Speaker Output of Amp A to RCA Input of Amp B

November 7, 2009 11:35 AM

Is there any way I can take the speaker output from underpowered combo CD/ amp A and run it into the RCA input of power amp B?

If not, what is the difference between what is running out of a speaker output vs what is running out of an RCA output?

posted by forallmankind to technology (4 answers total)

It's not a good idea since speaker level signals are higher voltage than line level and you could potentially damage the input of the second amp. You can buy or build a converter. Building would be really cheap, if you've got a soldering iron. You could pick up the parts at Radio Shack for less than $10.
posted by 6550 at 11:51 AM on November 7, 2009

Just to clarify, it's not a good idea to hook speaker outputs up to another amp directly. The converter will do the trick just fine.
posted by 6550 at 11:54 AM on November 7, 2009

Awesome - thanks! One more thing - a $7 converter on ebay vs a $30 converter on Amazon: how much more bang am I getting for my buck?
posted by forallmankind at 12:14 PM on November 7, 2009

I'd go with the cheap one. They are passive devices and should only contain a few resistors, and maybe a potentiometer and capacitors. There isn't much to color the sound there.
posted by 6550 at 2:32 PM on November 7, 2009