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XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

Hi Folks
I have a set of Logitech Z2300 200W 2.1 speakers that I use for my PC and I also want to connect my XBOX to them as well.
I have worked out adapters so that both the PC and the XBOX can be connected to the speakers at the SAME time.
Not being an electronics buff and not wanting to blow my PC sound card or the XBOX I have a very basic question before going live with the system:
I am assuming that the sound outputs from the PC and the XBOX put out fairly low voltages, but as both outputs will effectively be connected to each other as well as the speakers is there any possibility they will cause damage to either device?
I am trying to get them to share so I don’t have to swap the speakers between devices each time I use them.
Cheers
8 REPLIES 8
scootie
Grafter
Posts: 4,799
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-11-2007

Re: XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

if there will be any damage it will most likely happen at the amp input ,if you have both sources in use at the same time then your likely to run in to trouble but if you insure only one source is ever used at any one time then no damage should occur.
i have a double input setup like yours, but i have 3 of these http://www.audiogear.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=ADPT2RCFMSM&reference=/cgi-bin/shoppe... and the double female ended connectors so that i can leave one in the amp and leave the other 2 connected to my pc and xbox (tv output as i run on hdmi cable) and then its a quick job of plugging the source into the double ended female connector on the amp input one, so no need to break my back hunting for the green output on my sound card each time i swap
EDIT. sorry i have i got these http://www.audiogear.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=ADPT2RCM2RCM1M&reference=/cgi-bin/sho... in the amp input and no longer need the double female ended connecters that was an old setup
am sure there is some equipment out there that removes the need to do it like this or the workaround your using but all my life i have had loads of these audio cables and connectors so its just the way i do it with out blowing the cob web's off me wallet
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

Thanks for the info. I guess I will just keep the double connector on the desktop and remember to disconnect one, I had hoped the two sets of signal were treated as parallel rather than in sequence (to use a battery  analogy), ah well, never mind.
I have tons of connectors and cables as well. Folks think I am mad to hoard them all, until they say have you got something to do this and it is instantly produced from the cable draw!
scootie
Grafter
Posts: 4,799
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-11-2007

Re: XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

Quote
I have tons of connectors and cables as well. Folks think I am mad to hoard them all, until they say have you got something to do this and it is instantly produced from the cable draw!


watch this from 1 min 30
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

Assuming that you don't want to output from both devices simultaneously,
Why not just get yourself a 2way double pole (like a mains voltage A-B) switch?
I once had a 100W (rms) amplifier and I used this method to switch the output between two pairs of 50W speakers.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
Fixes: 565
Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

Something like this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=23189
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

Ah I see!
Presumably this little puppy would do the trick then? http://bit.ly/8YZPyQ
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
Fixes: 565
Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

Even better Smiley
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: XBOX and PC sharing speakers, any risk of damage?

Thanks to all for your help.