Phono Stage Bypass
Whether a turntable’s built-in phono stage can be bypassed to provide the cartridge signal directly.
A phono stage applies gain and equalisation to the cartridge signal. Bypassing it provides a phono-level path for a separate phono stage, rather than the built-in stage’s line-level output.
Phono Stage Bypass — Turntable
For a Turntable, bypass makes it possible to use an amplifier’s phono input or an external phono stage while retaining the same deck. A phono/line switch commonly selects between these two output paths.
Check which output and switch position provide the bypass. The external phono stage must suit the cartridge type and loading requirements. A deck with no built-in phono stage has no internal stage to bypass, so it represents a different arrangement.
Match the output path to the receiving input. A raw cartridge signal needs phono amplification before a line input; sending an equalised line output through another phono stage is different from bypass.