pre amp help - NAD 917

cdm418
cdm418 Posts: 23
Hey all! hoping you can help. I picked up a NAD 2700 power amp to power my Polk Audio Lsi15 speakers. The guy i bought it from also had a NAD 917 (surround sound tuner/preamp). I currently have a Mitsubishi DA-C20 pre amp, but decided to grab the NAD 917 because the price was right, and i figured it will match well with my NAD 2700 amp because they are the same brand. Is anyone familiar with the NAD 917 preamp? Im trying to determine if it has a phono stage. I came across an ebay lidting of someone selling a NAD 917 and they stated that it did not have a phono stage. I'm only using this stereo setup to listen to vynil records, so obviously i need a phono stage. I also have an extra DJ PRE II preamp, that i could connect to the NAD 917 if needed, but what would the puropose of a preamp WITHOUT a phono stage be? I just started getting into this hoppy to play records, so I've always assumed a preamp was the same as a Phono preamp, but im learning that may not be the case. If the NAD 917 does not have a phono stage, do i have any use for it if im only playing records, and if so how would i connect my ART DJ PRE II into it to add a phono stage? Hope this makes sense. I can always skip the NAD 917 and continue using my mitsubishi DA-C20, but i want to understand what a Preamp without a Phono stage would be used for. Thanks in advance for the help!

Here's a link to the NAD 917 manual...

https://nadelectronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/917-A-V-Surround-Sound-Tuner-Preamp-English-Manual.pdf

Comments

  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,704
    If a pre amp doesn't have input jacks labeled "phono" then there's no phono stage. The NAD 917AV is aimed at home theater use hence the AV in the model number and the surround sound features.

    The Mitsubishi DA-C20 is the best choice out of what you have.
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Here's the manual:https://nadelectronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/917-A-V-Surround-Sound-Tuner-Preamp-English-Manual.pdf

    no phono input, which is normally the case on an AVR or HT processor/preamp, which is what the NAD 917 is, a very early HT pre/pro.

    Probably best to try to flip it and get something else...not here of course, but craigslist and ebay are good options to start...
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    (at least) two threads on this now...
  • cdm418
    cdm418 Posts: 23
    Thank you all for the replies! Much appreciated
  • A preamp is just that. It has all of the controls for the power amp, such as bass/treble, volume, input selector, etc. A power amp only supplies the power. Some have only an on/off switch. Others have gain/volume controls also.
    You can connect your ART DJ phono preamp into any of the input jacks on the preamp. The AUX input is preferred, but others will also work.
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