Just because my turntable only has one headphone out, this prevents me from having to pull cables every time I want to listen to a different amp. Does a preamp actually do anything to a signal, or is it just a fancy switchbox? This has always confused me.

A preamp does amplify the signal. I'm pretty sure the melos has a tape out, which doesn't do anything to the signal. So use that.

A preamp does amplify the signal. I'm pretty sure the melos has a tape out, which doesn't do anything to the signal. So use that.

cool, thanks.

the line outputs certainly go thru the tube and a pair of fet outputs

so there will be a definite sound to those outputs. It is unclear from

the schematic where the tape outputs are wired to

http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/melos.jpg

Just for fun, I ran ICs from the preamp out to the dynahi, then the tape out to the dynahi. The line out definitely sounded different, and was run through the Melos volume pot, i.e. I could still control the volume from the Melos. With the tape out, the volume pot on the Melos does nothing, and the sound is unaltered. Looks like the tape out solved my wiring problem, thanks to hungrych and kg for the help.