Connecting receivers via passive pre-amplifier to a power amp..How?

[emresorkun]

Hello!

I hope there will be someone experienced with passive preamps and connecting amps together can help me! I read a lot about this type of connections but I could not figure out if it is safe to do this.

This is recent my setup

A53 Creek Power Amplifier

OBH-22 Creek Passive Preamplifier

and an Onkyo TX-4500 Receiver and a Pioneer Sx-780


OBH-22 (passive) has Input 1 and 2 and also Tape in and Tape out inputs. According to the manual of OBH-22,


“For tape machines, use the Tape input and output - the tape monitor function will allow recordings to be made and played back. The output from the OBH 22 should be connected to a power amplifier with suitable sensitivity (gain). Remember, the OBH 22 will not increase the signal from input to output.”


I am planning to use input 1 and 2 for the Cd player and the dac as advised. And here comes the challenge! I would like to use one of my old boys (Onkyo or Pioneer) with this setup since I want to use phono section and tuner... But how?


Can I add my Onkyo Tx-4500 to this setup and use it with tape in of OBH 22?


Basically I will take signal from preout of Tx-4500 and connect the end of the RCA cables to Tape in of OBH-22.


So I will be using preamp of the onkyo with passive preamp of Creek.


And I also have this Sx-780. Nicely recapped..This one does not have pre out but I guess I can “tape out” this amp. I learned that when I tape out, Preamp of the amp is not used and,a 0 db signal is send. In this case the passive preamp will be placed between power amp and Sx-780.


My questions are,

1. Which option is safer? Preamp the Onkyo or tape out the Pioneer?
   
   
2. Which option will give cleaner sound?
   

If you would have any idea and any recommendation i would be more than happy to read!


Thank you!

 

[savatage1973]

You can use the tape out of the receiver for a fixed level output, but that would not allow you to use the volume, tone and balance controls on the receiver. Alternatively, you can use a pre-out from the receiver which will allow you to use the volume, tone and balance controls of the receiver.

 

[BigElCat]

Use the tape out from the TX-4500...not the pre-out. Connect it to the tape in on the Creek pre-amp.

 

[emresorkun]

You can use the tape out of the receiver for a fixed level output, but that would not allow you to use the volume, tone and balance controls on the receiver. Alternatively, you can use a pre-out from the receiver which will allow you to use the volume, tone and balance controls of the receiver.

Thank you for the reply! This fixed level output confuses me. It is okey if I cannot use the balance and tone controls of the receiver but I would like to be sure that I will not blow up my power amplifier and speakers. I hope passive preamplifier I am using between them will stop this happening...

 

[emresorkun]

Use the tape out from the TX-4500...not the pre-out. Connect it to the tape in on the Creek pre-amp.

Wow, that is something I never thought! Can I ask the reason behind your advise? I will assume taping out Pioneer and Onkyo would be both technically ok but I think your advise for me to use Onkyo instead of Pioneer is interesting. Do you think Tx-4500 better than Pioneer Sx-780?

Thank you!

 

[savatage1973]

It is okey if I cannot use the balance and tone controls of the receiver but I would like to be sure that I will not blow up my power amplifier and speakers. I hope passive preamplifier I am using between them will stop this happening...

The tape out of the receiver will be a fixed line level output, just like your DAC or CDP, so it is not an issue. A "passive preamp" is a misnomer--actually, it is an attentuator that allows you to reduce the signal from the source to the amplifier, thus, controlling the volume at or below the maximum signal from the source. You should have no problems with that arrangement.

 

[savatage1973]

Tape out from either receiver will work just fine--it is just a matter of which receiver you think has a "cleaner" signal path, or in the case of using a TT, the better phono stage.

 

[emresorkun]

Tape out from either receiver will work just fine--it is just a matter of which receiver you think has a "cleaner" signal path, or in the case of using a TT, the better phono stage.

Thank you for the comments! Lets see which will be better to my ears, Onkyo or Pioneer..I even have a Luxman R 1500 that I can try which will make the process of trying out different receivers even more fun!

Thank you!

 

[BigElCat]

That's about all you need to know to experiment.

You shouldn't go from a pre-out to a tape in, because when you turn the volume knob up on the receiver, the signal will be too strong. Distortion and damage may incur.