Hooking up RCA-out Record Player to headphones?

August 17, 2010 5:56 PM

Hooking up RCA-out Record Player to headphones?

I have a circa-1980s record player hooked up to my stereo set-up. I want to bring this record player to college with me, but I want to leave the rest of my stereo set-up, as, frankly, it's huge and unwieldy and I have an iPod.

The record player's audio-out is standard red and white RCA. This RCA is currently hooked up to my amplifier, which outputs the sound to my speakers. I've got an Equalizer, too, but the record player isn't actually hooked up to that.

Here's what I'm looking for.

1.) An RCA to 3.5mm (or ¼") adapter.

Pros: Cheap and small.
Cons: I have no clue if this'll actually work. The record player itself doesn't have a volume knob or anything, and I dunno what that'd to - it could mean the sound through my headphones would be incredibly low or incredibly high. It could mean something else. I have literally no experience with this set-up, so I'm not sure of the results.

2.) A really cheap (preferably digital), really small amplifier.

Pros: A device actually made to output sound to headphones.
Cons: Possibly (probably) going to have a choice between shitty or expensive. I need something small - the record player is going to sit on my desk next to my laptop, ideally - and I don't know what size amplifiers come in these days.

Basically, I don't know anything about either option, and I would like to learn. Any help is appreciated. I love my dear little record player, and I'd hate to leave it at home.

posted by JimBennett to Technology (19 answers total)

Best answer: A record player probably needs a pre-amp stage (which is why amps generally have (had??) separate "phono" inputs). I really don't think your direct-to-headphones idea will fly. That said, the appropriate adaptors could be had for about $5 in any junk shop near my house, and it probably wouldn't hurt anything to try.

As to the second idea: you're trying to connect an analog source to an analog output. Any digital stage in the intervening amp would likely be pointless expense. I'd try looking in pawn shops, op-shops (aka "thrift stores") and garage sales for a cheap old stereo amp.
posted by pompomtom at 6:01 PM on August 17, 2010

Record players have extremely low-power output, and need some kind of amp to bring the signal up to a usable level, never mind giving you volume control. In fact, your amp needs a specific "LP" input jack (as opposed to, say, cassette or CD) to accommodate this very low power.

I can't recommend a good amp for your purposes, but option 1 is straight out. Though you could buy an adapter like you describe at Radio Shack for an overpriced $5.
posted by adamrice at 6:04 PM on August 17, 2010

Depending on the record player it not only needs to be amplified but it needs to be RIAA-equalized as well which is different from your separate EQ. You need a standalone phono preamp.
posted by GuyZero at 6:12 PM on August 17, 2010

Best answer: Absolutely take your turntable with you!, says a fellow vinylphile—but, as pointed out by the previous two posters, you need a phono pre-amp to get the low output up to line-level. That'll include the ground wire you'll need, too. Trying to think of a specific recommendation for a phono pre with a headphone out, but drawing a blank: apparently the same thing happened to the Head-Fi forum community here—but they did come up with the possibly helpful suggestion of a used stereo receiver with headphone out. Could you possibly bring your current receiver from your hi-fi with you? It would be bulkier than you'd desire, but it'd work without the need to spend money on anything new. Good luck!
posted by alexandermatheson at 6:13 PM on August 17, 2010

This guy is both a phono stage (to do the RIAA equalization and to boost the level) and a headphone amplifier.
posted by zsazsa at 6:18 PM on August 17, 2010

Ah—had just thought of the VP130 that zsazsa just recommended. It's a solid unit (if actually not as good a phono pre in itself as the less expensive Cambridge Audio 640p—which sadly does not have a headphone output and volume control. VP130 is $250, 640p is $180.
posted by alexandermatheson at 6:21 PM on August 17, 2010

Going a bit cheaper, this device is a phono preamp and USB audio interface complete with headphone jack for only $73.40. Probably not as high-end as the VP130, but more flexible in that it also has optical and line-level inputs as well, and is certainly less expensive.
posted by zsazsa at 6:28 PM on August 17, 2010

Response by poster: All awesome suggestions, but all too expensive, unfortunately. I'm pretty much broke. I'm willing to spend $50 or so, but I can't afford more than that. The VP130 looks amazing but it's well out of my pricerange. And my turntable is a pretty cheap one, too, so getting something really high end might be a little bit of a waste.

