The best receiver for turntable are those that have built-in phono preamp. This comes in handy in case your turntable doesn’t have any built-in phono preamp. We have selected some of the best receivers in terms of performance which works well even with turntables.
While hunting for the best budget stereo receiver with phono input, the receiver should also have versatility, latest functions and features. In case you are a vinyl lover along with a gamer, then the receiver should support HDMI 2.1 with ALLM and VRR. You should spend well in a receiver so that it can amplify turntable audio and produce crisp and clear sound.
If you want to listen to vinyl records on your speakers or home theater system, make sure the receiver is powerful enough for this. A simple and straightforward setup is something we look for in a receiver for turntable. Denon, Marantz and Onkyo are some of the best receiver brands used widely for home theaters along with turntables.
Why do you need a receiver for turntable?
Turntables produce weak and poor audio which is often not powerful or room filling. That’s why turntables need to be connected to an amplifier or a receiver to boost the sound. So that when you listen to them through speakers you get loud and powerful audio.
Receiver is the media where you connect the turntable as well as speakers. They are also quite versatile that allows you to connect other devices like CD, TV, etc.
Top 5 receiver for turntable:
Yamaha R-S202BL Stereo Receiver
Features at a glance:
- Max. power: 140W+140W
- Frequency response: 10 Hz – 100 kHz (0 ± 0.5 dB / 0 ± 3.0 dB)
- THD: 0.2%
- SNR: 100 dB (S: 500 mV)
- Input Sensitivity (CD): 500 mV / 47 k-ohms
- Dimension: 17-1/8” x 5-1/2” x 12-5/8”
Product differentiator:
What makes Yamaha R-S202 receiver unique is its low cost, clean and clear performance in audio and several options to choose from.
Performance:
The Yamaha R-S202 is one of the best receivers for turntable if your turntable has built-in phono preamp in it. This Yamaha receiver excels in user-friendly setup. It gives you options to connect wireless devices through Bluetooth. You can stream from Apple iPod/iPhone/iPad, smartphone/tab, laptop/PC, etc.
The Yamaha receiver has aluminium chassis and the build quality is quite decent. The audio quality is pleasant and satisfying, the amplification of sound is nicely done and it can be listed as one of the best entry-level receiver for turntable. You can connect up to 4 speakers with this receiver. The power transformer and amp and close to each other to reduce power loss.
It has four stereo analog RCA inputs, one stereo RCA record output. The Bass, Treble, and Balance controls allow you to tweak and customize the sound as you like. You can also pair the S-6490 bookshelf speakers and No products found. from Yamaha.
The sound has excellent separation and soundstage. It has a warm sound profile but the loudness is average. The remote control has several buttons to select ports (Line 1, 2, 3), Bass/treble adjustments, etc.
How to connect turntable to Yamaha receiver without phono input?
Well, although it doesn’t have phono input, you can look into the CD, Line 1 or Line 2 ports to connect the turntable via RCA cable. You can also connect CD and turntable together. In this case, connect the CD player to the CD ports and the turntable to Line 1 or 2.
The following image shows what else you can connect to the receiver and how. You can also connect TV to any one of the Line In ports. Since the receiver doesn’t have sub out ports, you can connect powered subwoofers with speakers easily.
Pros
- affordable
- built-in AM/FM tuner
- user-friendly remote
- speaker selector switch
- headphone jack
Cons:
- no built-in phono preamp
Denon DRA-800H 2-Channel Stereo Receiver
Features at a glance:
- RMS Power: 100W
- THD: 0.08%
- Frequency response: 20-20k Hz
- SNR:98dB
- Bluetooth V4.1
Product differentiator:
Denon is a reliable brand when it comes to receivers. With this model, you don’t have to worry about whether your turntable has phono preamp or not.
Performance:
Denon DRA-800H has Class A/B amplifier. It is one of the best receiver for turntable as it comes with built-in phono preamp. You can easily connect any floorstanding speaker or bookshelf speaker with it, by matching impedance and power.
