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From: smb@ulysses.UUCP (Steven Bellovin)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: CD player hookup question
Message-ID: <1008@ulysses.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Jul-85 16:35:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: ulysses.1008
Posted: Fri Jul 12 16:35:23 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jul-85 12:46:32 EDT
References: <1061@pucc-i> <3983@alice.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 42

> > I just went looking for the first time for CD players, and I have a quick 
> > question:  Since my Kenwood receiver doesn't have a CD input, where to I 
> > plug the darn thing in?  The salesman said that I could use my extra tape
> > input, but he sounded like that wasn't a good solution.
> 
> If you have an input marked 'aux,' use it.  If not, a spare tape
> input will work just fine.  I don't suppose your salesman gave
> you any REASON not to use the extra tape input, did he?  I'll bet
> the reason was that he wants to sell you a new receiver, too.

There are, in general, 4 classes of inputs to most receivers and preamps:

	a) phono -- these have a special preamp, and should only be used
	   for compatible signal levels.  Watch out for moving coil vs.
	   moving magnet.

	b) internal tuners -- all bets are off unless you want to mess with
	   the wiring inside.

	c) high-level inputs -- suitable for CD players, external tuners,
	   TVs and VCRs with audio output jacks (not speaker or headphone
	   jacks, btw).  Often marked AUX or TAPE.

	d) tape monitor inputs -- electrically compatible with high-level
	   inputs.  However, these are generally selected independently
	   of the normal class of inputs, the idea being that you can
	   feed a signal from *any* normal input source to a tape deck (or
	   external processor, such as a noise eliminator or equalizer),
	   and select the tape monitor input to hear what's been recorded
	   on the tape (assuming, that is, that your tape deck has 3 heads).
	   If your extra tape input is of this class, you might not be able
	   to tape CDs (assuming that you want to, of course), and there's
	   some small chance of getting a very small amount of cross-talk
	   from the live signal selected by the standard input selector
	   switch.  And of course, you're likely to use a different selector
	   switch to activate the CD player, which can cause some confusion.
	   Some receivers (e.g., the Heath AR-1500) have both TAPE and TAPE
	   MONITOR inputs; others have multiple TAPE MONITOR inputs.

My advice -- assuming you have no AUX input or spare TAPE input, go right
ahead and use a spare TAPE MONITOR input -- and don't buy a new receiver
unless/until you find the disadvantages of that hookup intolerable.