How to Connect a Vintage Receiver to an External Preamp or Amplifier

Some vintage receivers allow you to separate the internal preamp and amp sections on the rear of the unit, allowing you to connect an external preamp or amplifier. This short video shows you how to quickly connect each component to a vintage receiver and also help you determine if it's possible to do so with your receiver.

vintage receiver preamp
vintage receiver amplifier
marantz preamp
pioneer preamp
how to use vintage receiver as a preamp or amplifier only

[lstefans]

Am i the only one smiling hearing Schiit amp for the first time? :)

[mikecampbell]

Good info young man. I am using tape monitor 1 to connect a tube buffer to one vintage receiver, and tape monitor 1 to connect a remote volume control in a vintage integrated amp.

[Music-Tech-Life]

This is all great if you have those Ins & outs on your receiver what if your Receiver does not have a Pre amp out or In?

[卡拉永遠OK唱不完]

Very informative tutorial I should say but those jumpered jacks can also be used for something like a graphic equalizer, reverberation processor or DBX noise reduction decoder.

[ChasingTone]

i've watched now a few vids regarding this and I seem to be wrong. I control volume from pre amp yes. the question is what about the volume control on my power amp ? is it disconnected internally when set up like this, or do I set it to zero or somewhere in between? no-one seems to mention the power amp and it's volume control.

[ChasingTone]

I always thought the pre amp volume control would not be in play, only the power amps volume. Source of music goes to pre amp where bass treble etc are adjusted, then the signal goes to the power amp where the volume is controlled since it is the "power"amp

[vincentbearinger]

I have a SX 980 and I can't turn it up very far and it cuts out on the protection circuit according to the wattmeter it's not even getting the 30 Watts and it shuts out I like my music loud my Marantz doesn't cut out or my Macintosh only my Pioneer thank you for showing me how to hook it up I do have the manual but I wanted to make sure

[kaylarodgers]

Was wo n during how I can connect my phone to listen to my music through the reciever that only has a phones spot. I bought a aux cord that connects my phone but there's no sound.

[shaunbosch]

When using vintage reciever as power amp, what source setting does it need to be on?

[toai]

I have a modern Onkyo receiver with line-out (RCA) for Zone 2. It's the same as pre-amp out, isn't it?

[danwohlslagel]

So if you disconnect the jumpers ( shown on the back of the head unit in your video) and run RCA cables to an Amplifier and then power the speakers through that Amp-- do you lose the onboard wattage? For instance, if you receiver has an output of 33 watts per channel, and your stand alone Amplifier has an output of 75 watts per channel-- is the output ( to the speakers) 75 watts / channel or 108 watts / channel? I hope that makes sense.

I am looking at a Pioneer QX 9900 w/ 4 channels, BUT I would like to have some additional wattage on deck. Thank you!

[Alexfieldmusicofficial]

I found a 1970’s Philips 785 receiver today at the thrift store for $20. It works. Anyone know anything about these receivers?

[kngstn]

what if it doesn't have the pre amp or power amp connection?

[FelixtheMetalcat]

And if your vintage receiver has no jumpers? Alternate way to do this PROPERLY or is it simply a "no go" ?

[stereomann]

i put y cables on mine awhile ago so i could have 4 speakers & 2 amps.

[ChasingTone]

I am looking to use my 1973 Sansui QR6500 as a preamp, running its Pre Amp outs into my Willsenton R8 tube amps Pre Amp Inputs. If the volume on the Sansui will be used to increase volume, what happens to the volume control on the R8 ? is it disconnected internally or do I leave it at zero, or set to unity volume ?

[realjaxon]

I have an old Optimus (RadioShack) receiver that doesn't have outputs on it. Is there a way to connect it into a Sony preamp?

[wilsq]

What if the receiver doesn't have pre-amp ports, like my RCA STAV-3970?

[bacarandii]

I have a number of vintage ('60s and '70s) audio pieces because I like their distinctive sounds. Isn't the pre-amp primarily responsible for the coloration that makes the different units (Sansui, McIntosh, Marantz, Pioneer, etc.) sound the way they do? Let's say I wanted to boost the power of a low-wattage Harman Kardon 430 (25 wpc). How would the sound be changed if I ran it through another power amp?

[Paulo-ypec]

How to connect integrated amplifier Nad 3155 to a main in pre out chinese fx o3 tube preamp with out in and input lappreciate you help. Idid connect take out junpers in to out main in to out to in .do not works.