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how do i connect my record player to play out of my computer speakers?

February 12th, 2010 by admin

the record player has two rca cables coming out the back .
i bought an adapter to convert it into one stereo plug. now what?

Is your "record player" a turntable (stereo component) or can it power speakers/headphones on its own?

If it is a full self-contained record player and can power speakers or headphones on its own, you would plug it into the line input (usually color-coded blue) on the computer. If the output is a line-level output the volume control will have no effect; if it’s a speaker (or headphone) level try 1/4 to 1/3 up on the record player’s volume control.

If it’s a component turntable (there won’t be a volume control!), it likely has a magnetic phono cartridge (which is the part that contains the stylus or "needle"). If so, it will need to be pre-amplifed and equalized before feeding a line-level input such as on your computer. Otherwise, it will be quiet (low level) and tinny-sounding (lacking bass).

I’ll link to a phono pre-amp in the "sources" section below, and also to an article about RIAA equalization.

You could instead hook the component turntable up to the microphone input on your computer (usually color-coded pink) , which would do the pre-amplification, but it would still need equalization. If you’re just wanting to hear it through the computer’s speakers, you might be able to turn the bass up and the treble down on the speakers. If you are capturing the sound to a file, you will have to process it either while capturing or afterwards to equalize it.

IF the turntable is really old and really cheap -some of the extreme-low-end turntables were made with crystal cartridges instead of magnetic. These cheaper cartridges ironically do not need preamplification or equalization to plug into a line-level input! For this reason, crystal cartridges were used on most inexpensive self-contained stereo systems. The frequency response curve won’t be perfect, but it will be balanced.

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2 Responses to “how do i connect my record player to play out of my computer speakers?”

  1. #1
    Tom P
    February 13th, 2010 3:16 am

    plug it into the "line in" port on your PC’s sound card.
    References :

  2. #2
    qlink_aardvark
    February 13th, 2010 3:41 am

    Is your "record player" a turntable (stereo component) or can it power speakers/headphones on its own?

    If it is a full self-contained record player and can power speakers or headphones on its own, you would plug it into the line input (usually color-coded blue) on the computer. If the output is a line-level output the volume control will have no effect; if it’s a speaker (or headphone) level try 1/4 to 1/3 up on the record player’s volume control.

    If it’s a component turntable (there won’t be a volume control!), it likely has a magnetic phono cartridge (which is the part that contains the stylus or "needle"). If so, it will need to be pre-amplifed and equalized before feeding a line-level input such as on your computer. Otherwise, it will be quiet (low level) and tinny-sounding (lacking bass).

    I’ll link to a phono pre-amp in the "sources" section below, and also to an article about RIAA equalization.

    You could instead hook the component turntable up to the microphone input on your computer (usually color-coded pink) , which would do the pre-amplification, but it would still need equalization. If you’re just wanting to hear it through the computer’s speakers, you might be able to turn the bass up and the treble down on the speakers. If you are capturing the sound to a file, you will have to process it either while capturing or afterwards to equalize it.

    IF the turntable is really old and really cheap -some of the extreme-low-end turntables were made with crystal cartridges instead of magnetic. These cheaper cartridges ironically do not need preamplification or equalization to plug into a line-level input! For this reason, crystal cartridges were used on most inexpensive self-contained stereo systems. The frequency response curve won’t be perfect, but it will be balanced.
    References :
    Qualifications: 40 years an electronic hobbyist and 30 years a computer hobbyist; I also worked in electronic repair and sales.

    Phono preamplifier:
    http://www.phonopreamps.com/tc400pp.html

    Article about RIAA equalization:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization

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