Hi. I have a question to ask you wizards.

Background detail: My old akai amplifier died, to which my Beogram 3300 phonograph (record player) was connected. I had the phonograph (record player that is) tested and repaired for a minor fault. Now I have a brand new Pioneer 516 Amplifier and I would like to reconnect my Beogram 3300 record player (phonograph) back up to this new AMPLIFIER.

I have reconnected the speakers (yep they work) and have an earth wire from the phonograph (record player) to the new Pioneer AMP. Not quite sure where to connect this to, so I have made a connection into one of the surround sound speaker options with this copper earth wire. The phonograph (record player) is connected in to the AMP as a "CD" and the signal input has been selected on the AMP.

The problem I need help with is this: I have no sound from the phonograph (record player) when it is on and turning! Yep the radio and other inputs all work fine (I have sound from the speakers). When I have "CD" selected on the AMP Iand if I crank the volume up on the speakers I can very faintly hear the record playing,.

Can someone please help me before I go mad!

many thanks Scullykarma.

Welcome to beoworld Scullykarma.  The problem is the need for an RIAA preamp.  When the cartridge on the turntable traces the vinyl, the signal generated by the needle moving is extremely weak, much weaker than the line level output of CD players and tape players.  Furthermore, it has an equalization curve that needs to be leveled out.  In older receivers, the RIAA preamp, which levels out the equalization and amplifies the signal slightly to bring it up to line level, was included inside the receiver as part of the "phono" connection.  In newer systems, companies such as B&O stopped including the RIAA preamps inside the receivers as many people weren't even connecting turntables anymore.  B&O instead put the RIAA preamps in the actual turntable, allowing it to be connected to any modern receiver.  Your 3300 was the last (I believe) system to include the RIAA preamp in the receiver.  So there's no RIAA preamp in your turntable, or your new Pioneer amp.  You'll therefore need to connect an external RIAA preamp inline between the turntable and the Pioneer Amp.

Here's an example:
 http://www.zzounds.com/item--ARTDJPREII

 Good luck!

Austin
 

Hey Scullykarma, its no problem.  But B&O never made an external RIAA preamp, at least as far as I can remember.  They did made some internal RIAA preamps that could be fitted inside receivers or turntables, but these won't be available anymore.  The quality of an external non-B&O would likely be better anyway (they use better opamp chips than the older B&O preamps), and cost less.

Austin