It has a wide dynamic range and excellent image capabilities.
Stereo, Direct, and Pure Direct are the three listening modes available. It features a Compressed Audio Restorer that restores compressed audio files to near-original levels. Along with this, this function can adjust bass to produce better sound. You can connect two pair of speakers with this receiver.
This Denon receiver for turntable has Phono input, 5 HDMI input, 2 coaxial, 1 optical digital input and two line-level analog inputs. The output ports are: HDMI ARC, headphone jack, two sub out. When connected to TV, you will be able to see precise details of the image because it supports HDR 10 and HLG.
Along with being the best stereo receiver for vinyl, you can also use it for gaming because it supports ALLM. This ensures smooth gaming without lag. You can use HEOS music apps such as Pandora, Amazon, Tidal or listen to music from TuneIn Internet Radio, Spotify Connect. The huge music collection and source makes it ideal for music lovers.
The Denon model is a multi-zone receiver. It allows you to use Zone 2 to connect additional amplifier and speakers in another room. You can also connect to multiple wireless HEOS device to stream audio in different rooms. Controlling the receiver is very easy, you can use the remote or AV Remote app.
The receiver’s audio quality is detailed with broad soundstage and headroom. Whether you are playing from CD or turntable, the receiver can get quite loud through the speakers. Here, speakers will also play vital role, so make sure you choose cautiously.
Overall, the sound quality compensates the high cost of the receiver. You can connect power-seeking speakers because the amplifier can handle them easily. The music can get loud and it has clarity and a touch of ‘warm’ tone to it.
How to connect turntable to Denon receiver with Phono In port?
Use the audio signal cable, connect one end to the Audio out port of the turntable and the other end into the Phono In port of the receiver. After that, use the ground wire of turntable and insert it into receiver ground terminal. The image below shows this clearly.
Pros
- Phono preamp
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- Decent build
- Compatible with AirPlay2
- Works with Alexa, Google Assistant
Cons:
- doesn’t support Dolby Digital and DTS
Onkyo TX-8140 Stereo Receiver
Features at a glance:
- Power Watts/Ch: 80W at 8 ohms/20-20kHz/0.08% (2-ch driven)
- Frequency response: 10 Hz-100 kHz (+ 1 dB, -3 dB) (Direct Mode)
- SNR: 106dB
- Speaker impedance: 4 to 16 Ohms
- Input sensitivity: Line: 200 mV
- Phono: 3.5 mV
- Dimension: 17.1 x 5.9 x 12.9″
Product differentiator:
The performance and features of Onkyo TX-8140 exceeds its cost. It is one of the best receiver that you can use for everyday use.
Performance:
The Onkyo receiver has high-resolution DAC. NAS, Laptop, smartphone can easily be connected to it. You can connect up to two pair of speakers and it also has sub out. The sound quality is full-bodied, rich, detailed with controlled bass.
The looks are just as other receivers: a standard black box. The build quality is decent, it has anti-vibration chassis, the buttons and knobs are well-built. It has several inputs including: 2 digital coaxial, 6 stereo RCA, one phono RCA. The receiver can drive the speakers so that you can receive accurate audio with excellent dynamics.
You can enjoy music from Spotify Connect, Deezer, TuneIn internet radio. If you have memory stick or hard drive, then you can play DSD or high-resolution audio. The receiver comes with remote control and Remote 3 app. The audio has excellent sound imaging and can get loud.
The sound remains clear and crisp even at high volume. The phono stage is decent for people who love and listen to vinyl records generally. However, if you are serious about your vinyl audio, you can also go for dedicated phono stage. No matter what the audio source is: CD, tape or radio, the sound quality is decent and of high quality.
With Wide Range Amplification Technology system, you can play audio from all known audio format.
Connecting turntable with Onkyo receiver:
The connection for turntable is similar as mention above. Insert the MM cartridge record player to the Line In Phono of the receiver. Check whether the turntable has ground wire, if so, insert the wire to the GND terminal.
