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True to the Music
FAQ
What is an RIAA pre-amp and why do I need one?
When vinyl albums are produced, a preset EQ curve is introduced. This
EQ curve is the RIAA phono response curve and has been a standard
since the introduction of the long play record or LP. The RIAA response
curve was developed to get better performance out of the medium.
When the record is played back the signal needs to be restored by
applying the exact opposite EQ curve as the one introduced during
production. This is what the RIAA preamp section of the Radial J33
is doing. Without an RIAA preamp, LPs would not sound as they were
intended to.
Can I use an active phono cartridge with the J33?
No. The J33 is designed to use magnetic cartridges which make up
99% of all turntable cartridges ever sold.
What if I depress the rumble filter and still have feedback?
Try using an isolation pad such as the Primacoustic IsoPlane
(www.primacoustic.com). This will reduce the vibration going into the
turntable and help eliminate low frequency resonant feedback.
Can I connect other devices such as keyboards or computer
sound cards to the J33's input?
No. The J33's input is pre-equalized with the RIAA curve. This curve is
designed for LP records and would make any other source sound bad,
plus these line-level devices would overload the J33's sensitive input
circuit and cause distortion.
Why is there no ground lift on the J33?
Because the ground lift would disconnect the pin-1 on the XLR, which
in turn would shut off the phantom power.
Can I rackmount the J33?
Yes. The Radial J-Rak will allow as many as 8 direct boxes to be rack-
mounted in two RUs. Go to the Radial website for more details on the
J-Rak. (www.radialeng.com)
What should I do if the LEDs do not light up?
Check that the external power supply is connected or, if connecting to
a mixer through the J33's XLR outputs, make sure the 48V phantom
power has been turned on at the mixer.
How will the J33 sound with my hi-fi system?
Great! The J33 is a low noise preamplifier and will out-perform the
typical RIAA preamp built into consumer hi-fi equipment.
8
Radial Engineering Ltd.
J33
User Guide
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