often prefer the more expensive Moving Coil cartridges is that MC cartridges have a lower moving mass which enables them to read the grooves in the records with more accuracy, speed and precision.

Resulting in a better and more accurate reproduction of the recorded sound. As you can see in the table below. To solve this, preamps and phono stages often have a switch to choose between MC and MM cartridge.

When the switch is set to MC the built-in phono stage will boost the signal more than when the switch is set to MM. There are, however, also common for a preamp to be designed to suit only one of the two cartridge types. So when buying a standalone preamp it is important to check that is supports the cartridge type you use.

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You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. What is the difference between line and phono inputs? NEADmike New member. Hi, I'm new here, actually new to the whole scene. Hooking everything up, I noticed that the back of the unit has inputs for both Phono and Lines. Is one stronger than the other or should I use one over the other? Or are they the exact same with different names? Would it be any advantage to plug my turn tables into the line inputs instead of the phono inputs?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Last edited: Nov 29,