stu
I was thinking about plugging my guitar straight into my hi-fi amp just to see what it would sound like. Id use a 1/4 inch jack which converts to a 1/8 inch then use 1/8 inch that converts to the pluggs that go into the amp, they look like AV pluggs.
Another thought I had was to plugg a Digitech GSP 2101 pre amp into my hi-fi. And I would use the headphones out from the pre-amp to hi-fi.
So would doing any of this cause any damage to my hi-fi? I cant imagine it would.
I know this is a really wierd thing to try and do but Im really curious to see what it would sound like.
ezietsman
I've done that before. It sounded bad. Really bad. Didn't try it again.
[deleted]
When I didn't have an amplifier I used to play through my little hi-fi. It worked just fine, and I'd imagine if you go through your effects unit and are able to adjust the output level down pretty low, that shouldn't be an issue either.
inflames
I did it 10 years ago when I did not have a amp.
Even plugged a Boss Metal Zone in the loop ?
Sounded very decent for the time. Looking back It sounded horrible :?
matta
Technically it will work, sonically it may sound shocking, in part due to the fact that more often than not the input impedance on the Hi-Fi is not going to want to see the impedance of the pedal, it will work, but the impedance level mismatch may lead to a loss in tone/volume, but I doubt any damage will be done to the Hi-Fi, as long as you don't overdrive the input to it.
Cheers
Matt
Manfred-Klose
Brings back memories of my akai 500RMS HiFi..........
It had a jack input for a mic, so i did the obvious thing and plug my guitar in, when i turned the gain up a really cool nirvana type came through.
The other cool function of this was the fact that i could record my self on tape.
I still have the tapes from the recordings i made, every now and them i would go and listen to the tapes to remind me how badly i played to inspire myself. ?
inflames
as long as you don't overdrive the input to it
oops :-[ The Hi-Fi is still alive today!
AlanRatcliffe
Having blown two speakers on my parent's hi-fi by doing just this, I can tell you the speakers are the weak point. Guitar speakers are made to take the punishment of distortion, Hi-fi speakers are not (especially if you make a habit of cascading fuzz faces).
stu
Well I tried it. It has a pretty deep sound but nothing to get exited about. It didnt sound bad though. I just plugged the guitar into the hi-fi, So I try it with the pre amp and see what happens.
Since I am going to use the headphones out on the pre-amp I guessing it will be okay? My logic tells me it would blow the speakers because it wouldnt blow the headphones. It would just like plugging an iPod into the hi-fi.
TomCat
One thing to bear in mind is that HiFi loudspeakers are used to reproduce a previously recorded sound faithfully. A guitar loudspeaker is tonally balanced to best produce the tone of an electric quitar....two entirely different processes so tonally you will not get the same sound playing through a HiFi directly as you will get playing through a guitar amplifier...hence the amplifier sims present on various software and effects units.
Using a simulator between the guitar and the HiFi will yield a better result tonally than a direct connection from guitar to HiFi.
Another caution is that guitar loudspeakers are more efficient than HiFi loudspeakers so it is easy to damage the HiFi loudspeakers by overdriving them trying to get the same perceived volume as one would get using a guitar amplifier.
inflames
One thing to bear in mind is that HiFi loudspeakers are used to reproduce a previously recorded sound faithfully
Indeed, it all depends on the Hi-Fi you plug into. I think we got used to good quality amps ?
[deleted]
Alan Ratcliffe wrote
Having blown two speakers on my parent's hi-fi by doing just this, I can tell you the speakers are the weak point.
You turned it up to 11, though, right?
AlanRatcliffe
Stratisfear wrote
You turned it up to 11, though, right?
I was a teenager. What do you think? ?
singemonkey
I'm thinking that, going through a simulator, the hi-fi will be able to reproduce the guitar sound just as well as it reproduces the guitar on a led zeppelin cd, no?
stu
singemonkey wrote
I'm thinking that, going through a simulator, the hi-fi will be able to reproduce the guitar sound just as well as it reproduces the guitar on a led zeppelin cd, no?
Thats what I think too. Ill try it this afternoon.
Tamago
This is an argument I've seen come up many times over the years.
There is no technical reason why it won't work. Just don't expect it to sound good. A guitar has an impedance of around 1Meg ohm. Most hifi line inputs are anything between 1k and 33k, which is a helluva impedance mismatch and will lead to low volume.
I dislike MIC inputs, because they are designed for just that, microphones. A microphone != a musical instrument pick-up, and what is worse, some MIC jacks have voltage present on them to bias condenser microphones.
Hi-fi speakers are definitely designed to reproduce studio music, and fail miserably at pure guitar. Assuming you can get reasonable volume from your instrument into your hifi I presume not only will the speakers go eventually but some amplifier designs are not rugged enough to withstand such distortion. I discovered, in my youth that hi-fi amplifiers of the integrated variety are notoriously poor at handling instruments. When I was 14, I popped several amps using those dreaded Sanyo STK series Hybrids, using my unique attempts at "music" using a telephone mic.
singemonkey
No doubt. But a guitar > simulator > hi fi amp, is surely not the same as guitar > hifi amp? The simulator balances the signal and then feeds the final speaker simulated signal to the amp, doesn't it? The amp isn't distorting, it's just amplifying the simulated amp distortion and simulated speaker air. To my mind that's no different from what it does with the guitar solo in Whole Lotta Love off the CD.
AlanRatcliffe
The difference is that in a studio recording, the distorted guitar is only a small part of the sound being reproduced. A 20W (for example) guitar signal is focused around a much narrower frequency range (midrange) and the compressed sound of the guitar makes the cone extrude a lot more without returning, which makes it more likely to overheat and blow. The studio recording, the 20W of power is distributed across the full spectrum and is more dynamic.
Guitar speakers are designed to handle the narrower spectrum and compression without overheating.
Riaan
Using a simulator between the guitar and the HiFi will yield a better result tonally than a direct connection from guitar to HiFi.
Any chance of damaging my hi-fi speakers using Guitar Rig, provided I keep the volume within sober and responsible limits?
AlanRatcliffe
Riaan wrote
Any chance of damaging my hi-fi speakers using Guitar Rig, provided I keep the volume within sober and responsible limits?
Shouldn't be. It's the abuse they can't take that guitar speakers can. If you can get string feedback from the volume, you're probably playing too loud. ?
