Will Running Powered Speakers From The Headphone Out Harmon Kardon 330B Fry The Speakers Or The Output?

[-RFJ]

Hey guys RFJ here, long time lurker, first time poster...

So I have a Harmon Kardon 330b vintage receiver. I understand running powered speakers via the speaker connections is a bad idea. I've done some reading and it seems I should be okay going from the headphone output to the speakers using a 1/4 in splitter. I've also seen people suggest using the tape output because it bypasses the amp in the receiver. When you do this you do not get volume control. So my question is...

Is the reason why the headphone out is okay is because it bypasses the amp too? I don't think it does because I still have volume controls and eq going that way. What's the difference in the headphone out and the speaker connections on the back?

I'm doing this because the receiver is the only thing I have with a phono stage input. I know best thing to do is just get a phono pre amp, or some passive speakers, but as of now this is what I'm working with.

Thanks guys!

 

[billybob_jcv]

Voltage level. The powered speakers want a "line-level" signal, which is around +/- 2 volts. The headphone jack is usually pretty close to this same level - or maybe slightly higher. "Speaker-level" signals can be much higher. For a 100 watt amp into 8 Ohms, that's 28.3 volts RMS.

 

[manbear]

Voltage level. The powered speakers want a "line-level" signal, which is around +/- 2 volts. The headphone jack is usually pretty close to this same level - or maybe slightly higher. "Speaker-level" signals can be much higher. For a 100 watt amp into 8 Ohms, that's 28.3 volts RMS.

+1

The headphone jack will be fine. A little more or less than 2 volts won't hurt your powered speakers; just play around with the volume knob starting around 25% volume to be safe. 

The speaker taps have way more voltage and could fry something. 

 

[-RFJ]

Hey thanks guys for the replies. Sorry for the delay in mine. Just getting back from a birthday party my son went to. Anyway just fired it all up. Started at zero db and gradually increased the volume on both the speakers and the receiver to a decent listening level. Sounding better than music has sounded in a long time.

Thanks again!
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