Skip to main content

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Impedance matching question (Read 3499 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Impedance matching question

Hi all, just have a quick question regarding impedance matching. My desktop computer speakers finally died on me (Altec Lansing 2100), and I'm not in a position to be buying replacement speakers of reasonable quality. I do however have an old pair of Monitor Audio MA-5s, which pair beautifully with the Technics V3 amp (my dad's old sound system - he gave me everything but the Technics turntable! xD)

My question is - can I connect my audio-out from my PC to an input on the V3 using a simple adapter. I can find all kinds of numbers on the impedance of the amp, but quite honestly I'm not sure what much of it means and I don't know how to compare that to my PC. The audio-out is from my motherboard (no dedicated sound card sadly) which is the Asus P8Z77-M Pro.

If somebody could help me out and let me know if the two would play nice together, that would be awesome.

Cheers!

Impedance matching question

Reply #1
Yes it should be fine. Powering an amp is easy compared to what a headphone out usually powers.

Impedance matching question

Reply #2
Hm? Sorry I'm a little confused - powering an amp is easy? Is that because the amp has its own external power supply?
I just want to make sure that plugging the two together isn't going to fry either the motherboard or the guts of the amp.

I know you said it should be fine - I'd just like a little more detail on why

Thanks!

Impedance matching question

Reply #3
Yes the amp is powered and so presents negligible load.

Impedance matching question

Reply #4
Hm? Sorry I'm a little confused - powering an amp is easy? Is that because the amp has its own external power supply?
I just want to make sure that plugging the two together isn't going to fry either the motherboard or the guts of the amp.

I know you said it should be fine - I'd just like a little more detail on why

Thanks!


There will be no problems. I've been using multiple Technics receivers on my PCs for over 10 years with never a problem. BTW there is no such thing as 'impedance matching' of line level signals. The output impedance of the PC is low, the receiver input is much higher. We're not interested in maximum power transfer. We just want a clean quiet signal.



Impedance matching question

Reply #5
@OP,  just a caveat: of course you'll use a line level input on your amp, not a phono input!
... I live by long distance.

 

Impedance matching question

Reply #6
I've been using a Technics SU-V3 with my computer for years. There have been no apparent problems. I advise setting the speaker selection switch to OFF before powering on or off, and also while booting the computer if the input selector switch is set to AUX.

Impedance matching question

Reply #7
I've been using a Technics SU-V3 with my computer for years. There have been no apparent problems. I advise setting the speaker selection switch to OFF before powering on or off, and also while booting the computer if the input selector switch is set to AUX.


That certainly a fine thing to do but I pay absolutely no attention to which unit is on first. Since I don't care for Windows start / end sound I just turn them off in 'sounds'. Many times I've had the audio system on before the PC is boots and there isn't even a click. Same for turn off.