sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Security, Alarms and Paging Can the TAPE REC OUT output be used as an Amp input?

Hello All -

I am setting up a ceiling speaker system for music purposes.
I am connecting the speakers to a Bogen Paging amplifier, but for the music source (CD Player/Tape Deck), I thought I would feed it through a preamp. I didn't want to spend money on a new preamp, so I salvaged an old JVC receiver from my storage. I'm not going to be connecting any 8-ohm speakers to the JVC, but can I use the TAPE REC OUT output to feed into the Paging Amplifier?

The manual for the JVC says the TAPE OUT does transmit all music sources (CD, tuner, TV sound, etc.) through the output, but I just wanted to hear your opinions.


Thank you so much.
Matteo

Sounds like you want to use the receiver as a mixer. The tape out is usually taken off before the volume and tone controls (they will have no effect on the tape output level) so that may or may not be a deal breaker depending on if the Bogen amp has a volume control readily available. Are there auxiliary outputs? Those are intended to feed separate amps and would be controlled by those controls.

Don't forget also that you will be going from two channels of stereo to mono to feed the Bogen. You can't just "Y" them together. Of course if the receiver has an A+B switch that will take care of that.

-Hal

Some Receivers have a Mono switch.

That's what I meant by an A+B switch. Everybody called it something else- A+B, L+R, mono...

I've even seen separate mono outputs but that was 30 years ago. I haven't looked at consumer audio stuff in a long time so your mileage may vary with the vintage of whatever receiver you are using. Like I said, in theory it should work but it all depends on the flexibility of the thing.

-Hal

Hi Hal -

Last time I checked, the receiver does not have an A+B switch.
I was actually looking for an auxiliary output before looking into this, but there was none to be found. From what I understand, the Bogen does have a volume control. I will just have to make sure I use that control instead of the one on the receiver.

Thank you so much,
Matteo

Just occurred to me and I have to ask- I'm assuming that the Bogen amp already exists? If not there are plenty of mixer/amps to choose from at about the same price point.

-Hal