So say I have a DAC with two types of outputs: XLR and RCA, and I connect a different amp to each of the outputs, but the DAC doesn't have a selector that decides which output is active, so both amps receive the signal simultaneously. I would be using only one amplifier at any one time, but I'm wondering if a setup like this could be harmful and cause damage to any of the devices.
Is connecting two amplifiers to a DAC dangerous?
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Old Dirty Puppy
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No it shouldn't be dangerous. But if you are really concerned you can always get something like the Shiit SYS which is just a simple AB switch box. With that you can easily use one source to switch between to different amps.
tomb
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There is a thread in the DIY section that is exactly the same as this question. Full confession: I was thinking the connections specified in that thread would represent a series connection and that voltage from the DAC would drop. Truth is, it's parallel, so only current is really affected. That's because the line level outputs and inputs are standardized (more or less) by IEEE. Practically speaking, this means you have a relatively low impedance on the output of the DAC connecting with a very high input impedance on the amp. The result is that voltage predominates and when the DAC is connected to two amps at the same time, the resulting voltage is still constant. So, no issue.
That said, there are always exceptions. If you are talking about a DAC with capacitors on the output, it's possible that when the input impedances of the two amps are combined, the total impedance ends up at one-half that of a single amp, and bass response may suffer as a result.
This is more of a concern with small, inexpensive or portable equipment. Those are most likely to have DACs with output capacitors and amplifiers that may have 10K pots. The combination of two amps would result in a 5K total impedance, which with some more common output capacitor values in the DAC, could result in a bass cutoff frequency (response down by -3dB) somewhere between 50-100Hz.
This all depends on the specifics of the equipment. The best thing to do is simply try it and see how it sounds. As the other poster has said, "No it shouldn't be dangerous."
That said, there are always exceptions. If you are talking about a DAC with capacitors on the output, it's possible that when the input impedances of the two amps are combined, the total impedance ends up at one-half that of a single amp, and bass response may suffer as a result.
This is more of a concern with small, inexpensive or portable equipment. Those are most likely to have DACs with output capacitors and amplifiers that may have 10K pots. The combination of two amps would result in a 5K total impedance, which with some more common output capacitor values in the DAC, could result in a bass cutoff frequency (response down by -3dB) somewhere between 50-100Hz.
This all depends on the specifics of the equipment. The best thing to do is simply try it and see how it sounds. As the other poster has said, "No it shouldn't be dangerous."
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