SaladDressing
Member
One question: Why can it fry the amp? Please be technical but basic.
One question: Why can it fry the amp? Please be technical but basic.
...white smoke - every device works on white smoke, when the white smoke comes out - the device no longer works...The end result is
Thank you for the detailed explanation! Sounds logical. Now, how does this apply say between a preamp and the power amp? Is it even worse because (as far as I understand it) input impedance of power amps are quite high, while the output impedance of a pre amp is much lower, thus making the current not 10 times larger but maybe 100 times larger or more. Is that correct?Your speaker has, say, a 4ohm impedance. The output impedance of the amplifier is generally (for solid-state) a lot lower than this, let's say it's a tenth of the speaker at 0.4ohms.
Current = voltage/resistance. The lower the resistance, the higher the current that will pass.
If you connect the outputs together, then each output channel sees a load composed of the speaker in parallel with the other output channel. 1/Rt = 1/R1 +1/R2, so the load on each output is 0.36ohms and they'll be passing ten times the current they were designed for.
Assuming you are n't using a plugin that downmixes the stereo to mono, you are hearing the left or right channel. Depending on the music this may or may not be a problem. A plugin example would be 'Stereo Tools' in PulseEffects.I have a similar, but different question. I just bought my first active speaker (KRK Rokit Classic 5) and am learning the very basics. It is connected via RCA connector from my Topping DX3 Pro+. Since I'm only using one speaker and running it from either the L or R output, am I hearing only the L or R stereo output or a mono version? I'm not very technical, but an aging music lover getting excited about the new age of hi fi that is unfolding here. Thanks for insight.
...white smoke - every device works on white smoke, when the white smoke comes out - the device no longer works...
While everything you say is true, the output impedance of a preamp is generally a lot higher (100ohms or more) than that of a power amp. Also, the voltages being produced are lower since a power amp will generally increase voltage by 25dB or so. Both these factors mean that the amount of current you’re trying to shunt through the opposite output stage is a lot lower, and thus you can often get by with this sort of fudge.Thank you for the detailed explanation! Sounds logical. Now, how does this apply say between a preamp and the power amp? Is it even worse because (as far as I understand it) input impedance of power amps are quite high, while the output impedance of a pre amp is much lower, thus making the current not 10 times larger but maybe 100 times larger or more. Is that correct?
Ahh I see, that's interesting. One more specualtion: If a signal from one channel "bleeds" into the output of another, doesn't that mean some stuff gets cancelled out because of phase reversal? So the Signal coming out as mono in the end is a bit meh? If I have resistors it doesn't bleed, or bleed is very low so the signal gets only affected in a minor way, so the end mono signal is "clean". Is that right?While everything you say is true, the output impedance of a preamp is generally a lot higher (100ohms or more) than that of a power amp. Also, the voltages being produced are lower since a power amp will generally increase voltage by 25dB or so. Both these factors mean that the amount of current you’re trying to shunt through the opposite output stage is a lot lower, and thus you can often get by with this sort of fudge.
Thank you. "Depending upon the music", how so? My question now is nearly the same as the OP, can I use a Y cable from both the L and R on my DAC into the single RCA input, but on an active speaker? Is the answer the same, but for different reasons, or will this feed both signals without problems. Will this sound better than either L or R alone into a single speaker? This is a new experiment/toy for me, rather than squeeze every possible bit from it, but if a $6 Y cable gets better... then what the hell... otherwise your answer saves me from that little rabbit hole.Assuming you are n't using a plugin that downmixes the stereo to mono, you are hearing the left or right channel. Depending on the music this may or may not be a problem. A plugin example would be 'Stereo Tools' in PulseEffects.
Same basic issue... The source impedance (usually not specified) is much lower than the rated load impedance and you should never "short" two outputs together. With line-level outputs you probably won't fry the Topping but you could get distortion or some other strange* effects and you are stressing the device.I have a similar, but different question. I just bought my first active speaker (KRK Rokit Classic 5) and am learning the very basics. It is connected via RCA connector from my Topping DX3 Pro+. Since I'm only using one speaker and running it from either the L or R output, am I hearing only the L or R stereo output or a mono version? I'm not very technical, but an aging music lover getting excited about the new age of hi fi that is unfolding here. Thanks for insight.
Some music doesn't make much use of stereo so you'll barely notice the difference if you're listening to just the left or right. You might find some instruments or vocals a little louder or quieter than you expect if they're panned a bit to left or right, but not enough to disturb casual listening. Other music uses it a lot and you'll really notice the difference. Think dueling guitars panned hard left and right, where you'll only hear one of them if you don't mix to mono, or something being panned around for effect like in EXP on Axis: Bold as Love where it'll get louder and quieter rather than moving around in stereo, or staying more or less constant if mixed to mono. I ran into this when one of my pc speakers was out of commission for a couple of days, hit a jarring one a few tracks in and went searching for a tool to mix to mono.Thank you. "Depending upon the music", how so?
Much the same. See the RANE link from @Speedskater above, or do it in software if you can.My question now is nearly the same as the OP, can I use a Y cable from both the L and R on my DAC into the single RCA input, but on an active speaker? Is the answer the same, but for different reasons, or will this feed both signals without problems. Will this sound better than either L or R alone into a single speaker? This is a new experiment/toy for me, rather than squeeze every possible bit from it, but if a $6 Y cable gets better... then what the hell... otherwise your answer saves me from that little rabbit hole.
Actually what you’re doing is converting the signal to Mid-Side and throwing away the Side signal. This is a different way of representing stereo signals (and with some recording techniques it’s how the stereo info is originated).Ahh I see, that's interesting. One more specualtion: If a signal from one channel "bleeds" into the output of another, doesn't that mean some stuff gets cancelled out because of phase reversal? So the Signal coming out as mono in the end is a bit meh? If I have resistors it doesn't bleed, or bleed is very low so the signal gets only affected in a minor way, so the end mono signal is "clean". Is that right?