Audiophile Question/ Advice

PJammer4life

Is sound quality of the analog signal lost if using a pre-amp through a record player to a digital input receiver vs. straight RCA input cables to a receiver with phono input?

I have an older Pioneer receiver with phono input, but am using a Preamped signal from my record player to a new digital receiver. Would I notice any difference.

I also have a friend willing to build me a tube amp to show me what a "real" analog sound would be.

Any thoughts?

mccreadyisgod

It's hard to tell, since there are a lot of variables in this equation. Your older receiver would have a 100% analog signal path, and the newer receiver uses an analog-to-digital signal converter that makes it, ultimately, a digital signal. The question of audio quality is mostly focused on whether your AD converter in the preamp is any good. I dunno if it is or isn't. If you want to know which one sounds better, there's an easy experiment: try both, and see which sounds better.

As for the tube amp option, it's a fine route to go. But a receiver with transistors is just as analog as a tube amp, so it's no more or less analog. Tube amps have a "sweeter" sounding frequency response, owing to harmonic distortion, compression, etc. that makes tubes better for some ears, but transistors are analog, and usually have a wider, flatter frequency response that is neutral, without coloring the sound. To some degree, the same can be said about digital audio: it's flat response, wider frequency range, bigger dynamic range, and generally more truthful reproduction of the original recording. Analog tends to be warmer and more compressed, with a focus on low-midrange and midrange frequencies at the expense of the super-high and super-low frequencies.

All this is before we discuss what factors your turntable, speakers, wiring, cartridge, preamp, etc are playing on the signal path. A rule of thumb I learned years ago is, "You're only as strong as your weakest link." If you have a great turntable, amp, and speakers, but you use low-grade, small-gauge wire, sound quality will suffer. The nice thing is that you can generally upgrade one piece at a time until you have decent stuff at every step of the audio signal chain between the record grooves and your ears.

PJammer4life

Thank you for your response. A lot to ponder.

aurynsdad

mccreadyisgod said:

It's hard to tell, since there are a lot of variables in this equation. Your older receiver would have a 100% analog signal path, and the newer receiver uses an analog-to-digital signal converter that makes it, ultimately, a digital signal. The question of audio quality is mostly focused on whether your AD converter in the preamp is any good. I dunno if it is or isn't. If you want to know which one sounds better, there's an easy experiment: try both, and see which sounds better.

As for the tube amp option, it's a fine route to go. But a receiver with transistors is just as analog as a tube amp, so it's no more or less analog. Tube amps have a "sweeter" sounding frequency response, owing to harmonic distortion, compression, etc. that makes tubes better for some ears, but transistors are analog, and usually have a wider, flatter frequency response that is neutral, without coloring the sound. To some degree, the same can be said about digital audio: it's flat response, wider frequency range, bigger dynamic range, and generally more truthful reproduction of the original recording. Analog tends to be warmer and more compressed, with a focus on low-midrange and midrange frequencies at the expense of the super-high and super-low frequencies.

All this is before we discuss what factors your turntable, speakers, wiring, cartridge, preamp, etc are playing on the signal path. A rule of thumb I learned years ago is, "You're only as strong as your weakest link." If you have a great turntable, amp, and speakers, but you use low-grade, small-gauge wire, sound quality will suffer. The nice thing is that you can generally upgrade one piece at a time until you have decent stuff at every step of the audio signal chain between the record grooves and your ears.

Good stuff ^^

2-feign-reluctance

Turn off your turntable's pre-amp and just use RCA cables into the PHONO input. The rest is receiver and top shelf speakers IMO. Speakers are really where its at actually I've found.