What are pre outs on a receiver

Pre-out is a labeled or unlabeled line-level audio output that can be used as an alternate source for driving external power amplifiers or powered speakers. The term “pre” in pre-out usually means before, so the signal is just before the internal circuits of the AV receiver.

There are two pre-out options on your audio/video receivers: fixed and variable levels. The pre-out voltage tends to be either fixed (i.e., it has a specific nominal value) such as 2 V, 4 V, and 8 V, or variable (i.e., it varies with the volume setting) typically from 0 V to 5 V or more. In either case, a pre-out line-level audio output is always available unless it has been deliberately disabled – often by physically disabling the power connector at the rear of the AV receiver. The use of a pre-out requires an external amplifier, speakers, and speaker wire.

A pre-out system consists of an AV receiver, usually with an amplifier built in, speakers, subwoofer or passive bass speakers known as woofers, speaker wire to connect the powered speakers to the AV receiver’s multi-channeled line-level audio outputs referred to as “pre-outs.”

How does pre-out on AV receivers work?

Pre-out allows you to use the speakers connected to the AV receiver and another separate power amp for more powerful and precise sound.

When using pre-outs, it’s recommended that you use high-quality, shielded cables for connections between components. The use of unshielded or poorly shielded cables may cause noise.

However, there can also be a problem with some amps if they have a poor pre-out voltage, which is insufficient to power your speakers correctly. In this case, you will need an additional amplifier or replace your receiver.

Also, keep in mind that many receivers do not have the option of selecting pre output for each channel and the only option is to use front L/R jacks. It means that you will not be able to send signals from all your speakers, only front ones and, for example, if more of them are bi-amped or you would like to use different power amps for the center and surround – it’s impossible. If this is your case – look for a better amp or replace your receiver.

Is it needed to have pre-out on the AV receiver?

No, it is not needed, but it is a good option. Usually, AV receivers have pre-outs for amplifiers and power amps. They can be used, as was mentioned, to hook up a powered subwoofer or front speakers with an active crossover. They are very helpful when you want high-quality sound and don’t need the extra effort of setting everything up correctly. The better the pre-outs on the receiver, the better quality of sound you’ll have. It is because a pre-out is an amplified line-level output from a source component, so if your pre-out is of good quality, so will be the line level.

How to adjust pre-out on an AV receiver?

Some AV receivers have a built-in amplifier. It has two types of outputs: speaker terminal and pre-out terminal. On the pre-out terminal, you can connect an external power amplifier through a pair of RCA phonos or speaker wires. The volume level from pre-out is adjustable on your receiver. To do that, follow the below steps:

• Connect the speakers to the receiver. Plugin the power to both of them and turn it on (volume at minimum).
• Take a speaker cable (three or two core) and connect one end to “Sub Out” Speaker terminals.
• Connect another end of the same cable with the receiver’s Pre Out 2 Speaker terminals.
• Open the volume on your receiver to mid-level, then turn on the source from which you want to listen to music or watch movies
• Press the “Volume Up” button a few times on your remote control transmitter until you hear a ‘beep’ sound from connected speakers. It indicates that the pre-out connector is now enabled.
• Re-adjust volume to your desired listening level on the receiver.

Please note some AV receivers may have “pre-out” or “sub-out” on the front panel. In this case, you can use either of them to connect with an external amplifier.

When shopping for AV receivers, there are a lot of things to consider. Features, power, connections…it all can get a little overwhelming. But one phrase keeps popping up when looking over features or why some people recommend one AV receiver over another – pre-outs. What are pre-outs, why might you want them, and what do they do? Let’s discuss.

You may have heard or read about something called a Pre/Pro. Pre/Pro is short for Preamplifier/Processor. These devices do all (or at least most of) the same things as your AV receiver except that they don’t have amplifier channels for your speakers. You need to add external amplifiers to them.

The pre-outs on your AV receiver essentially turn your AV receiver into a Pre/Pro. They are RCA (usually) outputs that allow you to bypass the internal amplifiers in your AV receiver and use external amplification.

The most common type of pre-out is the subwoofer pre-out. This is included on nearly every AV receiver. It connects to the amplifier inside your subwoofer. Subwoofers take a ton of power to create that deep bass so it makes sense that you’d want a standalone amplifier for your sub. Your speakers? Not so much.

Why Might You Want Pre-Outs?

Clearly, you want a pre-out for your subwoofer. But there are other times when pre-outs are absolutely necessary. Some AV receivers can process more channels than they can power. So the AV receiver might have nine channels of amplification but it can process up to eleven channels. If you want all eleven speakers in your system (seven floor-level speakers and four overhead), you’ll need pre-outs connected to an external amp.

Often, you’ll see pre-outs for other zones of audio. If you don’t see pre-outs for your Zone 2/3/4, it means you’ll have to give up amplifier channels in your main theater to power those speakers. If you have a complex audio setup with multiple zones, making sure you have pre-outs for your other zones could be important.

Are Pre-Outs on an AV Receiver Useful?

While there are real uses for pre-outs on an AV receiver, the most common reason given for wanting them is the ability to add an external amplifier later. The logic is that by offloading some of the speakers (usually the front three) to an external amplifier, you’ll have clearer/cleaner/better sound quality and more power for the rest of your speakers. It just doesn’t work that way. As we’ve explained.

Our Take

Buying an AV receiver is complex business. You have to think about what you’ll actually use and need versus all the bells and whistles the marketing is trying to convince you that you want. Many times, once you determine the number of channels you’ll actually use, the level or room correction you want, and the features you’ll need, pre-outs are a forgone conclusion. They’ll either be included or not. Our one suggestion is that you not pay extra for pre-outs on your AV receiver just because the Internet tells you that you might want to add an amp later. Most of the time the external amp won’t make your speakers sound any better.

Receivers can be complex devices where it can get difficult to track the specs and ports you require. Receivers can be confusing especially the feature of pre out amp. Looking to buy an A/V receiver? Then it is imperative that you understand what a pre-out is and its high-utility features. 

Let’s deep dive into the need of a preamp output

Pre-out stands for preamplification output. 

They are commonly used with a subwoofer and provide aid in adding all kinds of channels to your home theatre. By using preamp output, you can consider serious upgrade options. 

It is a way to take your signal out from your amp before it passes through the power section. Also, it is the primary control unit in a stereo or home theatre system. Preamplifier is a parallel output made available before the signal is amplified to be reproduced by the loudspeaker. 

Pre-out is a volume-controlled, source-selected analogue audio output. It facilitates the signal to pass through and subsequently be amplified by another power source.

It comprises all the signal processing present in the preamp stage, such as channel volume or EQFunctions like source selection, volume control, DSP and other effects are controlled by the receiver, the power amplifier just drives the speakers. 

It connects an external power amplifier in place of the built-in one integrated in the receiver. Pre-outs can be used with subwoofers that have their own internal amplifier.

How to use a preamp output?

• The first step is to identify if your speakers will be using the receiver’s amp or an external amp. For the external amplifier, look for the corresponding pre-out connection on the receiver
• It would be a good idea to use an RCA cable and Y-Splitter if there are multiple sub inputs
• Once your receiver and speaker are plugged in and connected, you are all set to play audio

A pre-out amp has both benefits and drawbacks. Here are the pros and cons: 

Bottomline

It is noteworthy to mention that right in the beginning, when you first buy a receiver, there is not much to be hassled about the pre-outs, but eventually they bring a fair amount of flexibility later.

Hopefully this blog will help you get insights into the subject and for everything else our team of experts are just a click away! We will help you discover the best options and harness their utility effectively.