Drive speakers from headphone drivers?

[Alaxleia]

Good day, all
I’m using a SOM which has TLV320AIC3106 (data source as reference) on it, I want to use speakers, but TLV320AIC3106 has output for headphones.
I am complete the new regarding audio electronics, but I guess I need to use amplifier for this.

Is there anyone give some ideas regarding this issue? What amplifier to use? Thanks in advance.

 

[RayDunzl]

I’m using a SOM which has TLV320AIC3106 (data source as reference) on it, I want to use speakers, but TLV320AIC3106 has output for headphones.
I am complete the new regarding audio electronics, but I guess I need to use amplifier for this.

What's an SOM?

Driving speakers from a headphone output is certainly possible, but I wouldn't expect them to go much louder than the headphones, if that.

But if you have active speakers (containing an amplifier), then give it a try.

Is there anyone give some ideas regarding this issue? What amplifier to use? Thanks in advance.

It would depend on which speakers, and what listening level you want to achieve.

 

[Alaxleia]

Thank you for helping...I definitely need some form of amplifier.
Some ideas: If the speakers are active, then in theory all i'm going to need is a 1/8" TRS stereo jack to dual RCA adapter. Or If have active speakers, then a power amplifier is necessary. Am i right?

 

[Phos]

Active speakers typically (always?) have an amp built in. Passive speakers don't have an amp, they would need one. Active speakers are going to have a 3.5mm and/or RCA connections, maybe USB and S/PDIF inputs if they have a DAC. Passive speakers are just going to have binding posts or banana sockets, though I did have this set of logitech speakers once upon a time that had hardwared RCA cables on them. PC speakers are a bit of a wild west as they seem to use whatever connectors the manufacturer has lying around as they're typically sold as a set and expected to only be used together.

 

[DVDdoug]

Headphones are higher impedance than speakers, typically 32 Ohms or greater. That particular chip is rated for 16 Ohms or more and headphone amps are typically rated for milliwatts. If you connect 4 or 8 Ohm speakers it will "draw" excess current (Ohm's Law says Current = Voltage/Resistance) and "bad things can happen.

That said, the "main chip" doesn't tell you anything about the complete-final design.

Some ideas: If the speakers are active,

If you don't know if your speakers are powered/active, active speakers require a power supply so they will plug into the wall or use a "wall wart" power supply. Passive speakers just have audio input connections.

Computer speakers are active and most "studio monitors" are active. Regular "hi-fi" and home theater speakers are passive except most home theater subwoofers are active.

then in theory all i'm going to need is a 1/8" TRS stereo jack to dual RCA adapter. Or If have active speakers, then a power amplifier is necessary. Am i right?-

Yes, if the active speakers have RCA inputs. (Analog) computer speakers will come with the standard 1/8"plug. Studio monitors come with a variety of connectors and you'll need an appropriate adapter/cable.

A headphone output has approximately the same output level (voltage) as a line-output, depending on the volume control setting so it will work with a line-input. The main difference is that a headphone output is capable of driving 32-Ohm headphones whereas line outputs are usually designed for 10K Ohms or more, and there is always a volume control for a headphone output and not always one for line-outputs. (i.e. The headphone output on a laptop doubles as a line-output.)

 

[Phos]

I have seen really cheap PC speakers that I think are meant to passively run off of headphone out, but I doubt the speakers in question in this thread are anything like those.

 

[Alaxleia]

Thanks for giving ideas...
According to the specifications, I think it needs a minimum input of 10KHz impedance for LINE output so a 50KHz input to a power amplifier should be okay.

 

[tomtoo]

Thanks for giving ideas...
According to the specifications, I think it needs a minimum input of 10KHz impedance for LINE output so a 50KHz input to a power amplifier should be okay.

Khz are not kohm. But not importend, it would be much more easy if you would say "This is the device i own, how to connect it to active or passive speakers?

 

[DVDdoug]

According to the specifications, I think it needs a minimum input of 10KHz impedance for LINE output so a 50KHz input to a power amplifier should be okay.

You you can connect ANY line-output to ANY line-input. The standards aren't "tightly" defined but everything usually works together.

You can also connect a headphone-out to a line-input. But not the other way around... Line outputs are not designed to drive headphones.

Lower output impedance doesn't hurt anything. Most line-outputs probably have an actual output-impedance of 1K or less, but they are usually designed/specified to drive "typical" loads (inputs) of 10K or more.

Higher input impedance doesn't hurt anything. Most line-inputs are 10K or more.

...You don't want to "match" impedance.