Please, some simple info and advice


To those of you who are learned audiophiles, this may seem quite simple and trite, but this has to be the correct place to learn what I need to know. I am moving to a mono setup (klipsch corner horn, tube amp/preamp) but still need to use certain stereo equipment - CD player, tape deck, phono - in order to play favorite materials. So far, in using a "Y" connector to run the two signals from the player (CD in this case) into one pre-amp input, I seem to be getting a distorted signal. How can a person combine these two channels from the player in a way that yields good, clean reproduction from the amp? Is there a high-quality "Y" connector or some other device that does this well?

Also, in your experience, will a high quality stereo amp with center channel output enable a solution if one were to run both channel signals into the pre-amp and use the center channel as a mono output?

Or - something better?
Thaks, Cccc
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What you need is a stereo preamp with a mono button. Connect your sources to its inputs, leave the mono button engaged and run one of the outputs (L or R) to your mono amp. Or get an integrated amp with a mono button. You can't run a y-adapter backwards because you are connecting both output voltages onto a single input and overloading it with double its normal operating input voltage.
So far, in using a "Y" connector to run the two signals from the player (CD in this case) into one pre-amp input, I seem to be getting a distorted signal. How can a person combine these two channels from the player in a way that yields good, clean reproduction from the amp?

You CAN't do this. The CD player has a low output impedance if you connect the two outputs together then you are "shorting" them. You can combine CD outputs with a studio mixer (expensive as it has active circuits) or a simple resitor bridge network with 10K resistors (build your own it is very easy).

Or just buy an Analog Mixer
Thanks SEASONED and SHADORNE - knew I could count on you out there and am now a bit more learned. SHADORNE, if not any trouble could you post me or tell me where to see a schematic or instructions for the simple bridge network, and will give it a try. I would be most appreciative.

Any other thoughts out there from others?