Damaging an amplifier with a faulty head/earphone cable.

[Jean-Paul Petrosyan]

Hi! I'm sorry, bit this one is going to be very dummy question... Is it possible to inflict damage on an amplifier by connecting a load to it with a faulty cable?

My acquaintance is asking me to loan him my Topping G5 DAC/Amp in order to test his fancy IEM cable that seems to be not working properly with his DAP (one channel is mute/silent, if I understood them correctly). I don't want to deny him, but I'm worried that if the cable is faulty it may damage my amp, which I love dearly and is the only piece of proper source gear that I own.

Thank you very much for your time and attention!

 

[Sokel]

Hi! I'm sorry, bit this one is going to be very dummy question... Is it possible to inflict damage on an amplifier by connecting a load to it with a faulty cable?

My acquaintance is asking me to loan him my Topping G5 DAC/Amp in order to test his fancy IEM cable that seems to be not working properly with his DAP (one channel is mute/silent, if I understood them correctly). I don't want to deny him, but I'm worried that if the cable is faulty it may damage my amp, which I love dearly and is the only piece of proper source gear that I own.

Thank you very much for your time and attention!

No DMM at home?

 

[DVDdoug]

Yes, it's possible for a shorted cable to damage an amplifier. But it's unlikely with a lower-power amp like a headphone amp. And an open connection (not dangerous) is also more likely than a shored cable. So I'd say very-low risk, but some risk.

It would be safer to try another cable. Or as Sokel suggests, get a multimeter.

 

[Jean-Paul Petrosyan]

Thank you for your replies, people!

No DMM at home?

No, I'm afraid. It's for checking the cable, right? Well, I think I'd better run to buy myself one and give it to him instead of my Amp.

I'm sorry for being this clueless, but what should I look for with it? How do I check the cable and how do I interpret the readings?

 

[Sokel]

Thank you for your replies, people!



No, I'm afraid. It's for checking the cable, right? Well, I think I'd better run to buy myself one and give it to him instead of my Amp.

I'm sorry for being this clueless, but what should I look for with it? How do I check the cable and how do I interpret the readings?

I'm really glad you asked and about getting one, even a cheap will do.

So.
-You set it at continuity mode, that's usually indicated by a small speaker sign. Sometimes it's the same button with resistance and diode test.
To know if you set it at this proper mode, you just touch one probe to the other: you'll hear a beep and that means there's a continuity there, a short.

Now for the cable, you measure on one side, one connector with cable connected to nothing.
You touch one probe to the tip for example and the other probe to ring, then ground, etc.
You should NOT hear a beep, at any combination.

After ruling out that no short is there you measure if everything is connected:
Now you test both connectors touching the probes at each ones same sections, like tip to tip, ring to ring, etc.
There, you SHOULD hear the beep, it means there's a nice continuity.

Don't hesitate to ask anything when you get it, or put a photo for more details.

 

[solderdude]

Chances are even a short is not an issue as the output current is limited to 250mA.
Start in the L setting see if you got sound.

There is nothing to worry about when you start at a low volume even when the output is shorted.