[Logistic]

Why shouldn't you plug/unplug cans/source while an amp is on? Just curious, as I'm a newb to amps. Thanks!

 

[zotjen]

Why don't you try it and find out?

Seriously though, it's possible you can short circuit the amp. You can actually leave the amp on when you plug and unplug the phones. Just make sure the volume is turned all the way down.

 

[Swampwalker]

Don't want to pick a fight, but it depends on the topology of the amp circuit and also the way the RCAs connect. Some amps, esp. tubes, should not ever be activated without a load (speaker, headphone, dummy resistor) across the outputs. Turning the volume down is useful if the way the jacks are wired causes a pop when you plug/unplug a source, but will do nothing to protect the amp if it needs to see a resistive loan when it is on. 'Course, I can't explain why that it so, but I'm sure some of more technically astute members can.

 

[morphie]

Well, the risk of unplugging the headphones while the amp is still on is that you might somehow catch a stronger signal while youre unplugging it, and simply damage your headphones because of it. The risk of unplugging the source is the same thing, unplugging it while its sending the signal to the amp might amplify it and damage the circuitry due to too much info at once.

This of course, is all presumption from my part, I'll say it makes sense this way to me, how accurate those answers are, someone who knows more about the way gear works will certainly be able to give you a more detailled/correct answer.

What I do is, I plug everything while its off, with the volume where I know for sure it wont blast the cans too strongly, then turn everything on including music, wait a few seconds for the tubes to heat up, and slowly raise the volume level to desired level.

 

[Necros]

Also depends on amp design. My amp mutes when powered up, then unmutes once it's on. Also mutes on every source & record input/output, then unmutes after it's switched. Headphone mutes/unmutes everytime headphone is connected or removed.

All relayed

 

[dgardner]

If you live in a dry climate, the risk of electrostatic discharge when plugging in can be quite high. JFET inputs are easily damaged if you hit them with ESD. Another reason to plug an unplug in a controlled environment, with power off, and with the case grounded.