Another thing to notice is, check if the record player comes with audio equalizer in it, then use the Line In port to connect the player instead of Phono.
Pros
- Has DLNA & Internet Music Streaming
- Supports Bluetooth & Wi-Fi
- Directly connect to turntable
- Decent build quality
- User-friendly remote.
Cons:
- Boring design
Marantz NR1711 8K Slim 7.2 Channel Ultra HD AV Receiver
Features at a glance:
- RMS power: 50W
- HDR10, HDR 10+, HLG, Dolby Vision
- 4k and 8k upscaling
- HEOS multi-room
- Works with Audyssey MultEQ
Product differentiator:
Rooms with compact space can accommodate this slim Marantz receiver to build a large home theater. You can connect maximum 7 speakers to this receiver.
Performance:
This receiver allows you to build a 5.1.2 surround sound system. With Zone 2 multi-room feature, you can also connect speakers to use in another room. In this case you can connect up to 5.1 speaker in the Main room.
Along with being the best Marantz receiver for vinyl, it has all the latest features of receivers including 8k support, HDMI 2.1, eARC, etc. the power of this receiver is adequate for small to medium sized rooms. Streaming music is much easier with Marantz NR1711.
You can connect wired speakers or go wireless with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or AirPlay 2. Along with speakers, it is much easier to connect turntables into the phono input. You can also listen to Pandora, Spotify, and TIDA.
With HEOS built-in, you can use HEOS-enabled speakers in different rooms. The Audyssey room correction software is used both by Denon and Marantz. It is quite reliable which analyzes the room and adjusts audio accordingly.
It is also one of the best receiver for gaming because it has smooth scenes without any lagging. This is possible due to the support of VRR, ALLM, QFT. If you have TV that supports eARC, you can use this receiver to avail features like Dolby Atmos and DTS: X.
The inputs and outputs include: 1 Toslink optical, 1 coaxial, 3 analog stereo RCA inputs, MM phono input, 2 line-level sub out, speaker output, USB and Ethernet port, etc. the amplifier has decent quality which performs its job well for excellent audio quality.
With the support for Dolby Atmos (Dolby Surround, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization) and DTS: X (DTS Neutral: X, DTS Virtual: X), the surround sound from good quality speakers will be immersive, powerful and room-filling. You can choose from several modes: Auto Surround, Virtual Surround, Multichannel Stereo, Stereo Playback, Direct Modes.
Controlling the receiver is quite easy as well, you can go to the receiver each time, use remote control or voice assistants. Mobile apps are also available. Speakers with 6 or 8 ohm rating with power of 70W or 50W are best to go with this receiver.
The Dynamic Volume from Audyssey performs sound levelling between movies, shows and TV ads. The audio is detailed and room filling which is needed for home theater applications.
Connecting turntable:
The procedure is similar to as mentioned above. The image below will help users as well.
Pros
- Supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- HDMI 2.1 with ALLM and VRR
- Works with Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa
- Thin and slim chassis to fit into tight spaces
- Powerful amplifier
Cons:
- Not ideal for large rooms
Pioneer Elite VSX-LX104
Features at a glance:
- Power: 170 W/ch (6 ohms, 1 kHz, THD 10 %, 1ch Driven)
- MCACC Auto Room Tuning
- Supports HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
- Speaker impedance: 4-16ohms
- Supported resolution: 4K 60 Hz (4:4:4, 24-Bit)
Product differentiator:
Performance:
This Pioneer receiver supports Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. you can create a 5.2.2 home theater for immersive sound. Without connecting dedicated speakers, the Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization will help you to get Atmos sound.
The receiver has wide color gamut support so when connected to TV, you will receive detailed and vibrant images. Pioneer makes this simpler with Powered Zone 2 that comes with independent DAC. With this you can use speakers in another room without the need of additional amplifier.
