Soundcard Blowing AMP?

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MallAudio

95 posts

Master Geek

#22840 10-Jun-2008 09:51

Hi... one of our clients has called us this morning saying she has had 2 different sound tech companies to her mall in the last week, and they have both said the same thing...

the voltage coming down the 'line in' cable from our PC (for powering low power speakers) has blown 2 of her amplifiers...

I find this really hard to believe!!! (we're only talking 3watts max!)
We have been doing this for 9 years with over 500 PC's and ive never heard anything so ridculous... some of our machines have pre-amped speaker jacks, and some don't, but we've never had an issue!
Has anyone ever heard of this before?? Any ideas?

davide

214 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#137248 11-Jun-2008 10:13

Unlikely. More possible is that the wiring has come into contact with, or has had (by induction) a high voltage come into contact with it. Is it a long run of cable, running near power wiring?

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David Elsbury
Freelance Lighting, Sound and AV Technician
"Technician like ninja... live in shadow, move in silence"

Adamal

544 posts

Ultimate Geek

#138052 14-Jun-2008 21:02

If there was a massive current going through the line out, then there would have been huge amounts of distortion coming OUT of the speakers before it blew.
Thats what happens when you amplify an amplified source, even if you've got the volume down low.
But even then, I find it highly unlikely that its what would have caused it.
A) Line out's aren't amplified.
B) Headphone outs only have enough juice to run a pair of headphones/earphones. Not enough to blow an amp.