Turntable Setup Guide for Passive and Powered Speakers | Klipsch
More and more people are investing in the reborn vinyl music industry. Whether it’s for the warm, textured sound or the tactile experience, vinyl is making a huge comeback and turntables are appearing in homes all over the world.
Some people may be happy with an inexpensive all-in-one solution for their turntable setup. Inexpensive all-in-ones usually don’t have a very good reputation, as they tend to ruin records due to the amount of force the stylus puts on them. however, if you are reading this blog, you are not satisfied with “good enough”. you want audiophile-level sound from your turntable.
This doesn’t mean you should be intimidated by the prospect of a suitable high-performance turntable setup. We’re here to keep things simple (and sound great) with our turntable setup guide for passive and powered speakers.
first of all, you need to decide if you are going to go for powered or passive speakers. Self-powered speakers, like the Klipsch Reference R-15PM Self-Powered Monitors, have internal amplification, while passive speakers, like the Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-160M Bookshelf Speakers, require external amplification.
from there, it’s pretty simple…
how to set up passive speakers with a turntable
You’ll only need a few things to properly set up your passive speakers with a turntable: a receiver, a phono preamp, rca cables, and a pair of speakers. While there are more components to setting up passive speakers than there are powered speakers, the process really isn’t that much more complicated. (If you need help choosing a pair of speakers for your turntable, click here.)
- connect the turntable with the rca cables to the preamp. (some turntables require grounding).
- connect the preamp to the amp with rca cables.
- connect the amp to the speakers.
- release the needle and enjoy!
how to set up powered speakers with a turntable
Not to brag, but the r-15pm power monitors are impressive. In addition to having internal amplification, they have a built-in phono preamplifier. most self-powered speakers still require a separate phono preamp. in either case, the internal amplification and integrated phono preamplifier eliminate the need for two separate components: a receiver and a discrete phono preamplifier.
here is a step by step guide on how to connect r-15pm powered monitors to your turntable
- connect the rca and ground cables from the turntable to the r-15pm
- make sure the switch on the back of the r-15pm is set to “phono”
- plug the turntable and r-15pm into the outlets
- put on a record and enjoy!
This is the easiest way to set up a turntable with quality speakers.
installation and configuration of the turntable
Depending on the turntable you have, the amount of installation and setup will depend on the specific turntable you select. Some turntables come installed right out of the box, while others involve a lot of tweaking. Of course, there are also turntables that give users the option to upgrade components like the phono cartridge.
We won’t get into the nitty-gritty of every possible turntable setup because we already dove into the anatomy of the turntable, but there are a few basics you should know.
First of all, there are two main types of turntables: belt drive and direct drive turntables. Simply put, belt drive turntables are for those who listen to records, while direct drive turntables are what you’d see DJs using.
There are also automatic and manual turntables. automatic turntables simply require you to press a button and the turntable will lift the tonearm and position it on the record. manual turntables require you to physically place the tonearm on the record.
You may have noticed that we were showing a Klipsch turntable at CES 2016 and if you’re in Canada, you can now purchase a turntable bundled with the Klipsch R-15PMS as part of the Klipsch Music Box. Don’t worry, it’s coming to the US and the rest of the world very soon!
Anyway, the Klipsch turntable is a belt-driven, manual turntable created in collaboration with Pro-Ject. sounds great and also offers extremely easy setup.
The Klipsch turntable comes set up right out of the box, meaning you don’t have to worry about tracking force or counterweight adjustments. comes with an ortofon om 5e moving magnet cartridge.
Regardless of the type of speakers or turntable you choose, proper turntable setup is extremely important to delivering quality sound; however, it should not be considered an overwhelming challenge.
what does the configuration of your turntable consist of? what guidance do you have for someone looking to set up their new turntable with quality speakers? post in the comments below!
