HomePod Turntable to HomePod via AirPlay - Anyone Know How To Do It?

[boltjames]

I've got a vintage Technics turntable from my youth and 100+ vinyl records that I haven't played in 30 years and I'd like to give them a spin without having to buy a receiver, speakers, etc.

Perfect world, I'd plug my turntable into something that amplifies the signal and shoots it over AirPlay to my HomePods.

Anyone try something similar?

 

[chabig]

I doubt such a device exists. You probably need to find a phono to USB adapter and send the audio from a computer.

 

[Allyance]

When I opened my retail audio store in 1968, I had a young kid that worked at the Hess station in the plaza come and ask for a job, I gave him a customers Dyanco SCA35 kit that he butchered with acid core solder to clean up, next day he came back with it perfectly wired and working! That kid became the founder of MXR then onto chief engineer at Art, here is what you are looking for: usb-phono-plus-project-series.

The first thing you must realize is that phono cartridges require a pre-amp with the correct RIAA compensation curves for a flat response, and to boost the low level up to "line" level standard used in most devices and computer inputs. Once attached to a Mac then you can assign it to your HomePods via AirPlay. Art's devices run between $70 to $100, great qulity and engineering.

 

[bucksaddle]

I do this with my vinyl utilising the following workflow:

• Turntable line / phono out into Behringer U-Phono UFO202 Audiophile USB Audio Interface
• Behringer -> Apple Lightning to USB Adapter
• Lightning USB adapter plugged into iPad
• AirPlay to my HomePods (Stereo Pair) utilising AirChord App

Seems long winded but it’s all permanently plugged in so I just select the AirPlay destination in the app and spin the vinyl.

 

[haralds]

You do need a phone preamp for your turntable unless it is not built in. I would use the MacBook to digitize the vinyl by plugging into the audio in. Since some fiddling is involved it is best to do it just once per album.

 

[boltjames]

When I opened my retail audio store in 1968, I had a young kid that worked at the Hess station in the plaza come and ask for a job, I gave him a customers Dyanco SCA35 kit that he butchered with acid core solder to clean up, next day he came back with it perfectly wired and working! That kid became the founder of MXR then onto chief engineer at Art, here is what you are looking for: usb-phono-plus-project-series.

The first thing you must realize is that phono cartridges require a pre-amp with the correct RIAA compensation curves for a flat response, and to boost the low level up to "line" level standard used in most devices and computer inputs. Once attached to a Mac then you can assign it to your HomePods via AirPlay. Art's devices run between $70 to $100, great qulity and engineering.

Fantastic! Thank you.

 

[boltjames]

I do this with my vinyl utilising the following workflow:

• Turntable line / phono out into Behringer U-Phono UFO202 Audiophile USB Audio Interface
• Behringer -> Apple Lightning to USB Adapter
• Lightning USB adapter plugged into iPad
• AirPlay to my HomePods (Stereo Pair) utilising AirChord App

Seems long winded but it’s all permanently plugged in so I just select the AirPlay destination in the app and spin the vinyl.

This sounds great. I don’t have a receiver or amplifier, just the turntable. This will work that way?

 

[chabig]

This sounds great. I don’t have a receiver or amplifier, just the turntable. This will work that way?

You have to get the audio to a computer if you want to AirPlay it.

 

[BobRey77]

This sounds great. I don’t have a receiver or amplifier, just the turntable. This will work that way?

This solution works well and is the only one I've found that checks all the boxes. The Behringer UFO 202 is inexpensive, unobtrusive and high quality. You can run the AirChord App on any IOS device. I use a retired iPhone 6. Also, you should get the beta version of the AirChord App (AirChord 2) which implements AirPlay 2, allowing stereo pairs of HomePods (just Google Airchord 2). The AirChord 2 app will replace the original in the App Store. Other solutions like the one above using the Mac do not support AirPlay 2 and require the use of an app called AirFoil which must be purchased and simply doesn't work very well (I've tried it).

 

[bucksaddle]

This sounds great. I don’t have a receiver or amplifier, just the turntable. This will work that way?

As haralds mentions above I did miss 1 step out of my setup in that your turntable will need preamp built into it (mine does) or you will need a preamp in the equation.

