Headphone DAC`s to portable speakers with Aux port or amplifiers using AUX to RCA cable any risk ?

[Earwax]

Hello thank you for the interest.

My 1st Question is straight forward is there any risk using a Headphone DAC with AUX to RCA cable to play music through the DAC to an amplifier ?

2nd Question same but using AUX to AUX to play music through DAC to Portable speaker ?

I`ve done this many times with no issues but still curious if I`m missing something that could cause issues or damage ?

Please consider both Desktop Headphone and portable DAC`s ...

Your time is much appreciated, Cheers !

 

[staticV3]

My 1st Question is straight forward is there any risk using a Headphone DAC with AUX to RCA cable to play music through the DAC to an amplifier ?

Not at all.

2nd Question same but using AUX to AUX to play music through DAC to Portable speaker ?

Fine as well.

You can safely connect headphone outputs to any other audio equipment, be it headphones, Amps, Bluetooth speakers, Mixers, AVRs, etc.

The one thing you shouldn't do is connect RCA or XLR Line outs directly to a headphone. Connecting them to Amps, Bluetooth speakers, Mixers, AVRs, etc is fine.

 

[Delta]

The one thing you shouldn't do is connect RCA or XLR Line outs directly to a headphone.

Can you explain the reason?

 

[DVDdoug]

Can you explain the reason?

Headphone impedance is too low for a line-level output. Line level outputs usually expect a load of 10K Ohms or more. A "high impedance" headphone might be 300 Ohms.

Impedance and resistance (Ohms) are "the resistance to current flow". When the impedance is too low you "draw" excess current and "bad things" can happen. Typically, won't permanently damage a line-level output but you can "damage" the sound. With power amplifiers, too-low speaker impedance (or too many speakers connected in parallel) can burn-out the amp.