How

to Set Up a Sound System to Play Records

Author: Kyle Donnelly

Overview
Listening to your vinyl records can enhance your experience of the music. It makes listening more of an activity as opposed to the passive enjoyment that has become prevalent since digital music gained popularity. Unfortunately, this means you will also need to buy and set up more sophisticated pieces of equipment that many younger people may not be familiar with today. To begin, you will need a turntable, receiver/amplifier, preamplifier, screwdriver, RCA plugs, copper wire, and speakers. Depending on the specific equipment you find there will be some variation in materials (some receivers have internal preamplifiers), so make sure you know exactly what you are buying and consider how it influences the other necessary materials. In general, it should take about ten minutes to set up your system once all the supplies are ready.

Warning: Do not touch or attempt to plug anything in with wet hands. Do not leave wires anywhere someone could trip over them.
Note: Ensure there is enough space to place your receiver and turntable on a flat, stable surface. Never place anything heavy or containing liquid on these electronics. Avoid unstable supports that could cause your equipment to fall and break.

Table of Contents
List of supplies 3-4 5 6 Connecting the turntable to the preamplifier Connecting the preamplifier to the amplifier Grounding the turntable

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Connecting the amplifier to speakers Turning on the receiver

List of Supplies
Turntable:

Preamplifier (large ones are more expensive):

Receiver/Amplifier:

Speakers:

Copper Wire:

2 Pairs of RCA Plugs:

Speakers, wire, and RCA plugs can be found at Radio Shack.

Setup
1. Identify the left and right jacks (formally called a socket) on your preamplifier. These are usually explicitly labeled or may be color-coded.

2. Connect the output of the turntable with the input (or Phono) jack on the preamplifier using RCA plugs. Make sure left and right channels are connected between the two. Tip: If the record plays at a volume much less than expected, there is likely a problem with the preamp or the connections to/from it.

3. Use another pair of RCA plugs to connect the output of the preamplifier with the input jacks on the receiver, again keeping in mind left and right channels. Tip: It is preferable to connect to the Phono inputs on the receiver/amplifier, if available. Otherwise, any pair of inputs will work.

4. Identify the ground wire on your turntable. This is typically a green wire. Connect it to a screw on the back of the receiver. Make sure the screw is turned until the ground wire is snug before moving on. Note: Do not connect to a screw with paint on it. If a humming noise is heard after setting up the system and playing a record, double-check the ground wire.

5. Connect the receiver, turntable, and preamplifier to AC power.

6. Twist the ends of the copper wire so all strands will be easier to insert into the speakers and receiver. Note: Never leave wires anywhere that creates a risk of tripping over them.

7. Attach one end of the copper wire to the receiver outputs. Notice the +/- (usually color-coded) channels when attaching.

8. Attach the other end of the copper wire to the speaker. Make sure the +/- channels on the speaker match those on the receiver. Tip: The copper wire will help you distinguish which wire to connect in the channels. They may be different colors, or have a stripe running along one wire.

9. Repeat steps 6-8 for all speakers in use. 10. Turn on receiver and preamplifier. 11. Set the receiver to the input source that the preamplifier is connected to. This should be clearly labeled on the back of the receiver.

 12. Put on a record and enjoy!

If you experience any issues with equipment, refer to the user manual or contact the manufacturer.

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