I'm thinking about getting something used. The thread that alexandermatheson posted mentioned that an NAD 3020 was a good unit, and I've found a pretty cheap used one, so I might invest in that. Anyone have anything else along those lines?
posted by JimBennett at 6:35 PM on August 17, 2010

Best answer: Okay, so seeing as you are broke, this is my suggestion. Not elegant, but I think it will work.

First, as others have mentioned, you need a preamp for the record player. This is close to the one I have and it works just fine.

Second, you need an RCA to Stereo Headphone adapter. This one should work fine (we have a similar set up for splitting our record player audio in with our ipod audio in)

Now, the last step is the most critical, I think, and that is to get a pair of headphones with volume control. I actually had these headphones in college, and they worked great.

So with this set up, it would go, record player -> preamp -> RCA to 3.5mm female -> headphones with volume control. And you're right on your price point.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 6:49 PM on August 17, 2010

Best answer: Seconding thrift stores and pawn shops. A lot of people are unloading their old hifi equipment in favour of iPod docks.

NAD makes really great quality stuff. I have an old (~25-30y.o.) set of their stuff, and the only problem I've ever had was some slightly dusty innards that needed cleaning up. If you can get it cheap, go for it. But, really, you do not need anything remotely high quality for your purposes; any old off-brand bookshelf stereo with phono inputs would do just as well.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:54 PM on August 17, 2010

Response by poster: TheBombShelterSmith: Definitely going to look into that set-up if I can't find a cheap all in one unit - the only thing I don't like is that I'm exceedingly picky with my headphones (though, that said, I would be willing to invest in a pair specifically for my records if it came down to, so that's still an option).

Sys Rq: Yeah, I think that's what I'm going to do. NAD seems good, can you (or anybody else) recommend any other brands I might be able to find used fairly cheaply, in case I can't find any NAD stuff?

Thanks again, everybody, you've all helped me out tremendously here.
posted by JimBennett at 7:01 PM on August 17, 2010

If you have a set of computer speakers laying around, they should do fine.
posted by wongcorgi at 7:14 PM on August 17, 2010

With that RCA -> 3.5mm adapter of course.

Or route it through your PC/Laptop line in.
posted by wongcorgi at 7:17 PM on August 17, 2010

What you want is a headphone amplifier.
Try This or a cheaper DIY option.
posted by HiroProtagonist at 7:54 PM on August 17, 2010

A standard record player is basically a microphone. Even though it uses the same shaped RCA plugs, it is a different signal. You can't hook a microphone to headphones.

Buy a set of powered computer speakers that has a headphone out and it will probably work mostly acceptably. If you really wanted to get nuts, buy two. One to act as the preamp, one to act as the headphone amp. On the preamp one, turn the treble down and the bass up (to fix the RIAA curve that is applied to record albums so they sound right and don't skip), and adjust the volume so that it is a good, clean signal into the other one that you will use to power your headphones.
posted by gjc at 7:57 PM on August 17, 2010

You're off to college, right? Well, lots of stuff gets stolen at college so leave your present turntable at home and buy a "modern" one with a USB connector to hook up to your laptop. Then you only have to record your albums to your laptop, and you're all set. (Bonus points for not prematurely wearing out your vinyl and stylus (needle) by playing the record every time you want to hear it.)

These new turntables that have USB cables are quite common and can be found pretty cheap. You could probably even find a used one for sale.

Some random examples:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ionAudio+-+Vinyl+Recording+Portable+USB+Turntable/8838056.p?id=1208561915899&skuId=8838056

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Crosley+-+Keepsake+USB+Turntable+-+Black/9022826.p?id=1218078603023&skuId=9022826

Warning: I've never used these, but I would look into them if I were you. I would be heartbroken if my turntable went MIA on me.
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 11:12 PM on August 17, 2010

I'm willing to spend $50 or so, but I can't afford more than that.

What can you get a half-functional DJ mixer for these days (used, pawnshop, etc)? You don't need anything too elaborate. Fact is, all you need is at least one of the turntable inputs to work. That's what I've been using for years in my office. Turntable into a mixer a friend gave me because one of the channels was down. I listen either on headphones, or take a mini out from the headphone jack into a pair of cheap computer speakers (again, just grabbed from a friend who'd upgraded his system).
posted by philip-random at 11:15 PM on August 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Behringer make a cheap Phono Pre-Amp

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/PP400.aspx

but the level will probably be too low for headphones. but you can run that Line Level signal into somethign else if you have a small stereo?
posted by mary8nne at 8:19 AM on August 18, 2010

I would a small mixer, something like this. It will also give you some tone control.
posted by lordrunningclam at 10:07 AM on August 18, 2010