Thanks BobRey77 for the pointer to AirChord 2 - just downloaded

 

[BobRey77]

As haralds mentions above I did miss 1 step out of my setup in that your turntable will need preamp built into it (mine does) or you will need a preamp in the equation.

Thanks BobRey77 for the pointer to AirChord 2 - just downloaded

Most older turntables have no pre-amp and will require one. The Behringer UFO provides a phono pre-amp. If your turntable has a preamp then you would set the Behringer to Line In which bypasses the phono pre-amp. Finally, some turntables actually provide USB output in which case you don't need the Behringer at all. Just USB directly into your iPhone using the USB/Lightning adapter.

 

[Allyance]

I think any turntable with an USB output is not a serious turntable, The ART device is a high quality unit, at a reasonable price.

 

[boltjames]

This solution works well and is the only one I've found that checks all the boxes. The Behringer UFO 202 is inexpensive, unobtrusive and high quality. Most older turntables have no pre-amp and will require one. The Behringer UFO provides a phono pre-amp.

Perfecto.

Thanks!

 

[BobRey77]

I think any turntable with an USB output is not a serious turntable, The ART device is a high quality unit, at a reasonable price.

The ART device looks like it would work instead of the Behringer product although the specific cabling/adaptor requirements might be different and that would have to be worked out. I can endorse the setup described with the Behringer UFO because I actually have it working in my home. As for USB turntables, I can't see why the addition of USB output would have any bearing on the quality of the turntable itself but I really haven't looked at them.

 

[Allyance]

I for one have Technics Direct Turntable which i would classify as pretty damn good, but not considered 'Audiophile' by the golden ears. I doubt that they could hear much difference using the same cartridge. The turntables I have seen with USB are from $79.00 (light weight) to $299 Audio-Technica direct drive which should be pretty good too.

 

[hungeroflions]

Don’t buy the behringer device I had that thing and it is absolute trash, wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy. The Pro-Ject tube box S1 changed my life and made my vinyl experience what I had always dreamed of but never gotten.

I’m currently wrapping my head around the idea of buying an Apple TV 4K, it outputs to HomePod. I need to convert the rca output from my preamp into HDMI ARC … it could work… maybe… any ideas?
@Allyance @BobRey77 @boltjames

 

[BobRey77]

Hard to imagine how you could have such bad luck with such a simple device as the Behringer. What were you trying to do with it? How did it fail? What is the Project tube box S1 that changed your life?

As for converting the line output from your pre-amp to play through your HomePods, that's basically what this thread is all about. Bridging the gap from analog to AirPlay2 requires a device like the Behringer and an iPhone or similar device running software like AirChord 2. I don't know of any other solutions other than the Sonos Port which is made to order and very elegant but quite expensive. That may be the best setup for you.

 

[ddelmonte]

Hello all. I'm trying to achieve similar as you all -- play my turntable sound to my digital devices. In my case, a Mac, rather than an iOS device.

I have a UFO202. This plugs into my turntable, and I can hear the output through the UFO's headphone. I can hear music from my computer on my speakers.

I must be missing something in all your comments - I cannot get sound from the UFO to the computer - not even it's headphone jack.

Any ideas what I'm missing? Thanks

 

[ddelmonte]

Hello again. I'm trying to achieve similar as you all -- play my turntable sound to my digital devices. In my case, a Mac, rather than an iOS device.

I have a UFO202. This plugs into my turntable, and I can hear the output through the UFO's headphone. I can hear music from my computer on my speakers.

I must be missing something in all your comments - I cannot get sound from the UFO to the computer - not even it's headphone jack.

Any ideas what I'm missing? Thanks

I'm not answering my own question, however, I have made some progress. I still cannot get sound through my MacMini . However with help from here, I can get music to play through my iPhone using AirChord 2. Brilliant.

 

[MarkC426]

Does the UFO202 connect via USB..?
If you open GarageBand and select line-in as the source, the vinyl will play through your speakers.

I have been recording my vinyl collection this way using a Kam direct drive USB turntable and GarageBand, then export to iTunes.

 

[ddelmonte]

Does the UFO202 connect via USB..?
If you open GarageBand and select line-in as the source, the vinyl will play through your speakers.

I have been recording my vinyl collection this way using a Kam direct drive USB turntable and GarageBand, then export to iTunes.

Thanks. I'll try that asap!