The Pioneer is one of the best receiver for everyday use because of the wide range of options. You can stream audio files via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, DTS Play-Fi, SONOS, Apple AirPlay, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify Freemium, TIDAL, and Deezer, etc.
connections include: 6 HDMI in, 2 HDMI out, 1 optical, 1 digital coaxial, 5 x Stereo RCA in. The calibration software will adjust speaker size, level and distance by analyzing the room environment through the microphone.
The receiver’s Phase control adjusts the lag between the speakers and the subwoofer. It supports 192kHz / 24-bit in FLAC, WAV, AIFF and ALAC file formats, DSD (2.8/5.6MHz) and Dolby TrueHD files. With Personal Preset you can save three customized settings.
You can choose from several sound modes including Classical, Unplugged, Extended Stereo, Entertainment Show, Drama, Advanced Game, Action, Rock/Pop, Sports. Overall, the sound quality is three dimensional, precise and rich.
How to connect turntable to Pioneer receiver?
Turntables with MM cartridges can be connected to the Phono ports of the receiver. In case the turntable has built-in phono equalizer, connect it to any Audio port instead of Phono. For MC cartridge, use a Phono equalizer compatible with MC cartridge then connect it to receiver’s Audio port.
Pros
- User-friendly Pioneer Remote app
- Supports high-resolution
- Built-in Chromecast
- GUI setup menu
- Budget-friendly
Cons:
- No eARC
Best receiver for turntable: Buying guide
The primary purpose of a receiver is not only to connect turntables. But, if you want to specifically connect a turntable, then some features are a must have in a receiver.
Phono preamp
Receivers with built in phono preamp eliminates the hassle to buy additional preamp for the turntable. If the receiver and the phono preamp in it are of good quality, it can amplify signals effectively.
However, if you think you want a dedicated phono preamp, then you can also buy one to put between receiver and turntable. They are often quite budget-friendly. In case the turntable already comes with phono preamp in it, then you need to bypass the turntable phono preamp to use the receiver’s phono preamp.
RCA connections
Analog turntables will connect to the receiver with RCA inputs. So, if the receiver has these ports, then it will be very easy and straightforward to connect turntable to receivers.
Sound system
The receiver will be connected to your sound system. Here you need to match the number of channels you want to build and whether the receiver supports it. Other factors include matching power and impedance.
You can listen to vinyl records in a stereo music system or home theater.
Multi-zone
There are some multi-zone receivers where you can connect another set of speaker mostly with an additional amplifier to play in another room. If you want to play vinyl records in multiple rooms, then you need a multi-zone receiver.
Other features
Receiver with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and phono input will be the most versatile. This means you can go wireless anytime and stream music from any source you want. If you want to connect multiple subwoofer, then whether your receiver supports it.
Parting words:
Stereo receivers are often used to amplify turntable signal. Most modern receivers come with built-in phono preamp which makes setups easier. Here you won’t need additional device, the receiver will do the amplification.
Receiver is connected to turntables because, users don’t listen or use one music player only. You might have CD player, DVD player, turntable, then a 5.1 home theater and you listen to all these occasionally. The receiver will work as the main device to which all these systems will be connected and it makes switching between them very easy.
You will get the best budget receiver for turntable from Yamaha. We recommend to get a high quality receiver with wide range of options. This will ensure a decent amplification as well. The receiver along with its built-in amp and phono preamp will ensure you receive rich, clear and detailed audio from vinyl records.
FAQ:
How to connect any AV component to Pioneer receiver?
You can connect gaming console, set-top box, streaming media player, BD/DVD to the Pioneer receiver. On the rear side check for HDMI In ports, you will see labelling as BD/DVD, GAME, CBL/SAT, STRM BOX. Then simply use HDMI cable to complete the connection.
How to connect AM/FM connections to Onkyo receiver?
Use AM loop antenna to connect to AM terminal of the receiver. Then take the FM antenna and insert it into FM 75 Ω. Make sure you insert it completely.
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