Dumb Question

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  • 12-10-2003, 06:13 PM
    poneal
    Dumb Question
    When connnecting/disconnecting speakers should your receiver/amplifier be off? I've never been shocked but am curious if it is dangerous to do this with the reciever/amplifier on. I do turn the sound down so that I don't get loud bursts of noise going through the speakers.
  • 12-10-2003, 07:31 PM
    zapr
    When connecting or disconnecting speakers you should do so with the power off.Damage to your amp could result otherwise.
  • 12-10-2003, 08:11 PM
    jeskibuff
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by poneal
    I've never been shocked but am curious if it is dangerous to do this with the reciever/amplifier on.
    I don't believe the voltages are high enough for you to feel a shock, but as zapr says, your amp is what is vulnerable to damage, especially if your disconnected speaker leads accidentally touch each other and short out the amp.
  • 12-11-2003, 01:31 AM
    maxg
    The amp should be off...
    I have seen a high power amp blow its entire right channel when disconnecting a pair of speakers (Quad 989's in this case) as the wires touched. Blue flash, terrible smell and $2,400 bill!!!
  • 12-11-2003, 10:17 AM
    FLZapped
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by poneal
    When connnecting/disconnecting speakers should your receiver/amplifier be off? I've never been shocked but am curious if it is dangerous to do this with the reciever/amplifier on. I do turn the sound down so that I don't get loud bursts of noise going through the speakers.

    I would shut the amp off, some amps can be damaged if you should accidentally short the speaker leads together.

    -Bruce
  • 12-11-2003, 01:50 PM
    poneal
    Thanks so much. Sometimes my cables came out of the speaker clips so I would just plug it back in with the amp on. Just the other day, the light came on and I asked myself wtf I was doing. From now on the amp goes off, because I surely don't want to fry my amp. Thanks again.