Tape Out/Preamp Out??

tubeboob

Super Member
On my integrated, I don't have a preamp out, but I do have a tape out.

Can the tape out be used as a preamp out so that I could use the preamp section to an external power amplifier?

Otherwise, whats the function of the "tape out" RCA's on the back of the amp?

Thanks
 
Actually not, well if you want to control it all, that is.

The Tape outs do just that, send a pure signal to the tape heads for recording. While you can also send it to a power amp, you won't be able to control the volume or tone via the integrated's controls.

So "no" is probably the best answer.
 
The Tape Out jacks are designed to feed the selected input to a tape deck. They're ahead of the volume control, the balance control, and the line and tone control stage in the circuit, so none of these controls will have any effect on what comes out of the Tape Out jacks. If your power amp has input level controls and you want to use them to set volume and balance, you can run the Tape Out signal to your amp. If not, don't do it.
 
What is the model? But if there is no pre out, you are probably out of luck. As the 2 previous poster dudes have stated, tape out is the same signal that goes into your setup from a source.
 
The only bootfab way I can think of is using those speaker output to line (RCA) converters. But I really think that it is a very stupid idea.
 
Everyone has already explained it pretty much, but I will say it simply!

REC OUT or TAPE OUT is the same as LINE OUT.
 
Hi, that is a beautiful amp! I checked the PDF manual and your tape out is a fixed output.
I don't know what the purpose of the external amp is for, I'm assuming perhaps driving speakers in another room? In any case you would need an amp with a volume control to control the level to those speakers. Good luck!
 
You'd use the Tape Out if you were putting a preamp into an integrated and wanted to remove one set of volume and tone controls from the picture. Control the volume and tone from the integrated. Usually something one would do if a preamp with phono, or additional line inputs, is needed to feed an integrated with few inputs.
 
Basically with a tape output, what you give is what you get, the signal is modified in no way by the preamp. However the pre-out is controlled by the volume and balance controls.
 
You can run from your headphone out. Just remember that EVERYTHING goes through that on most integrated amps....tone controls and everything. Just get a cord with headphone jack on one end, and RCA on the other.
 
Can you run from your tape out into another amp? Actually no, not directly. You still need a speaker load this wont work. You'll overload your pre-amp and blow your output transformer up unless you have a proper line out with connectors. You will need a load resistor box of some sort connected to the speaker terminals unless you want to actually run two sets of speakers. It's a good thing such devices exist that can simulate the ohm rating of your pre-amp.

You need to resolve that issue first and then you can run a plain set of RCAs from your pre-amp tape out into the power amp. This will bypass all volume, treble and bass controls and give you a straight power load. This is how you would connect a valve amplifier into a transistor amplifier if you had no other choice, but you will get 100% volume and this may not be ideal as your liable to also have increased gain as a result of doing that and over-stressing your valve amplifier anyhow.

It's best not to do it that way and look for an amp that has a dedicated line out. You can use a speaker level to line level converter, but this results in a drop in audio quality and resultantly poor sound coming out of your speakers. I would really advise against this also.

Either enjoy your amp as is, or find another amp which has line out.
 
On my integrated, I don't have a preamp out, but I do have a tape out.

Can the tape out be used as a preamp out so that I could use the preamp section to an external power amplifier?

Thanks

Perhaps if you shared with us what you are trying to accomplish, tubeboob, we might have some better suggestions for you on solving.

Regards,
Jerry
 
Yeah, everyone's correct, Record Out is a fixed output (preamp and sub outputs are variable). Instead of connecting it to a power amp, consider using an integrated amp or receiver, then you'd have volume control. Works especially well for remote speakers, allowing the flexibility of setting different levels for the main vs remote system. However, works less well for driving transducers simultaneously in the same room as the main, since you'd have to set volumes separately. This is why some folks are asking your purpose. So what are you trying to accomplish?

If you already have a power amp and really prefer to use it, then you could add a volume attenuator - a passive "volume control" as used sometimes in multi-room home installations, either mounted in-wall like a rheostat, or in table-top chassis, and connected to the amp's speaker outputs.

And now I notice the date of the OP. Bet he's glad I finally chimed in.
 
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I was using my tape out from an old Scott receiver to plug into the tuner of my SAE pre amp..but I wanted to use my Sansui receiver as a tuner instead since it is a better tuner, but it doesn't have a tape out..just tape play and tape rec...which do I use as my tape out?
 
I have a similar question. I'll start with the reason... I was using an audio interface to powered monitors to listen to music I am working on, from my computer. the interface crapped out and while I'm waiting for a new one in the mail, I'm using the headphone out into an aux input on my Mac 4100. wondering if I can get out of the 4100 and to my powered monitors somehow. if I'm coming from headphone out into an aux input, is it possible to go tape out to the monitors? I'm thinking headphone out into preamp in is a bad idea? does the preamp out work if nothing is going into the preamp in?
thanks.
 
JPJ: Uhm, where's the problem? I mean: So far you've been using the (variable) line output of your external sound-interface -> powered monitors. The (variable) line-out or combined line/headphone-out of onboard-sound hardware doesn't really differ that much from the line-out of your sound-interface, other than being unbalanced only (and possibly being a bit juicier and having a lower output impedance, in case of a combined line/headphone-out). Powered monitors will most usually be prepared to alternatively also accept an unbalanced input signal, so all you'd need would be a matching adaptor cable. Or in other words: I don't see why you'd need your Mac 4100 for that interims solution at all.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
JPJ: Uhm, where's the problem? I mean: So far you've been using the (variable) line output of your external sound-interface -> powered monitors. The (variable) line-out or combined line/headphone-out of onboard-sound hardware doesn't really differ that much from the line-out of your sound-interface, other than being unbalanced only (and possibly being a bit juicier and having a lower output impedance, in case of a combined line/headphone-out). Powered monitors will most usually be prepared to alternatively also accept an unbalanced input signal, so all you'd need would be a matching adaptor cable. Or in other words: I don't see why you'd need your Mac 4100 for that interims solution at all.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
hi Manfred, thanks for the explanation. makes sense. the only reason I'd need my receiver is because I have the cables to make that happen, but don't have the cable/adapters to get it directly from the headphone to the monitors. was hoping to be able to continue working without ordering adapters or trying to find some (I live in a really small town)

cheers
 
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