Johnbee58
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Please Settle A Myth
When I was a kid we had a family stereo system on which the speakers could be unplugged from the unit. Somebody (I think it was my Dad, but I'm not sure) told me to never turn on the stereo when the speakers were unplugged or you will burn out the electronics in the stereo. Keep in mind this was 1964 and vacuum tube electronics. Fast Forward to now. I have my Focusrite interface and I always feel as if I have to turn on my monitor speakers whether I use them in a session or not because I'm afraid that I will fry the circuitry in the interface. Something inside is telling me that it's probably no big deal now. It may have been an issue in 1964 vacuum tube technology, but not now, but I need some affirmation on this from somebody in the know. I can't see having my speakers on if it's not necessary (like during a vocal tracking session or the like). Thanks!  John B
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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fireberd
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/29 12:46:32
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☄ Helpfulby jumpeyspyder- 2018/11/02 00:26:54
Most (all that I've seen) tube amps need a load (speakers) attached or there can be damage.
Most solid state amps are direct coupled and an open (no load) is not an issue. What you have to watch in a solid state amp is that the load impedance does not go too low or there is potential for damage. Too low impedance can result in too high current flow and cause circuit damage.
With a recording interface connection to studio monitors its a non issue and the speakers can be powered on or off and no damage. Studio monitors are self powered speakers and just receive an external low level (approx. line level) signal and amplify it internally.
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Johnbee58
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/29 16:00:25
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fireberd
With a recording interface connection to studio monitors its a non issue and the speakers can be powered on or off and no damage. Studio monitors are self powered speakers and just receive an external low level (approx. line level) signal and amplify it internally.
Yeah, and considering that I do have the headphones plugged into it it's not like there's nothing going out of the unit. Thank you so much, fireberd, for your explanation. JB
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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Wookiee
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/29 16:03:12
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Well the Analogue outs of my Focusrite Pro 40 and 26 I/O were never used. I always feed the output of either SPDIF or ADAT's to my Mixer which connected to my Monitors John. Not had a problem yet (he says touching the wood in his furry bonce)
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Jim Roseberry
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/29 16:24:48
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Tube power-amps need to see a load from a speaker/load-box. You can have a tube in the preamp section of an otherwise solid-state amp... and it'll be fine without a cab plugged-in. Paging @Tom Deering! This is your area of expertise. 
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tlw
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/30 00:29:11
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Interfaces are fine with nothing plugged into the outputs, at least I’ve never heard of one that has a problem. They’re basically preamps as far as the amplification side of things is concerned and designed not to require an output load to avoid damage.
The rule of thumb with power amplifiers is that valve circuits won’t tolerate an open load for very long at all - maybe no longer than a few seconds depending on how good the output transformer and other components are. Without a speaker/load connected the output transformer starts complaining loud enough to hear and the power amp valves can start spitting and shorting internally. Like most guitarists I’ve accidentally switched on an amp head when it’s not connected and you really can hear it complaining.
Solid state amps on the other hand will be damaged almost instantly if the speaker connection is shorted out, but can tolerate no speaker being connected - they just see it as an infinitely high load and are happy. The exception being solid state amps which have a output transformer like a valve amp does, but these are very few and far between.
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Johnbee58
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/30 01:15:01
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tlw
Interfaces are fine with nothing plugged into the outputs, at least I’ve never heard of one that has a problem. They’re basically preamps as far as the amplification side of things is concerned and designed not to require an output load to avoid damage.
The rule of thumb with power amplifiers is that valve circuits won’t tolerate an open load for very long at all - maybe no longer than a few seconds depending on how good the output transformer and other components are. Without a speaker/load connected the output transformer starts complaining loud enough to hear and the power amp valves can start spitting and shorting internally. Like most guitarists I’ve accidentally switched on an amp head when it’s not connected and you really can hear it complaining.
Solid state amps on the other hand will be damaged almost instantly if the speaker connection is shorted out, but can tolerate no speaker being connected - they just see it as an infinitely high load and are happy. The exception being solid state amps which have a output transformer like a valve amp does, but these are very few and far between.
Makes me glad I'm not a guitarist.
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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Kev999
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/30 06:52:19
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☄ Helpfulby tlw 2018/10/30 12:51:20
Unplugging the speakers on your 1964 system meant disconnecting the speakers from the amplifier. Your current active studio monitor speakers contain their own built-in amplifiers and these are permanently connected. Disconnecting the studio monitors means disconnecting the amp from the source rather than disconnecting the speakers from the amp. It's a totally different scenario.
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Johnbee58
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/30 09:23:22
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Kev999
Unplugging the speakers on your 1964 system meant disconnecting the speakers from the amplifier. Your current active studio monitor speakers contain their own built-in amplifiers and these are permanently connected. Disconnecting the studio monitors means disconnecting the amp from the source rather than disconnecting the speakers from the amp. It's a totally different scenario.
Please note that I'm not concerned about the health of the monitors, only the interface. JB
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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DeeringAmps
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/30 11:17:11
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John, your question has been answered;
No interface, to my knowledge, includes a power amp, so no problem.
As to tube amps, that’s been covered; you MUST have some kind of load.
I don’t work on solid state gear, so I won’t comment; only that I would probably connect a load if I was going to “scope” the output.
I would “assume” that there is some kind of interaction in any power stage and it’s load.
My nickle98’s worth.
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T
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Johnbee58
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/10/30 13:37:38
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DeeringAmps
John, your question has been answered;
It has, and to great satisfaction. Thanks to all who responded. JB
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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jimfogle
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/11/05 03:20:10
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One power amplifier solid state circuit used during the seventies was called a cascade circuit. The signal output of one transistor fed the input of the next transistor with each circuit transistor having an increasingly powerful output. Unfortunately, a failure in one transistor would trigger a failure of all the transistors in the circuit. It was easy to troubleshoot but expensive to repair. The most common failure reason was no load connected.
So I agree with Tom, tube or solid state, why take the chance?
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sock monkey
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Re: Please Settle A Myth
2018/11/06 04:38:29
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An Audio interface is really like a Audio mixer.
It could sit there for ten years turned on with nothing connected and it would not really care. it will just sit there doing nothing minding it's own business.
Even the headphone amp could be left cranked to max with nothing plugged in and it also doesn't care.
I often walk away from my studio to go eat or ? and all I do is turn off my power amp for my monitors as it's the biggest power suck, it's a left over habit from doing sound. . My computer, mixer and interface stay turned on. Sometimes I never come back and forget I left it like this.. no big deal.
Generally I just turn the volume right down while tracking with mikes. I can do this on the front of both my interfaces or the volume control of the power amp. I realize powered speakers always put this on the back. And that some interfaces neglected to have a monitor level on the front. That sucks and I would make sure not to buy an interface like that.
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