Speaker wire touch while the amplifier was on

S

shameild

Audiophyte
The positive and negative ends of the speaker wire touched when I carelessly unplugged one speaker while the amplifier was on. Is this a problem, could I have damaged my amplifier? No music was playing at the time.
I have tried to google this topic, but with no success. Thanks in advance for any help!
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Possible but you're in the position to find out. Did it make a nasty sound at that moment? Does it work now? Always power off when messing with any connections....
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
It only causes a problem if the bare wires were at the speaker end. As long as both may have been removed from the terminals on an amplifier, it poses no threat.
 
S

shameild

Audiophyte
Yes, they touched at the speaker end and were connected to the amplifier at the time. However there was no nasty sound, and as far as I can tell it works now just the same as before.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
If it works you're good. Just don't do that any more.
 
S

shameild

Audiophyte
Thank you all for your replies. Sounds like if I had done any damage it would have been very apparent! I shall rest easy knowing that I haven't accidentally degraded the sound...and will take greater care next time!
 
R

Rip City Dave

Enthusiast
If your amp works, count it as a lesson learned. If it doesn't work, look at replacing any blown internal fuses.
Failing that, you got problems.
 
Eppie

Eppie

Audioholic Ninja
Thank you all for your replies. Sounds like if I had done any damage it would have been very apparent! I shall rest easy knowing that I haven't accidentally degraded the sound...and will take greater care next time!
Question pretty much has been answered, but not having music on likely helped. Tube amps can handle shorts but do not like open circuits. Transistor amps are the opposite. They can handle open circuits but don't like shorts. Both are designed to have 0 DC voltage at the speaker terminals, so with no music playing there was little current flowing through the wires and a short-term short circuit at the speaker end should not have caused damage. If the music had been turned up, there could have been another outcome.
 
S

shameild

Audiophyte
Last edited:
Eppie

Eppie

Audioholic Ninja
@Eppie, thanks for your additional reply and the info about whether or not the music was turned up. Also good to know about tube vs transistor amps. This brings me on to another question...presumable right-angle banana plugs such as in the link below are not a good idea because part of the plug is exposed and could more easily result in a short? Semoic [4 Pack] Hi-end Copper Right Angle/90 Degree Screw Type Banana Plug/Speaker Cable Connector [Banana De L]: Amazon.ca: Electronics
I would not be concerned about that. Only the square part at the right angle is exposed, and plenty of people use banana plugs that are entirely brass with no rubber sleeve. If you're worried about a child or pet pulling on the wires, the right-angle plug should be more difficult to unplug than a straight one and the rubber sleeve will provide some protection in an accident (but never 100%). If left alone, good quality plugs should never vibrate free and any time you work on the wires or move the speakers the amp should be off anyway.
 
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