Phono.. does this mean?


I am looking to buy my first turn table for some LP's I have bought over the years. I am looking to save some money at this time, so my question is...

If my current reciever has Phono Jacks, does this mean I could hook a Turn Table up to it and use it? I am looking at a Rega P1 or P2. Thanks for the advice.
128x128oak244
Thanks folks. I have a Yamaha RX-V2300 I have used for years. I want to make a dedicated system for my TT someday, but now is not the time. I will have to search for the owners manual.

Not sure what you mean by MM cart? Dont most "Used" TT's have everything I would need to plug and play?
Oak244 come on seriously you haven't been on the Gon to long. MM for moving magnet and MC moving coil.Some TT such as the Music halls come plug and play and many of the budget Regas{cartridge included}look at these along with any TT on the Gon that the owner is selling used and has a mounted cartridge installed. I would say if you purchase the latter and have it shipped you most likely will have to reset the cartridge because of shipping.
As can be seen from RX-V2300 manual
http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/av/pdfs/moreinfo/rxv2300.pdf
it has phono input (i.e in-built phono amplifier module) with input sensitivity (MM) 2.5 mV and impedance Phono 47 k-ohms.
So you can use MM cartridges or high output MC carts (which produce about 2.5 mV voltage). For MC carts with lower output voltage you would need external phono (pre)amplifier.
A.
Schipo,
This will be his first ever vinyl rig. Why would a novice understand MM, MC, LOMC or any other acronym? Belittling someone for lack of knowledge, when knowledge is what they came seeking, isn't helpful.

Good research by Amater.

Oak244,
Some cautions about buying a used vinyl rig (not to discourage, just so you get what you pay for with a greater chance of it working).

For used rigs, consider buying from a local seller (so you can see/hear it working) or from an Audiogon seller with solid feedback. Buying used vinyl gear from some distant seller on ebay is riskier. Many perfectly honest people do not understand how to pack a turntable/tonearm/cartridge properly for shipping. A collection of loose parts that used to be a turntable will not play your LP's very well!

Used cartridges are a crapshoot. Sometimes they work fine. Sometimes they don't. This is partly because cartridges are a consumable. Many turntables and tonearms will work forever, but no cartridge will. They all wear out, and if you don't know how many hours are on one it's a guess as to how well it'll perform. (A knowledgeable expert could possibly assess, but that gets involved and might cost more than it's worth). Further, cartridges are fragile and easily damaged. Don't be surprised if you have to buy a new cartridge for a used rig. Many people would say it's advisable, since a worn cartridge can destroy your LP's forever.

If you do replace the cartridge, I'd recommend starting with a moving magnet (MM) type for simplicity's sake. That's what your Yamaha was designed for (per Amater's post) so you would have no issues of impedance or gain matching (which can occur with some other cartridge types with basic phono stages like yours).

Vinyl is decidedly not plug and play. At a minimum you must check the downforce the tonearm/cartridge will be applying to the record. This requires some sort of scale or balance. It needn't be expensive, especially for entry level gear, but not doing this would put your entire record collection at risk. If Vertical Tracking Force (VTF) is too low, the stylus won't maintain steady contact with the groove walls. This is the fastest/surest way to destroy an LP. If VTF is too heavy, the sound can be dull and you'll wear out your catridge's suspension (and the LP's) a bit faster.

Lots to learn, but first enjoy the music,
Doug
And don't let Doug scare you out of it, either. ;) For 99% of the population before the advent of CD, Vinyl WAS plug-and-play.
Here on the 'GoN, you're talking with the other 1%. The perfectionists. Keep that in mind.

So go for it.

Cheers.

Tom